Chamber Welcomes Bipartisan Debate on Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce welcomed new Senate attention on the need for immigration reform, following President Bush's recent outline of principles for reform. The Chamber supports the President's initiative and has longed urged policymakers to fix the current system to protect undocumented workers and to expand the U.S. visa program.

"Our immigration system is broken and the government must act in a comprehensive way to fix it," said Randel Johnson, Chamber vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits. "Our immigration and visa policy must ensure employers are able to fill jobs critical to our economy when American workers are not available."

There could be as many as 10 million illegal immigrants in the United States, by some estimates. Many of these are undocumented and unskilled workers who fill essential jobs in our economy that otherwise would go empty. A steady and available labor force is essential for a growing and prosperous economy.

Senators Chuck Hagel (R/NE) and Tom Daschle (D/SD) today put forward a detailed bill that would create a temporary worker program and provide earned legal status for undocumented workers. While the legislation contains some troublesome provisions, it is a comprehensive initiative that provides an opportunity to move discussion on the issue forward with other legislative vehicles in a thoughtful and bipartisan manner, according to the Chamber.

Under the principles announced recently by President Bush, a job registry would be created to match foreign workers with employers in need of labor. The president also laid out a new method to allow undocumented workers to keep their jobs and obtain legal status.

"We need a system that will enable undocumented workers currently in our country to earn legal status," said Johnson. "Senators Hagel and Daschle are to be commended for taking on such a challenging issue. We support their efforts and look forward to working with Congress and the administration to create an immigration system that serves the American economy and reflects the American dream."

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.

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04-06