With the New Year comes a newCongress and the potential for new legislation. Both houses of Congress are firmly in Republican hands, and so all legislationproposed and passed by this Congress will be Republican in nature.
Over the New Year holiday several publicationsindicated that an increased H-1B cap may be first up on the Republicanimmigration agenda. Computerworld suggeststhat the newCongress may move swiftly on increasing the H-1B cap. Reporter Patrick Thibodeau saysthat the Congress may move on the I Squared Act. The I Squared Act, which was authored by Sen.Orrin Hatch (R-UT) had bipartisan support when it wasfirst introduced in 2013.
The I Squared Act (ImmigrationInnovation Act) calls for the H-1B cap to increase to 115,000 per year, fromits current 85,000. Additionally, the H-1B cap would contain a “market-basedescalator” that would increase or decrease the H-1B cap as employer-demandebbed and flowed, although it could never fall below the 115,000threshold. It could conceivably rise ashigh as 300,000 over several years.
Yesterday the WashingtonPost reported that Sen. Hatch reiterated that
“The new Congress has anopportunity to enhance America’s competitive workforce through immigrationreform that will streamline the hiring process for high-skilled individualsentering the United States and by investing in STEM education and training.”
Presumably Sen. Hatch’s “opportunity”includes reviving last year’s I Squared Act.
President Obama has already laiddown his marker with abold Executive Order, which includes giving work permits to about 5 millionundocumented aliens. In using hisExecutive Order, President Obama has shown that he understands the power of thegovernment to effect change. His poweris however eclipsed by Congress’. It isCongress’ turn to act on that power.