Innovation Community Unites for Immigration Reform

It's not often that more than 100 leaders representing our nation’s most dynamic industry speak with one clear voice.  But when it comes to reforming our immigration system, there is no dissent within high tech:  It’s time for the Senate to approve S. 744, bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation that would give a major lift to our innovation economy and create jobs here at home.

Senators soon will have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix a broken immigration system, and align it with the realities of a 21st century global marketplace that competes for the talents of the world’s best and most highly skilled minds.

This morning, I joined with leaders from more than 100 technology businesses and associations in a letter to the U.S. Senate, encouraging them to move forward with immigration reform.  In our joint letter, we wrote:

 

We applaud the Gang of Eight, the bipartisan sponsors of S. 744, as well as the bill’s bipartisan supporters in the Senate Judiciary Committee, who have collaboratively crafted and refined a comprehensive bill that would truly modernize a broken and outdated immigration system.  We strongly believe the many reforms in S. 744 that impact high skilled immigration – including key improvements in the availability of both green cards and H-1B visas – will help address the national talent shortage in the near-term, while also creating a long-term pipeline of American workers through establishing a much-needed new fund for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, including computer science education.  The bill will also protect and better prepare American workers, and enable employers and entrepreneurs of all sizes in every state to recruit and retain the world’s best talent.

Senate approval of S. 744 is essential for our economy to continue to foster innovation and invigorate many U.S. business sectors through an educated and highly skilled workforce of domestic and foreign-born talent.

 

Read the full letter here.

We have said consistently that immigration policy is innovation policy.  If policymakers can come together to modernize our immigration system, then our country will be better able to attract and retain potential and proven innovators and entrepreneurs thereby creating new jobs and unleashing transformative innovations.  

From companies large and small, from trade associations representing the entire spectrum of the tech sector, and from partner organizations committed to job growth and economic strength, today’s letter sends a simple message: Senators, pass immigration reform now.  We can’t afford to let this once-in-a-generation opportunity pass us by.

Public Policy Tags: Immigration

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