Speech #1040182075

Mr. President. I have sought recognition to comment about the immigration bill which is scheduled to come before the Judiciary Committee tomorrow and. first of all. an amendment which will be offered by a number of Senators. including the distinguished Presiding Officer. Senator DEWINE of Ohio. under the leadership of Senator SPENCER ABRAHAM of Michigan. to divide the appropriations bill into two parts. that relating to legal immigration and that relating to Illegal immigration. I think it is important to do so. that the bills have independent status and that thpre not be an effort made to tie either bill to the other. The bill on legal immigration has no more to do with the bill on illegal immigration than. say. the telecommunications bill has to do with the crime bill. Illegal immigration is a major problem in America. I picked the telecommunications bill not at random but because the distinguished chairman of the Commerce Committee walked In for a moment. The bill on illegal immigration is a very important bill. We ought to protect our borders. We ought to take it up. in my view. separately. On the bill on legal immigration. I have already stated my intention to Introduce an amendment. but I think It worthwhile to make this statement in the Chamber of the Senate so it will appear in the leagues and others will have notice as to what I intend to do. But the amendment would make the following changes. First it would Increase the worldwide level of employmentbased visas from 90.000 to 135.000 a year. Second. It would eliminate the fee that employers must pay for each immigrant employee they sponsor. which is now $10.000 or 10 percent of the employees compensation annually. whichever is greater. Third. my amendment would eliminate the fee that certain employers must pay for each temporary foreign worker that they employ. Next. it restores the maximum length of the H visa to 8 years and the maximum length of the L visa to 7 years. Next. it restores the "Outstanding Researchers and Professors." which Is a category that is exempt from the labor market screening requirement. It also eliminates the requirement that employers must pay foreign workers 105 percent of prevailing wages. Mr. President. there has been an effort made to limit legal immigration under the general guise of protecting American workers. But I believe this bill Is exactly wrong and exactly counterproductive because the kinds of people who are going to be excluded from this bill are Ph.D.s. scientists. M.D.s. and those who have great proficiency and capability for adding much to employment potential in this country.