Eric Thomas or Frances Cox 202-822-9491 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 24, 2007

Compete America Harshly Critical of Senate Vote on Sanders Amendment

H-1B Visa Fees More Than Tripled in New Employer Tax

Washington, D.C. – Compete America criticized the U.S. Senate vote to approve the Sanders Amendment to S. 1348, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, in the following statement: 

“We are very disappointed. Today's vote represents an outrageous and onerous tax increase on our nation's most innovative companies, and could make the H-1B program cost-prohibitive, especially for smaller businesses.  The Sanders Amendment is punitive in nature and is entirely inconsistent with the bipartisan innovation agenda supported by the Administration and congressional leaders. 

“The Sanders Amendment will accelerate outsourcing and undermine U.S. economic growth.  This ill-conceived measure is flatly anticompetitive and is a clear attempt to gut the H-1B visa program and will make it much harder for U.S. business to support the Senate bill.

“American companies should not be penalized for hiring top talent, especially those who are graduates of U.S. universities.   Our companies are committed to advancing math and science education over the long term, as our future competitiveness depends on it.  Compete America member companies already engage in efforts at every level of education that significantly dwarf the potential scholarship fund created by this amendment.

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.

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