Along with loading up the current spending bill with pork as they always do, Congress is also attempting to sneak in a back-door increase in the number of H1B visas that will allow more foreign workers into the country to displace more American workers.

Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado is one of the few to stand up for American workers. Here is his recent statement about this:

http://www.teamamericapac.org/ta-ttp...hattempt.shtml

Tancredo Moves to Quash Backdoor Attempt to Relax Immigration Rules

Sweeping changes to immigration controls should not be made behind the public’s back, especially by a lame duck Congress...


From the Office of Congressman Tom Tancredo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo (CO-06) today penned a note of caution to House and Senate Appropriators against including extraneous immigration provisions in an omnibus spending bill. By including the changes in an end-of-year omnibus spending bill, substantial revisions to federal immigration law would occur absent any consideration by Congress.

“Reasonable people can disagree about the wisdom of these changes, but what we should all agree on is that such sweeping changes to immigration law should not be made though a deceiving procedural move designed to avoid public scrutiny,” said Tancredo, Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus.

The proposed changes would dramatically increase the number of “H1-B” foreign workers allowed to enter the U.S. each year. Aliens who obtain advanced college degrees would not be counted against the current numerical cap on H-1B’s, which currently limits the number of such aliens at 65,000 per year. The changes would also change the way the “prevailing wage” is calculated, allowing employers to pay foreign workers in this category less.

“Why the appropriators would want to end-run Congress just to flood an already competitive job market with cheap imported labor is beyond me,” said Tancredo, “Particularly in the tech sector, where the unemployment rate already exceeds the national unemployment average.”

“We owe it to the American people to debate these proposals thoroughly,” concluded Tancredo, “Anything less would be a disservice.”

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<<Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.>>

I remember reading, in the Economist, that outsourcing would never be a really bad problem because most of the jobs in this economy are tied to this country and simply can't be exported. It is nice that Congress has found a way around this limitation.

If this crap keeps happening, it might not only be the terrorists who are attacking the Capital. lol

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

in an emrgency session because hotel and restaurant owners (particularly in New England where summer employment is high) panicked when Americans weren't applying for job openings yet their applications for visas were being returned rejected. Kennedy proposed an increase in the number of workers and without it many of the restaurants and hotels would have been crushed during their busy season.

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All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.

Yes, it really seems that we have the best government that money can buy.

I have a feeling it's going to be another looooong 4 years otherwise.

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<<Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.>>

I believe the situation you mentioned in New England was for H2B visas, which are only available for mostly unskilled work that is temporary in nature. It allows foreign nationals to enter into the U.S. temporarily and engage in nonagricultural employment which is seasonal, intermittent, a peak load need, or a one-time occurrence. Also the employer must establish that there are no unemployed U.S. workers willing or able to do the work.

The H1B visas are another matter. It is the primary method for bringing in professional level and hi-tech foreign employees to the USA. This program allows workers in specialty occupations to work in the US for up to a total of six years, and they can also apply for permanent residency during that time. Also the employer does not need to demonstrate that there is a shortage of qualified US workers.

Moving jobs overseas isn't enough, technology companies especially are using H1B visas to bring foreign workers to this country to replace American workers. By some strange "coincidence", any time Congress raises the number of H1B visas allowed at the request of these corporations, layoffs seem to soon follow for American workers.

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<<Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.>>

woohoo more chances for me to earn my millions then come back home, my doctorate is up review, hopefully get it then earn some serious $$ in the US, then come back home


remember, you republicans, voted for these guys, god I could kiss you all right now

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I have something to hide.

Bush supporters need not worry, though. So long as foreigners are not allowed to take jobs at Walmart and Coal mines, Bush supporters will not be affected. Just kidding.

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

... altho you might want to wait until the new Congress takes over, with an even bigger Republican majority, you might get an even better deal!

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<<Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.>>

Man, you must have a death-wish!

You know, the irony of this whole thing is that before Bush took office, this need for foreign workers could be justified in many cases. But since he's been there, there's not even enough tech jobs for American workers but Congress ignores that little fact.

Kinda like when Bush was a candidate and first proposed tax cuts, his reason was because the government had a surplus, remember?

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<<Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.>>

Proving once again that we have the best government that money can buy, the spending bill going to the president will include the following:

"There will be visas for 20,000 more skilled foreign workers for high technology businesses."

I guess walmart will a lot more applications soon.

When I was a child, I thought government worked for the American people. It scares me when I realize that some adults still believe this fiction.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/....ap/index.html

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller