A group of scientific and academic organizations, including AIBS, has written to the leadership of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees expressing support for the immigration provision in the America COMPETES Act that exempts STEM graduates with advanced degrees from green card caps.
The letter expresses appreciation for Congress’ recent work on innovation legislation—the United States Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260) and the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. 4521)—and calls for the inclusion of Section 80303 from H.R. 4521, or something similar such as Senator Durbin’s (D-IL) Keep STEM Talent Act of 2022 (S. 3638), in the final conferenced competitiveness bill currently being negotiated in Congress.
“Allowing doctoral, and in the case of critical industries, master’s students with STEM degrees to be exempt from caps on green cards and providing for dual intent to streamline the visa process will strengthen our global competitiveness by making it easier for the best and brightest scientists from around the world to conduct their careers in the United States,” the groups argue.
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