NEWS CONTACTS: Eric Thomas or Frances Cox (202) 822-9491 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2006

Compete America Expresses Hope for a House Competitiveness Plan that Includes Access to Critical Foreign Talent

2006 GOP High Tech Agenda Complements President's Competitiveness Initiative

Washington, D.C. - Compete America expressed hope today that the House Republican high tech agenda for 2006, which includes a provision for increasing America's talent pool, will ensure access to the highly educated foreign nationals needed to keep America on top of the worldwide economy. The plan, announced this afternoon by House GOP leadership and members of the High-Tech Working Group, complements the President's American Competitiveness Initiative, which recognizes the importance of highly educated foreign nationals to our continued economic strength.

"President Bush recognizes the central importance of highly educated foreign workers to a competitive workforce and America's continued global leadership. The ability to attract and retain these workers must be included in any plan for improving American competitiveness," said Sandra Boyd, National Association of Manufacturers Human Resources Policy Vice President and Compete America Chair. "We are pleased that the House plan has embraced the spirit of the President's initiative, and we are hopeful that the House will reaffirm the President's desire to attract and retain the foreign talent that is so critical to U.S. employers and our nation."

Compete America believes it is fundamental to the United States' economic interest to provide world-class education and job training, and to have a secure and efficient immigration system that welcomes highly educated and skilled professionals to the United States.

"America has a long history of welcoming highly educated foreign talent to our country, and they have, in turn, been long-time contributors to America's economic might. Congress must enact much-needed reforms to both the H-1B visa and green card programs so that U.S. employers can continue to attract and retain some of the world's brightest minds," Boyd continued.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of more than 200 corporations, universities, 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.

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