Groups Fight Against H-1B Visa Increase During Congressional Recess
Despite what seemed to be broad bipartisan support, legislation to raise the annual H-1B cap has not yet been passed.  While it is expected that Congress will again address the issue after it returns from its summer recess, many groups are lobbying with legislators during the recess to urge them to vote against any bill to raise the cap.  The Urban League, the Coalition for Fair Employment in Silicon Valley and representatives of historically black colleges have started an advertising and lobbying campaign against proposals to raise the H-1B cap, arguing that high-tech employers are not interested in hiring minority Americans with high-tech skills.

Other groups opposed to increasing the cap, including unions, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and anti-immigration groups, are getting behind these new efforts.  They feel that some meaningful questions about employment discrimination have been raised, and hope that any bill that may be passed includes more protections for US workers.  These groups got a boost with retired General Colin Powell's speech to the Republican National Convention, where he stressed the need for increased technical training for US students.

High-tech companies respond that training to work in the industry is a long process, and that they cannot wait that long without jeopardizing the current boom they are enjoying.  They also point to the well-documented labor shortage in high-tech areas.  Unemployment in Silicon Valley is under two percent.  Long-term, the outlook is not much better - the number of US college graduates with technical degrees is falling each year and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be 1.7 million openings for computer technicians by 2008.

Leaders of the groups opposed to increasing the cap hope that no action will be taken until a report from the National Academy of Sciences on the high-tech workforce in the US is released.  The report is due in October.  They also want for supporters of the increase to look seriously at Labor Department reports that employment discrimination does exist in Silicon Valley.  Over the past three years, the Department has found that 13 of 85 companies examined discriminate against minorities or women, and that 24 companies had not developed minority recruitment programs that, as federal contractors, they are required to have.

Despite the opposition, there remains strong support for passage of H-1B legislation in Congress.  According to House Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-TX), there will be prompt action on cap legislation as soon as Congress returns after Labor Day.

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