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Contact: Eric Thomas, 202-822-9491

May 26, 2011

Compete America Commends House GOP’s Call for Employment-based Immigration Reform as Part of U.S. Growth Plan

Republican Proposal Moves Forward the Debate on Critical Reforms that will Advance U.S. Job Creation, Economic Growth and Keep America Competitive

Washington, D.C. – Compete America today, a coalition dedicated to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce it needs to continue to lead in innovation and job creation, praised House Republicans for including employment-based immigration reform in its plan for increased American entrepreneurship and growth.  The proposal, “The House Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators: Empowering Families, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs,” was released today.

“Our current visa system is failing job creators who need access to a skilled and specialized workforce,” says the GOP plan.  It continues: “America has always stood as a beacon of opportunity to the best and brightest from around the world and the nation has benefitted from their contributions.  Yet today, our visa system is not addressing our economic needs.  Leading high-tech companies in America are struggling to hire qualified employees while the government visa system sends home highly skilled workers educated in America’s universities.”

The plan recommends, “prudent reforms,” stating: “The House Judiciary Committee is reviewing our visa system to determine the needs of American employers and the reforms necessary to ensure that American businesses maintain their leading edge in innovation and technology development.  Possible solutions include keeping the most accomplished graduates in math, science and other critical fields here in America as well as making it easier for start-up entrepreneurs to obtain visas.”

“Allowing highly educated, foreign-born talent to make contributions to America  – especially after they have graduated with an advanced STEM degree from a U.S. university – is critical to U.S. growth and innovation leadership, and we applaud House Republicans for recognizing this fact,” said Scott Corley, Compete America Executive Director.  “President Obama has urged for reforms consistent with today’s GOP plan, and we encourage all stakeholders to work together on bipartisan solutions this year.”

To learn more about the benefits of highly educated foreign-born professionals to the U.S. economy, visit www.competeamerica.org.

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.