[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4310-S4311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Lott, Mr. Allard, 
        and Mrs. Hutchison):
  S. 1083. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to 
increase competitiveness in the United States, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today I am reintroducing legislation from 
last Congress--the Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership Act 
of 2007 or the ``SKIL Act of 2007''. In the past two years, there has 
been so much focus by this Congress and this Administration on 
restoring America's competitive advantage. The President has proposed 
the America's Competitiveness Initiative. Last Congress, I was proud to 
cosponsor the Protecting America's Competitive Edge bills and the 
American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2006. In the 110th 
Congress, I have cosponsored along with 44 other Senators the America 
COMPETES Act. This is a bipartisan legislative response to 
recommendations contained in the National Academies' ``Rising Above the 
Gathering Storm'' report and the Council on Competitiveness' ``Innovate 
America'' report.
  The one thing we have learned through the process of retaining 
America's competitiveness is that everyone has to do their part to keep 
our country's economy strong and viable. Currently, we are working very 
hard on comprehensive immigration reform and I am pleased to be a part 
of that process. However, our country, right now, is losing its 
competitive edge in the global market. Why? Because our immigration 
policies prohibit us from retaining some of the ``best and brightest'' 
students currently graduating from U.S. colleges and universities--
especially those with advanced degrees in science and technology. We 
also continue to lose highly qualified and highly skilled workers to 
foreign competitors because of our failed immigration system.
  Recently Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates made it clear the dire 
situation we are faced with today in terms of high-skilled labor 
shortages:
  ``For generations, America has prospered largely by attracting the 
world's best and brightest to study, live, and work in the United 
States. Our success at attracting the greatest talent has helped us 
become a global innovation leader, enriched our culture, and created 
economic opportunities for all Americans.
  Unfortunately, America's immigration policies are driving away the 
world's best and brightest precisely when we need them most . . . 
Moreover, the terrible shortfall in our visa supply for the highly 
skilled stems not from security concerns, but from visa policies that 
have not been updated in over a decade and a half. We live in a

[[Page S4311]]

different economy now. Simply put: It makes no sense to tell well-
trained, highly skilled individuals--many of whom are educated at our 
top colleges and universities--that the United States does not welcome 
or value them. For too many foreign students and professionals, 
however, our immigration policies send precisely this message.
  This should be deeply troubling to us, both in human terms and in 
terms of our own economic self-interest. America will find it 
infinitely more difficult to maintain its technological leadership if 
it shuts out the very people who are most able to help us compete. 
Other nations are recognizing and benefiting from this situation. They 
are crafting their immigration policies to attract highly talented 
students and professionals who would otherwise study, live, and work 
here. Our lost opportunities are their gains.''
  The U.S. Department of Labor projects that between 2002 and 2012 
there will be 2 million U.S. job openings in the fields of computer 
science, mathematics, engineering and the physical sciences. The SKIL 
bill would retain foreign students educated in the U.S. to ensure 
continued competition in the global market.
  As I have stated before, a critical part of America's economy is our 
ability to innovate but our current immigration policies are 
threatening future growth. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's 
recent announcement that the 2008 cap for H-1B workers was met in one 
day makes clear that we urgently need to reform our policies for 
highly-skilled workers in the scientific and technology fields. Because 
the U.S. has already met the cap for H-1B visas, foreign students 
graduating from our universities this spring are virtually shut out of 
the U.S. job market. This situation is unprecedented. If we don't act, 
America's technology companies will be harmed and our economy will 
suffer. The SKIL bill will allow the U.S. to remain competitive in this 
global economy.
  The SKIL bill promotes competitiveness and allows the U.S. to remain 
competitive in this global economy. While I encourage and intend to be 
a part of the continued dialogue on overall immigration reform, I urge 
my colleagues to act quickly on this issue.

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