[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 130 (Tuesday, September 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         STEM JOBS ACT OF 2012

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                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 20, 2012

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6429, the STEM 
Jobs Act.
  Our Nation should be first in the world in science, technology, 
engineering and math. I'm pleased that we are in agreement on the 
urgency of this goal. However, this legislation has two big problems 
which are highly detrimental to our mutual goal.
  The first problem is that this legislation takes unnecessary, unfair 
steps to reduce legal immigration, such as cutting the Diversity 
Program. The Diversity Program is one of the few existing pathways for 
African applicants to enter our Nation legally. Cutting this program 
will not enhance our Nation's STEM competitiveness.
  The second problem is that this legislation allows American employers 
to pay inferior wages to foreign STEM graduates--forcing American 
workers to compete on an unlevel playing field.
  We can do better than the STEM Jobs Act.
  Representative Lofgren's legislation, the Attracting the Best and 
Brightest Act, ensures that students who earn advanced STEM degrees in 
America stay in America and contribute to our Nation's prosperity. It 
creates a new visa category for applicants with advanced STEM degrees, 
and importantly, takes steps to protect the wages of Americans--a 
consideration which absolutely must be taken into account.
  The Attracting the Best and Brightest Act does not contain the 
harmful immigration provisions of the STEM Jobs Act. Rather, it 
represents a commonsense solution to a very real problem.
  I am pleased that Republicans, Democrats, and the Administration all 
agree we should do more to ensure that our Nation benefits from the 
talents, skills, and ideas of our advanced STEM graduates. However, the 
STEM Jobs Act legislation takes the wrong approach, and I regrettably 
urge my colleagues to oppose it.

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