What do Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) have in common?
Not much when it comes to their voting records. But today these Republican and Democratic Senators did something we haven't seen in long time -- they showed uncommon bipartisan leadership by introducing the Startup Act 2.0, legislation designed to boost the American economy by creating incentives for entrepreneurs to start new business.
In introducing Startup 2.0 the Senators recognize what the credible studies have told us for years -- that creating incentives for immigrant entrepreneurs is the key to America's economic vitality because immigrants are job creators. In an op-ed published in Politico they explained:
Vital to any new business are the talented individuals who turn ideas into reality -- including foreign-born entrepreneurs. More than a quarter of technology and engineering companies created in the U.S. between 1995 and 2005 had at least one key founder who was foreign-born, according to researchers at Duke and at the University of California, Berkeley. Yet current immigration policies have hurt U.S. efforts to compete in the global contest for entrepreneurial talent.
The Senators propose to solve this problem, attract foreign talent, and "jump start" the economy by creating an Entrepreneur's Visa for immigrants who establish businesses in the U.S. that create American jobs. The proposal recognizes that the best way to attract foreign born entrepreneurs is to create a business investment/job creation friendly path to citizenship. The proposal also creates a green card for foreign students who have graduated from American Universities with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics. The STEM visa would go a long way toward ending the absurd policy of educating foreign nationals in our schools only to send them back home with their American education.
Amid the rancor and squabbling that has come to characterize Washington it's refreshing that Senators Moran, Warner, Rubio and Coons are talking solutions in a bipartisan effort to strengthen the economy and create jobs. They should be applauded for setting aside their political differences and getting to work on behalf of the American people.
There are at least 8 other bills touching on job creating business visas under consideration in Congress, with more likely to come -- showing a strong interest in updating America's obsolete employment-based visa policies. But the real challenge will be working with other stakeholders in the immigration debate to craft a reform package that will make it through the legislative process and on to the president's desk.
In the meantime, whatever one might think of the Startup 2.0 Act, it's certainly a welcome respite from the same old blabber about border fences, boots on the ground, and self-deportation.
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Gene Marks: Why the Proposed Startup Act 2.0 Is Embarrassing
This type of legislation isn't a solution to the problem. It is the problem. Immigration needs to be a social policy, not part of industry driven labor policy.
There are independent studies proving a surplus of STEM workers in the United States. Half of STEM students pursue non STEM related careers. Only 28% of employers invest a dime into ongoing STEM training for their IT workers. STEM salaries have been flat over the last decade. None of these facts suggest a shortage. What it suggests is that industry is intent on manipulating the labor market, and Congress is willing to help.
The repeated lie of "STEM Shortage" has worked. People now believe this to be true because of industry PR and industry driven "studies" solidifying the belief. Independent studies suggest the exact opposite, but they aren't repeated ad-nausea by industry groups.
If you have a tough time finding STEM workers the reason is simple: you aren't providing enough incentive and you aren't training your people. If you want top talent, you've got to compete. These industry groups are powerful enough that instead of competing, they've settled on market manipulation.
That should not be a surprise to anyone. Should it? After all, members of the AILA are paid a bounty on each new immigrant that they facilitate.
Part of that process often requires proving that no US worker is capable of performing the job that the new immigrant will perform. If necessary, members of the AILA will conduct seminars and workshops on how to exclude US STEM workers for employment so that immigrant workers can be hired instead.
One such member of the AILA, Lawrence Lebowitz, has such a video, a video on how to exclude US STEM workers from employment so that the employer can hire an immigrant worker instead, and so that the member of the AILA can be paid a bounty to facilitate the immigration of another replacement worker, replacing another US STEM worker. It can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU&feature=plcp
Ken
Can't find 'entrepreneus' or well-educated employees - millions who are searching for work - right here ijn the U.S.?
Heather Stewart, NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Vernon Leopold, Boynton Beach, FL
Passing Startup visa reform as a stand-alone bill would chip away at getting 60 votes in the Senate and a majority in the House for other pieces of immigration reform later.
As soon as the Congressmen who support Startup visas get what they want, they will not be willing to support other parts of immigration reform such as legalization and those votes will be lost.
Conclusion: All stakeholders (farm visa/high-tech/Dream act/Broad legalization/Irish visa/E-Verify supporters, etc.) must be kept at the table until a reform package can make it through Congress.
Is there an argument that they might be considered - I think so, but the bottom line is that this will not even be able to be discussed till enforcement is effectively in place since until then there are no guarantees that this will not continue to escalate as it has been.
Real ID is on the way, E-verify photo ID is in place, Secure Communities is based in federal law so is really not optional. Enforcement momentum is building and the longer illegals try to hold out - the more of them will be caught up on the wrong side of the equation!
Please not that the bill is not about the "indentured servant" h1b visa, it is about the Green card holders who will not work (theoratically for low wages)
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