"It is one of the great American stories, repeated countless times over decades. An immigrant to the US, sitting in a lab or a company or even at home, working to start a company that ends up becoming a great American success story. Some of our greatest companies began exactly this way. And immigrants today have great ideas that can change the world. The question is whether they will develop them in the United States or somewhere else."

Compete America members – representing industry, academia and the highly educated, foreign-born professionals stuck in the broken system themselves – testified at a recent Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, each echoing the coalition’s long-advocated message that America needs an employment-based green card and visa system that promotes, not hinders, U.S. growth and competitiveness.

"When we hear the word 'immigration' in Texas, our first thought is probably about the border. But not all immigration issues are about the border, and not all immigration issues are the same.

"The immigration system for highly educated foreign-born professionals is about job creation, economic growth and America's continued innovation leadership. But it's also about backlogs, quotas and frustration for U.S. and Texas employers unable to hire the scientists and researchers they need to drive growth in America. Given the great contributions these valuable professionals make to our country, America should be doing everything it can to remedy these problems and make it easier for them to stay."

"... To some, the link between immigration reform and economic growth may be surprising. To America’s most innovative industries, it is a link we know is fundamental. The global economy means companies that drive U.S. job creation and economic growth are in a worldwide competition for talent. While other countries are aggressively creating policies and incentives to attract a highly educated workforce, America has stagnated. Once a magnet for the world’s top minds, America now faces a 'reverse brain drain' and is no longer the first choice for many entrepreneurs creating new companies and jobs."

"Last week, President Obama called for a national conversation on how to fix our broken immigration system so it works for the 21st Century economy. On Thursday, I joined 25 entrepreneurs -- drawn from the local business community and attendees of the inspiring Big Omaha conference -- in Omaha, NE, to engage in such a discussion. Though many in the room hadn't known each other, we quickly shared personal stories of hope and frustration with the current immigration system."