Brainfade Posted December 5, 2012 Posted December 5, 2012 I reckon many of you are Science/Engg/Math graduates from US universities; you may want to keep an eye on the progress of this bill - 55,000 green cards per year for foreign students graduating from US universities in STEM fields. http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/33544/title/STEM-Bill-Passed-by-House/ STEM Bill Passed by House A bill that would increase visas for foreign-born, US-trained science and engineering graduates passes in the House, but is unlikely to get through Senate. By Dan Cossins | December 5, 2012 The US House of Representatives last week (November 30) passed the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) immigration bill that will grant green cards for up to 55,000 foreign-born, US-trained graduates every year. "In a global economy, we cannot afford to educate these foreign graduates in the U.S. and then send them back home to work for our competitors, said Lamar Smith (R-TX), who sponsored the bill, in a statement. "This legislation will help us create jobs, increase our competitiveness, and spur our innovation. To level out the total number of immigrants allowed into the country each year, the legislation will also eliminate a lottery-based program to admit 50,000 people from under-represented countries. That trade-off was the reason only 26 Democrats supported this new bill when it was passed by a margin of 245 to 139 in the House just 2 months after it had been rejected under a regulation that required a two thirds majority vote. The new bill required a simple majority. Many Democrats insist that STEM graduates should not get special treatment. "It flies in the face of our diverse American electorate to precondition STEM visas on the elimination of Diversity Visa immigrants, 50 percent of whom come from the continent of Africa, said Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) during the debate. Like STEM graduates, they have much to contribute to the United States. And although there is growing bipartisan consensus on the need to boost skilled immigration, the Democrat-controlled Senate is unlikely to support the measure. In an official statement of opposition released before this latest House vote, the White House described the bill as one of several narrowly tailored proposals that do not meet the president's long-term objectives with respect to comprehensive immigration reform.
Brainfade Posted December 5, 2012 Author Posted December 5, 2012 Will it pass in senate? Looks unlikely at this point. And even if it does, Pres. Obama is opposed to it.
vvvslaxman Posted December 5, 2012 Posted December 5, 2012 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/17438387.cms haha
anotherhawkeye Posted December 5, 2012 Posted December 5, 2012 I don't trust anything from Republican Party, so I'm with the president.
Brainfade Posted December 6, 2012 Author Posted December 6, 2012 Senate refuses to pick it up for discussion. http://news.yahoo.com/senate-gop-fails-bring-immigration-143708716.html;_ylt=A2KJ3Cb13cBQFEgAvrTQtDMD WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked Republicans from bringing up an immigration bill offering permanent residence visas for foreigners with advanced degrees that passed the House last week despite the opposition of most Democrats. Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas sought unanimous consent to consider the bill that provides some 55,000 green cards a year to those with masters and doctorate degrees from U.S. colleges in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "We all know that America's immigration system is broken, but in particular by driving away highly skilled foreign workers who want to start businesses and create jobs right here in America," he said. New York's Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democratic leader on immigration policies, objected to Cornyn's request. Schumer said Democrats support creating so-called STEM visas and he has a proposal to do that. "But what we don't do is take away other visas or add in other extraneous positions." House Republicans turned to their STEM bill as a way to show Hispanics, who deserted them in the November election, that they are serious about immigration legislation. But it met strong opposition from Democrats because it eliminated another visa program that benefits less-educated people, particularly from Africa. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus said Republicans were trying to pick winners and losers among different people who want to gain permanent residency. The Republican bill would also have made it easier for the spouses and families of people with green cards to enter the United States while they wait for their own green card applications to be approved
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