CONTACTS: Linda Rozett
(202)463-5682/888-249-NEWS

Tuesday, October 3, 2000

U.S. Chamber Hails Senate Action on High Tech Visa Bill - Immigration Critical to Continued Economic Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce applauded the Senate’s bipartisan action to ease the critical labor shortage currently facing U.S. businesses in passing legislation that will grant more visas to technical professionals and streamline the immigration process.

"The Senate’s action today will help businesses fill the technology worker gap," said Bruce Josten, Chamber executive vice president. "There are not enough American workers with technical skills to fill the available jobs – and that shortage threatens America’s prosperity and preeminence in the global economy."

The Senate Immigration Act, which the Chamber supported, will increase the number of temporary visas for highly skilled workers (H-1B visas) to 195,000, allowing companies access to needed workers. The current annual limit on workers with H-1B visas (115,000) is reached earlier and earlier every year.

Increasing the cap on visas to 195,000 for fiscal 2001, 2002 and 2003, will enable companies to fill more high-tech jobs and the new visas will generate more than $100 million for education and training for American workers and students, according to the Chamber.

"Businesses will continue to work with Congress to find domestic solutions to the long-term problem of worker shortages," said Josten. "Focusing on better education in Kindergarten through High School, partnering with the community, implementing more job training programs – are all part of building and maintaining an adequate skilled-labor pool."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

# # #

00-142a