Sensenbrenner Sell Out?

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2003 3:18 PM

H-1B and JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER

www.ZaZona.com

Harris Miller recently said that he will begin lobbying this spring to
either keep the H-1B limit at it's current high level, or he will try
to get rid of any limit at all. In September of this year the visa cap
is scheduled to drop from 195,000 to 65,000 visa issued per year.

Congressman F James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin addressed the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He feels that that 65,000 is
"too few" and gives some assurance that he will help to keep the limit
up. Sensenbrenner throws a bone to his constituency by saying that he
won't allow "cooks and poodle dressers" to use H-1B visas. If he could
keep those cooks and doggie dressers from using H-1B visas it won't
help the American's that are most threatened by H-1B displacement.

When President Grant wined and dined Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux, he
presented a map showing how the territory of the Dakotas was going to
be rearranged for the benefit of the Sioux. In response, Red Cloud held
out his fist, index and middle finger protruding in the white man's "V"
for victory sign, only his word was "forked tongue" as in "lies."
Native Americans say that the "white man" speaks with "forked tongue"
because 400-plus treaties and agreements signed with them were violated
by the U.S. government. Since 1990 politicians have supported H-1B
increases while at the same time assuring the public that they are
going to put more protections into the law. When will American workers
realize that the promises of worker protections are no better better
than those treaties with the Native Americans?

I have included comments from some recent newsletters by Dr. Norman
Matloff. I also include Sensenbrenner's voting record on H-1B and
nonimmigrant visas from http://www.betterimmigration.com/. It's not
very encouraging that a politician that gives speeches to special
interest groups like the CII also voted for every H-1B increase.
Sensenbrenner voted against worker protections in 2000 and now he says
he wants protections - Me thinks this man speak with forked tongue!

I urge you to call Rep. Sensenbrenner and let him know your displeasure
with the entire H-1B program. People in Congress like short, simple
messages, so simply state that Congress should outlaw the displacement
of Americans by H-1Bs. (No, present law does NOT outlaw such actions.)

Here is the number:

Congressman F James Sensenbrenner Jr, (202) 225-5101

Ask to speak to a staffer who handles immigration issues. Practice
what
you want to say BEFORE you call, to insure that you are coherent and
concise.

If Sensenbrenner's office tries to duck out by saying you are not in
his
district, point out that (a) as chair of a major congressional
committee, he has a responsibility to ALL Americans, and (b) India is
not in his district either, yet here he is making promises to the
Confederation of Indian Industry.

Even if you are unemployed, a phone call is cheap if you keep your
message concise.

Norm

Recall on Friday I posted an article in which Rep. Sensenbrenner had
met
with an Indian industrial group and more or less promised them he would
retain a strong H-1B quota. Note that I pointed out that this was
especially insidious in view of the fact that Sensenbrenner is chair of
the House Judiciary Committee, which handles immigration matters. (The
Immigration Subcommittee is a subcommittee within Judiciary.)

In the article enclosed below, Rep. Meehan is quoted as being concerned
about the impact of H-1B on American workers. He too is in a powerful
position, as he is a member of the Judiciary Committee.

I thus strongly suggest that you call Meehan's office, and talk to
whoever in his office handles immigration issues. Again, they are
likely to demur if you are not a constituent of Meehan's. I consider
that an invalid argument, because as a member of the Judiciary
Committee
Meehan is acting on behalf of the entire nation, but in any event the
main point is that you will have gotten your point across to Meehan's
staff.

Rep. Marty Meehan
Phone: (202) 225-3411
Fax: (202) 226-0771

Norm

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EB22Df03.html

South Asia

US 'to tighten H-1B visa regulations'

NEW DELHI - Regulations governing the H-1B visas that provide highly
skilled foreign workers a permit for the United States will be
tightened further, said Congressman F James Sensenbrenner Jr, chairman
of the House Judiciary Committee, in an address to the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII).

This is to ensure that only those like skilled IT experts are allowed
in and not "cooks and poodle dressers!", he said. The current ceiling
for H-1B visas is 195,000. This lapses in September. This past year,
this number was underutilized and unless a new ceiling is set by May
2003, it will fall to the lowest level of 65,000. However, given that
65,000 is too few and 195,000 too high, a fresh figure will be decided
on by May 2003.

Sensenbrenner also spoke about new regulations that will affect student
visas or I-20s. This he clarified would not affect legitimate students
from entering the US, but will try and keep out those like Mohammed
Atta, a Florida-trained pilot, who flew American Airlines Flight 11
into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The old I-20 rules
meant that a university issued the student visa and the student was
registered with the immigration authorities only at the port of entry.
The new rules stipulate that the university will have to register the
student with the immigration authorities directly prior to issuing the
I-20 and notify the immigration and Homeland Security Office at every
step. The congressman did mention that there was resistance from US
colleges and universities in implementing this change.

