Bill's SKIL Bill
Bill's SKIL Bill
Date: Thursday, May 04, 2006 6:20 PM
JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER
May 04, 2006 No. 1471
The Specter Immigration bill has morphed into a new one called the "SKIL
Bill" (S. 2691). It's basically a cut down version of the Specter bill that
contains all of the increases in H-1B, work-based green cards, and the new
F-4 visa. The immigration related stuff has been carved out of the bill.
Work based visa provisions embedded in the Specter and SKIL Bills are a
direct result of the intense lobbying effort earlier this year by Bill
Gates who promised to go to Washington DC to win an increase in the H-1B
cap. John Cornyn (R, TX) introduced bill without giving credit to it's
godfather - perhaps a better name would be "Bill's SKIL Bill".
The cheap labor lobby had a strategic reason to introduce the SKIL bill as
a separate piece of legislation. Instead of relying on the passage of the
controversial Specter bill or its variants, they are hedging their bets by
introducing a second. They figure if one bill doesn't pass the other will -
and more importantly they win either way. Perhaps they are starting to
worry that comprehensive immigration legislation isn't going to happen
during an election year. I have said before that the real reason for the
Specter bill is the H-1B, F-4, and Green Card increases while the illegal
alien and amnesty issues are a smoke screen. The SKIL bill bolsters my
contention.
CompeteAmerica spelled the strategy out:
the Skil Bill, introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.)
is more narrowly focused on issues related to raising the
annual H-1B visa cap and streamlining processes related to
so-called EB green cards, or permanent residency.
"This new bill helps set free the H-1B issues from the other
immigration reform issues that might have less chance of moving
forward," says a spokesman from Compete America, a lobby group
that represents about 200 businesses, universities, and trade
associations and supports the new legislation.
It's worth noting that Senator George Allen (R, VA) co-sponsored the bill.
Allen is running for re-election in Virginia and must think that supporting
the SKIL bill will put him in the same league as his potential Democratic
rival - Harris Miller. Harris Miller is running in the Virginia primary
against James Webb.
This begs the question: could it be that Allen figures Harris Miller is
going to win the primary? If so, this shows a lot about the crisis we are
in. Instead of differentiating himself from Miller as a champion of the
American middle class, he feels that his chances of winning are improved by
acting as a corporate todie. Allen's strategists may have determined that
the opposition to Harris Miller in Virginia is so weak that it's better to
kiss the boots of rich corporate donors than to serve the Virginia
electorate.
Another thing worth noticing is that Competeamerica was a spinoff of the
ITAA during Harris Miller's reign as president. If the Virginia Senatorial
race boils down to Allen vs. Miller, they win either way.
I will provide a more detailed analysis on Bill's Skil Bill in a subsequent
newsletter.
Material used for newsletter
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187002664
Another New Bill Tries To Raise Cap On H-1B Visas
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/05/02/1632215.htm
SIA Urges Support for 'SKIL Bill'
http://www.competeamerica.org/news/alliance_pr/20060502_skil.html
Compete America Praises Introduction of Cornyn Legislation to Reform H-1B
and Green Card Systems
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187002664
Another New Bill Tries To Raise Cap On H-1B Visas
The Skil Bill aims to unencumber H-1B visas from other immigration reform
issues.
By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee, InformationWeek
May 2, 2006
While Congress is bogged down debating far-reaching and controversial
immigration reform, a new bill proposing to raise the ceiling on the number
of H-1B visas issued annually to technology and related professionals was
introduced into the Senate on Tuesday.
The new "Securing Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership" legislation, dubbed
the Skil Bill, has many of the same provisions proposed in other
legislation being debated by Congress, including immigration reform bills
introduced earlier this year by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.)
and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Penn.).
But unlike those other bills that are part of more comprehensive
immigration reform packages, the Skil Bill, introduced by Senator John
Cornyn (R-Tex.) is more narrowly focused on issues related to raising the
annual H-1B visa cap and streamlining processes related to so-called EB
green cards, or permanent residency.
"This new bill helps set free the H-1B issues from the other immigration
reform issues that might have less chance of moving forward," says a
spokesman from Compete America, a lobby group that represents about 200
businesses, universities, and trade associations and supports the new
legislation.
Among the recommendations of the Skil Bill is an exemption from the annual
H-1B cap for any professional who has earned a post-graduate degree from an
accredited U.S. university.
Currently, the annual cap on H-1B visas is 65,000. The bill proposes to
raise the ceiling to 115,000, with options to increase the cap annually by
20% based on the needs of employers. The United States received the maximum
number of allowable petitions for H-1B visas in fiscal 2006 six weeks
before the fiscal year even began.
The Cornyn bill also proposes allowing employers to pay a premium fee to
expedite the processing of an immigrant petition and provides for a
"precertification system" to streamline the processing of certain
nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions.
The Skil Bill was co-sponsored by Senators George Allen (R-Va.), Wayne
Allard (R-Colo.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), and Trent Lott
(R-Miss.).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/05/02/1632215.htm
[May 02, 2006]
SIA Urges Support for 'SKIL Bill'; Cornyn Bill Would Help High-Tech
Industries Facing Shortage of Scientists and Engineers
SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- May 2, 2006 -- The Semiconductor
Industry Association (SIA) today expressed strong support for S. 2691,
legislation known as the "SKIL Bill" (Securing Knowledge Innovation and
Leadership). The bill was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R, TX) and
co-sponsored by Senators George Allen (R, VA), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Robert
Bennett (R-UT), Michael Enzi (R-WY), and Trent Lott (R-MS).
