Broad Coalition Calls for Bipartisan Passage of STEM Jobs Act

Broad Coalition Calls for Bipartisan Passage of STEM Jobs Act

Washington, D.C. – A broad coalition of over 100 national associations, U.S. employers, and state and local associations today asked for bipartisan passage of the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429).  This bill, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), helps boost job creation and spurs economic growth by allowing the U.S. to retain the best and brightest foreign graduates of American universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math fields.  The STEM Jobs Act will be considered by the House of Representatives tomorrow.  Below is the letter text.

“The undersigned organizations ask for bipartisan passage in the 112th Congress of the STEM Jobs Act of 2012, H.R. 6429, to establish a new green card program for STEM advanced degree graduates. Such a reform will allow the American economy to spur innovation and create high paying manufacturing and research jobs here in America.

“America has been greatly enriched by the contributions of gifted engineers, researchers, and scientists from around the world who have chosen to come here to study and innovate. However, our immigration system has failed to adapt in ways that help ensure we maintain this advantage. Each year, graduate students who complete advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from America’s top universities are offered jobs here by U.S. employers. H.R. 6429 recognizes that hiring advanced degree STEM professionals is a key to creating and retaining jobs in a variety of sectors in our innovation economy. These are highly educated professionals who will create jobs wherever they settle, whether in the U.S. or elsewhere.

“Together, the undersigned represent many American employers who hire these highly educated professionals, as well as American high tech employees, and trade and professional organizations. Our organizations support prioritizing the issuance of green card status for those earning STEM degrees from American graduate schools. H.R. 6429 does this, while also continuing to condition green card sponsorship upon the offer of terms, conditions and wages appropriate for similarly situated professionals in the occupation and confirmation that qualified American workers are unavailable.

“Our organizations appreciate the strong and sustained bipartisan congressional work on this vitally important issue. We urge the Congress to work together before adjournment to deliver this critical, timely reform of our legal immigration system.”

To read the coalition’s letter, visit http://judiciary.house.gov/issues/STEM/Multi%20Industry%20STEM%2009192012.pdf

For more information on the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429), visit http://judiciary.house.gov/issues/issues_STEM%20Jobs%20Act.html

Below is a list of organizations and employers that signed the letter.

National Associations
American Council of Engineering Companies
American Council on International Personnel
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Business Roundtable
College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
Compete America Coalition
CompTIA
Consumer Electronics Association
CTIA - TheWireless Association
Engine Advocacy
HR Policy Association
IEEE-USA
ImmigrationWorks USA
InfoComm International
Information Technology Industry Council
National Association of Manufacturers
National Foreign Trade Council
National Marine Manufacturers Association
Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI)
Semiconductor Industry Association
Society for Human Resource Management
Software & Information Industry Association
TechNet
TechServe Alliance
Telecommunications Industry Association
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Employers
Adobe
AGCO Corporation
Altera Corporation
AMD
Apple
ArcelorMittal USA
Atmel Corporation
Broadcom
CA Technologies
Cargill, Incorporated
Steve Case and Revolution LLC
Caterpillar
Cisco
Cognizant
Concord Servicing Corporation
Dell
Freescale Semiconductor
GlobalFoundries
Halliburton
Hattery Labs
Hewlett-Packard Company
IBM Corporation
Ingersoll Rand
Intel Corporation
Interactive Intelligence, Inc.
Ludlum Measurements, Inc.
Manor Tool & Mfg. Co.
Mar-Bal, Inc.
Marvell Technology Group
Maxim Integrated Products
Meadow Mills, Inc.
Microsoft Corporation
ON Semiconductor
Oracle
Overstock.com
Oxford Consulting Group
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.
PMC-Sierra
Qualcomm
SBG Technology Solutions
Sunnyside Corporation
Teradata Corporation
Texas Instruments Incorporated
The ASCII Group, Inc.
Uniweld Products Inc.
Xerox

State and Local Associations
Arizona Technology Council
Bay Area Council
Bay Area Council Economic Institute
CEO Council for Growth
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Columbus Chamber of Commerce
CONNECT
Connecticut Technology Council
Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce
Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce
Greater Louisville, Inc
Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce
Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Manufacturers' Association
Illinois Technology Association
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
Joliet Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
New Jersey Technology Council
New York Technology Council
North Country Chamber of Commerce
OCTANe
Overland Park (KS) Chamber of Commerce
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
Prince William (VA) Chamber of Commerce
Rockford Chamber of Commerce
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
South Shore Chamber of Commerce
Tampa Bay Technology Forum
Tech Collective (Rhode Island)
Technology Association of Georgia
Tempe (AZ) Chamber of Commerce
The Committee of 100 (Delaware)
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber