House Republicans try once more to break the H-1B logjam

[OhioChick]

April 21, 2008, 6:52 PM
A letter from US House Republicans to the Speaker and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives urges yet another serious look at the current H-1B visa situation that plagues tech companies each year, which they describe as a fiasco.

The letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D - Calif.) and Leader Steny Hoyer (D - Md.) was scribed by Jeb Hensarling (R - Texas) and signed by 30 members of his House Republican Study Committee, a leading conservative caucus. It requests new legislation "within the next few months of 2008" aimed at increasing the number of high-skilled, legal immigrants into the United States to fill high-tech job roles.

"Every year, American businesses tell us how they are unable to retain the qualified people that they want to retain because of the artificially low H-1B visas caps and related regulations that do not reflect market realities," Rep. Hensarling wrote. "This situation is ironic, since most of these unemployable people were educated in the United States. As a country, we are effectively handing these highly-educated, extremely desirable individuals a diploma and a plane ticket. The message we are sending is, 'You can learn here, but you have to work in another country.'"

Issues related to H-1B visas has been a thorn in the government's side for several years, though little has been done to resolve the issue. Originally believed to be an issue related to illegal immigration, the caucus members hope Congress will separate H-1B visas and illegal immigration by "moving temporary, high-skilled, legal immigration reform legislation to the floor in short order."

http://www.betanews.com/article/House_Republicans_try_once_more_to_break_the_H1B_logjam/1208818334

[islandmkl]

1. let me translate:

"Every year, American businesses tell us how they are unable to retain the qualified people..."

Who will work cheap.

[SharonAnn]

2. Every year, American businesses tell us how they want to pay less than fair wages.