The legislation has four main provisions supported by technology companies:
-- It reforms both the H-1B visa and employment-based (EB) green card
processes by exempting U.S.-educated foreign workers with advanced degrees
from the H-1B and EB quotas.
-- It creates a flexible, market-based H-1B cap. The current limits on such
visas were reached in August 2005, preventing U.S. employers from utilizing
H-1B visas to hire workers with critically needed advanced skills until
October of 2006.
-- It extends the optional post-curricular training program for foreign
students to 24 months from the current 12 months. This provision would make
it easier for skilled individuals to go from student to green card status.
-- It exempts immigrant spouses and children of EB and green card workers
from the annual cap, thus making more visas available for highly skilled
workers.
"America is simply not graduating enough scientists and engineers to keep
our country in the forefront of innovation and technology," said SIA
President George Scalise. "The provisions in Senator Cornyn's 'SKIL bill,'
as well as similar provisions in the two versions of comprehensive
immigration reform introduced by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, address our critical
shortage of scientists and engineers. The Congress must quickly pass
legislation to keep foreign-born, U.S. educated talent working for U.S.
companies. Leadership in technology has been critical to driving economic
growth, enhancing productivity, improving our standard of living, and
ensuring national security. Leadership is not a birthright -- it must be
earned, and it takes highly skilled scientists and engineers to earn
leadership," Scalise concluded.
About the SIA
The SIA is the leading voice for the semiconductor industry and has
represented U.S. semiconductor companies since 1977. Collectively, the chip
industry employs a domestic workforce of 225,000 people. More information
about the SIA can be found at www.sia-online.org.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.competeamerica.org/news/alliance_pr/20060502_skil.html
May 2, 2006
Compete America Praises Introduction of Cornyn Legislation to Reform H-1B
and Green Card Systems
'SKIL Bill' Would Relieve Crisis Facing U.S. Employers of Highly Educated
Foreign Nationals
Washington D.C. - Compete America today praised the introduction of the
"SKIL Bill" by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to reform both the H-1B visa and
employment based (EB visa) green card processes. The legislation is
cosponsored by Senators Allard (R-CO), Allen (R-VA), Bennett (R-UT), Enzi
(R-WY), and Lott (R-MS).
The SKIL Bill is the latest indicator that both the United States Senate
and the Bush Administration are prepared to fix the visa system for highly
educated foreign nationals. In addition to the SKIL Bill, Compete America
has endorsed measures contained the Senate's comprehensive immigration
legislation addressing H-1B and EB visa issues; and has also endorsed
President Bush's call to ensure access to talent as part of the
Administration's American Competitiveness Initiative.
"Senator Cornyn clearly understands the contribution highly-educated
foreign nationals make to the U.S. economy and to Texas," said Texas
Instruments CEO and President Richard K. Templeton. "The Senator's bill
reaffirms America's proud tradition of welcoming top talent to this
country. The reality is that most scientists and engineers with advanced
degrees from U.S. universities are foreign born. The competition for talent
is truly global. If the U.S. wants to win, we absolutely must encourage
these advanced degree holders to stay here and get their green cards - not
send them home to compete against us. The 'SKIL' bill really advances that
goal."
Both the H-1B and EB visa/green card programs have been responsible for
bringing much needed foreign talent to live and work in the United States,
and most importantly, to make significant contributions to the U.S. economy
and global competitiveness. However, H-1B shortages have been well
documented, and backlogs in the green card system are getting worse,
forcing thousands of valued foreign-born professionals - including
researchers, scientists, teachers and engineers - into legal and
professional limbo for seven years or more.
Among the provisions of the SKIL Bill (Securing Knowledge Innovation and
Leadership) endorsed by Compete America are the following:
Exemptions for U.S. educated foreign workers with advanced degrees in math,
science, technology and engineering fields from the H-1B and EB quotas so
their talent can be retained in the United States.
Creation of a flexible, market-based H-1B cap so that U.S. employers are
not locked out of hiring critical talent.
Extension of foreign students' post curricular optional practical training
from 12 months to 24 months to allow them to go more easily from student to
green card.
Exemptions for EB/green card immigrant spouses and children from the annual
cap, thus making more visas available for the professionals we need.
The SKIL Bill contains many of the provisions for reform of the H-1B visa
and EB/green card systems that are present in the two versions of
comprehensive immigration reform introduced by Senate Majority Leader Bill
Frist (R-TN) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA).
"The Senate is ready to address the problem facing U.S. employers of highly
educated foreign nationals," said Sandra Boyd, National Association of
Manufacturers Human Resources Policy Vice President and Compete America
Chair. "It is incomprehensible that Congress would address broad
immigration reform without fixing the system that brings legal, highly
educated workers to the U.S. We are grateful to Senator Cornyn and the
other cosponsors of the SKIL bill as well as those who have supported the
inclusion of similar provisions in comprehensive immigration reform."
Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of more than 200
corporations, universities, research institutions and trade associations
concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to
ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary
to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide
economy.
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