Sensenbrenner is a principal author of two major pieces of legislation
which were signed into Congress post September 11: the Patriot Act
(October 2001) and the Visa and Border Security Act (May 2002). He also
played a key role in drafting the Homeland Security Act (November
2002). He is an authority on counter-terrorism, homeland security and
intellectual property rights.

(Confederation of Indian Industry)

Sensenbrenner's Betrayal of American Workers:

Voted for H-1B worker protections but also
supported increase in foreign workers in 1998
Before the House passed the H-1B doubling bill in 1998, Rep.
Sensenbrenner voted for the Watt Amendment to the H-1B bill that would
have forbidden U.S. firms from using temporary foreign workers to
replace Americans. It also would have required U.S. firms to check a
box on a form attesting that they had first sought an American worker
for the job. The substitute failed 177-242. But after voting for
considerable worker protections, Rep. Sensenbrenner voted in favor of
H.R. 3736. This was a vote to increase by nearly 150,000 the number of
foreign workers high-tech American companies could hire over the next
three years. The bill passed 288 to 133.

Voted in 2000 for importing
more foreign workers
Rep. Sensenbrenner voted as part of the House Judiciary Committee for
H.R.4227 in 2000. This legislation would have removed the cap on the
number of H-1B visas available for three years PROVIDED THAT the worker
protections from the 1998 H-1B bill be implemented.
Although the bill would have allowed an unlimited number of H-1B visa
holders into the country, thus increasing overall numbers, the
legislation did contain important worker protections and fraud
prevention measures. Among these provisions, H.R.4227 would have
required that H-1Bs work full time and are paid more than $40,000 a
year. It would also have required that employers provide the Labor
Department with information about each H-1B visa holder and that
information is posted on the Internet. The legislation passed the
committee 18-11.

Voted against worker protections in committee in 2000

Rep. Sensenbrenner voted as part of the House Judiciary Committee
AGAINST the Smith/Jackson Lee/Goodlatte Amendment to H.R.4227. This
amendment required that the worker protections from the 1998 AICWA
(H-1B) bill be in effect by September 1, 2000. These are important
worker protections that were included in the 1998 H-1B increase bill,
but have yet to be put into effect. The amendment passed 24-7.

Voted against minority hiring and recruitment in 2000

Rep. Sensenbrenner voted AGAINST the Waters amendment to H.R.4227. This
amendment would have required corporations to show some level of hiring
and recruitment among Blacks and Hispanics, or the H-1B program would
be shut down. The amendment was defeated 12-17.

Voted in committee to protect American workers in 1998.
During consideration of H.R.3736 in Committee , an amendment was
presented by Rep. Rogan to strip worker protections from the bill and
make the House bill more like the Senate bill. Rep. Sensenbrenner voted
with the 24-7 majority AGAINST the Rogan amendment. After the bill
passed the committee, then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich executed
a little-used power and on his own stripped out the protections that
Rep. Sensenbrenner had voted to preserve. Gingrich then brought
H.R.3736 to the House floor for a vote, packing it with language
primarily from the Senate bill.

Tried to create massive new foreign agriculture

worker program in 1996
Rep. Sensenbrenner voted IN FAVOR of the Pombo Amendment to H.R.2202.
He was voting for a massive new program that would have allowed
agri-business to import up to 250,000 foreign farm workers each year
for a period of service of less than a year. A bi-partisan
congressional commission working with the Bush Administration (1989-93)
had concluded that there were at least 190,000 farm workers already in
America who were out of work at any given time. The federal commission
said the oversupply of farmworkers was a major reason why farm
workers real incomes had fallen by almost half over the previous two
decades. Rep. Sensenbrenner rejected the recommendations of the
commission and took the side of growers who asked for a larger labor
supply. The amendment -- which had no provisions for ensuring that the
temporary workers did not stay in the U.S. as illegal aliens -- failed
by a 180-242 vote.

Brought foreign nurses program to an end in 1996
Rep. Sensenbrenner was part of a 262-154 majority that brought a
foreign nurses guestworker program to an end. He voted AGAINST the Burr
Amendment to H.R.2202. Those favoring the amendment said many rural
areas had a shortage of nurses and needed the foreign workers. Rep.
Sensenbrenner was among those who contended that there are more than
enough Americans trained in nursing to do the job if the pay and
working conditions are appropriate.

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