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House Majority Leaderย Eric Cantorย and Majority Whipย Kevin McCarthyย gathered some of Washingtonโs biggest tech players in McCarthyโs conference room this morning to ask them to back an immigration bill they plan to bring to the floor next week, according to attendees in the room.
The legislation, sponsored by House Judiciary Chairmanย Lamar Smith, would create a new green card category for foreigners who have received doctorate degrees from U.S. universities in science, technology, engineering and math (the so-called STEM disciplines). Green cards not used by PhDs would be available to those with STEM masterโs degrees.
The idea that the government should โstaple a green card to the diplomasโ of foreign students who have earned an advanced degree at a U.S. university has been a favorite talking point of both Democrats and Republicans for years.
Next weekโs vote gives Republicans the chance to support a fairly non-controversial piece of immigration legislation on an issue where Democrats have tried to claim the high ground.
Congressional Democrats and the White House are urging companies not to support the bill, arguing theyโve not had enough time to review it, Republicans say.
โThe fact of the matter is that politically, Democrats donโt want to give a Republican Congress a win on immigration reform, especially when it comes to high-tech,โ said a GOP tech lobbyist who attended the meeting. โI think youโre going to see anywhere from very strong letters of support to softer tones, โThank you for taking up this debate.โ I think youโre going to see a pretty considerable amount of support for it.โ
Tech companies have been clamoring for STEM visas for years. The move comes as the traditionally Democratic leaning tech industry has begun more aggressively building relationships with top Republicans and holding Silicon Valley fundraisers for them.
The K Streeters attending this morningโs meeting include: Facebookโs Joel Kaplan, ITICโs Andy Halataei, Lugar Hellman Groupโs Ralph Hellmann, CEAโs Veronica OโConnell, U.S. Chamberโs Ron Eidshaug and Jeff Lungren, NAMโs Joe Trauger, BSAโs Katherine McGuire, Microsoftโs Fred Humphries, Yahooโs Margaret Nagle, Ciscoโs Paul Redifer, Texas Instrumentsโ Paula Collins, SIAโs Patrick Wilson, Engine Advocacyโs Ryan Triplette, Oracleโs Jason Mahler, SIAโs Patrick Wilson, Bloombergโs Carl Thorsen and Qualcommโs Alice Tornquist.
Source:ย National Journal
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New green card category for foreigners to be created