U.S. Immigration Reform Bill Could Pass by July
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A U.S. congressman tells the Tech Industry Summit that Congress could pass an immigration reform bill by July.
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A sweeping immigration law overhaul   that would toughen border security and give millions of illegal   immigrants a chance to earn U.S. citizenship headed for Senate   passage on Thursday and backers prepared for a bruising battle   with the House of Representatives.
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What would the United States look like under the Senate immigration bill? Possibly a lot like Washington.
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A bill that would end a nasty trade war with Europe and shower more than &#36;140 billion in tax breaks on American companies is nearing congressional approval.
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President George W. Bush's effort to overhaul the country's immigration laws got a last minute reprieve in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, giving a boost to millions of immigrants who hope to legalize their status.
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Final approval appears likely this week for a bill sending multiparty cases from state to federal court.
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(InfoWorld) - Two IT trade groups, as well as Microsoft, expressed disappointment after the U.S. Senate failed to move ahead with a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would include a higher annual cap on visas for highly skilled workers. In a vote Thursday, the Senate failed to cut off debate on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act and move the bill forward for a vote. The bill, which critics say provides amnesty to illegal aliens living in the United States, also would have expanded exemptions to the cap on the controversial H-1B visa program, a move supported by many tech vendors. The bill would increase the annual H-1B cap from 65,000 to 115,000 and exempt all foreign students who have earned a master's degree or higher from a U.S. university from the annual cap. Right now, there's a 20,000 annual limit on exemptions for students with master's degree and higher. The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), a trade group, called on the U.S. Congress to move ahead with legislation addressing only high-skilled visas, including H-1Bs and EB "green card" visas, not other immigration issues. The ITAA was "tremendously disappointed" by the Senate's failure to move the bill forward, ITAA president and CEO Phil Bond said in a statement. "Our own immigration system is restricting America's ability to compete, to grow, and to prosper," Bond said. "Congress must find a way to remove this chokehold." The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) said it was "profoundly disappointed" in the Senate's action. Without the immigration bill, the U.S. "high-tech industry will be challenged to find the skilled workers it needs and therefore put at a significant disadvantage to its global competitors," SIIA President Ken Wasch said in a statement. CompaniesÂ such asÂ Microsoft will be hurt by the failure to pass the bill, said Pamela Passman, the company's vice president for global corporate affairs. Comprehensive immigration reform is "desperately needed," she said in a statement. U.S.-based tech worker groups such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA (IEEE-USA) have opposed a higher H-1B cap, arguing that companies use the program to hire foreign workers for less money than unemployed U.S. workers would receive. This month, a video surfaced on the Internet showingÂ lawyers talking about how to cheat the skilled-worker visa system.
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Lawmakers are bracing for political blowback from liberal and conservative critics of a broad immigration reform measure that's on hold as they head home for a weeklong break
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Landmark legislation to secure U.S. borders and offer millions of illegal immigrants a share of the American dream cleared the Senate on Thursday, a rare election-year reach across party lines and a triumph for President Bush.
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After a week at home with their constituents, the Senate architects of a delicate immigration compromise are increasingly convinced they will hold together this week to pass an  overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, with momentum building behind one unifying theme: Today's immigration system is...
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Legislation to overhaul the nation's immigration laws cleared a key hurdle yesterday when the Senate voted 64 to 35 to take up the measure again after a nearly three-week break. But opponents of the proposal insisted they would scuttle it by week's end.
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A legislative package to stimulate the U.S. economy and avert a possible recession could be passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush within a month, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Wednesday.
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Senate leaders agreed on Thursday to revive a stalled immigration overhaul after lawmakers worked out a plan to overcome conservatives' objections to a bill that would legalize millions of immigrants.
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An immigration reform bill that includes a proposed hike in the annual cap on H-1B visas was the subject of a hearing in the U.S. House. But it's unlikely that the bill will become law this year.
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The US House of Representatives passes tough legislation against immigration.
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For all the controversy, immigration legislation is moving steadily through the Senate, shielded by a bipartisan coalition durable enough to defeat crippling amendments, shake off political warning shots and even recover from an occasional stumble.
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The White House and senators from both parties mapped out possible changes to the stalled immigration bill.