In a move hailed as a remedy to the long delays for employment-based green cards, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law advanced legislation (H.R. 5882) to "recapture" both employment-based (EB) and family-based green cards that Congress authorized in the past but that went unused before the end of the fiscal year because of government processing delays.

In a move hailed as a remedy to the long delays for employment-based green cards, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law advanced legislation (H.R. 5882) to "recapture" both employment-based (EB) and family-based green cards that Congress authorized in the past but that went unused before the end of the fiscal year because of government processing delays. The bill was reported out of the Subcommittee on July 31, 2008, paving the way for passage of this legislation which would aid many of our clients.

Call to Action to Employers and Foreign National Workers--Contact your Congressperson and Senators and ask them to Support and Co-Sponsor H.R. 5882

It is important that your Congressperson and Senators hear about your strong support to reduce the ten year backlog in employment-based immigrant immigrant categories. Reducing backlogs is a strong incentive for a foreign national worker to remain with the employer. Ask your employer to support the legislation also. You may locate your Congressman by going to: www.congress.org and entering your zip code. Fax and email your notes of support for this legislation.

The bipartisan measure, sponsored by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), would help U.S. employers retain the highly educated professionals who are already living, working and innovating in America, and is strongly supported by 70 employer, family and community-based organizations.

"Chairwoman Lofgren and her Democratic and Republican colleagues should be commended for moving this important legislation forward. By putting unused green cards back into the system, this bill will foster increased innovation in America and help boost the U.S. economy," said Robert Hoffman, Vice President for Government and Public Affairs at Oracle and Co-Chair of Compete America. "Far too many highly educated professionals have waited in excess of 5 years for a green card. These individuals are already making important contributions to our nation, and we praise any and all efforts to help keep them working in America."

Backlogs in the EB green card system are well documented, with some foreign-born highly educated professionals waiting as long as 10 years, and others not even knowing when a permanent resident visa will become available. Without these incremental reforms, U.S. employers will be crippled in the global competition for the world's best talent, as more and more extremely valuable professionals from around the world take their education and abilities to competitors abroad.

In addition to H.R. 5882, Compete America has endorsed passage of H.R. 6039/S. 3084 - which would exempt highly educated, foreign-born students earning an advanced degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics from a U.S. university from the annual EB green card limit - and H.R. 5921 - which would eliminate per country limits on EB green card distribution. While Compete America supports these interim fixes to the EB green card system, it continues to urge for permanent reforms.

"America can not afford to keep its door closed to top worldwide talent while the rest of the world moves ahead and welcomes them," continued Hoffman. "We look forward to working with the full House Judiciary Committee and the entire Congress to make sure that the recapture legislation and other permanent fixes to the EB green card system become law this year."