[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7912-H7914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BRIDGING THE GAP FOR NEW AMERICANS ACT
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (S. 3157) to require the Secretary of Labor to conduct a
study of the factors affecting employment opportunities for immigrants
and refugees with professional credentials obtained in foreign
countries.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 3157
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bridging the Gap for New
Americans Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Applicable immigrants and refugees.--The term
``applicable immigrants and refugees''--
(A) means individuals who--
(i)(I) are not citizens or nationals of the United States;
and
(II) are lawfully present in the United States and
authorized to be employed in the United States; or
(ii) are naturalized citizens of the United States who were
born outside of the United States and its outlying
possessions; and
(B) includes individuals described in section 602(b)(2) of
the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (title VI of
division F of Public Law 111-8; 8 U.S.C. 1101 note).
(2) Other terms.--Except as otherwise defined in this
section, terms used in this Act have the definitions given
such terms under section 101(a) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).
SEC. 3. STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WITH PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS OBTAINED IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
(a) Study Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor, in coordination
with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of
Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service, and the
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, shall
conduct a study of the factors affecting employment
opportunities in the United States for applicable immigrants
and refugees who have professional credentials that were
obtained in a country other than the United States.
(2) Work with other entities.--The Secretary of Labor shall
seek to work with relevant nonprofit organizations and State
agencies to use the existing data and resources of such
entities to conduct the study required under paragraph (1).
(3) Limitations on disclosure.--Any information provided to
the Secretary of Labor in connection with the study required
under paragraph (1)--
(A) may only be used for the purposes of, and to the extent
necessary to ensure the efficient operation of, such study;
and
(B) may not be disclosed to any other person or entity
except as provided under this subsection.
(b) Inclusions.--The study required under subsection (a)(1)
shall include--
(1) an analysis of the employment history of applicable
immigrants and refugees admitted to the United States during
the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of the
enactment of this Act, which shall include, to the extent
practicable--
(A) a comparison of the employment applicable immigrants
and refugees held before immigrating to the United States
with the employment they obtained in the United States, if
any, since their arrival; and
(B) the occupational and professional credentials and
academic degrees held by applicable immigrants and refugees
before immigrating to the United States;
(2) an assessment of any barriers that prevent applicable
immigrants and refugees from using occupational experience
obtained outside the United States to obtain employment in
the United States;
(3) an analysis of available public and private resources
assisting applicable immigrants and refugees who have
professional experience and qualifications obtained outside
of the United States to obtain skill-appropriate employment
in the United States; and
(4) policy recommendations for better enabling applicable
immigrants and refugees who have professional experience and
qualifications obtained outside of the United States to
obtain skill-appropriate employment in the United States.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall--
(1) submit a report to Congress that describes the results
of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a); and
(2) make such report publicly available on the website of
the Department of Labor.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sempolinski)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on S. 3157, the Bridging the
Gap for New Americans Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, each year, millions of immigrants and refugees come to
the United States to find a better life and achieve the American Dream.
Many of these new Americans arrive with valuable experiences in
specialized fields and international degrees that could help strengthen
our communities and our economy.
Regrettably, we know that these Americans face barriers that prevent
them from utilizing their skills and credentials to contribute to our
country and pursue their careers. In fact, nearly 2 million highly
skilled immigrants are underemployed or working in low-skilled jobs
instead of their expert fields.
These barriers directly affect our economy, costing tens of billions
of dollars in forgone wages and billions in lost Federal, State, and
local tax payments each year.
In response, the Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act will help us
better understand not only the employment barriers facing immigrants
and refugees but also steps we can take to ensure that new Americans
can join our economic growth and pursue careers in which they can
succeed to their fullest potential.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
[[Page H7913]]
Mr. SEMPOLINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Bridging the Gap for New
Americans Act. I applaud our colleagues in the Senate for approving
this bill this summer by unanimous consent. I also acknowledge our
colleague, Mr. John Katko, for his work on a companion bill in the
House.
S. 3157 directs the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study on barriers
to employment for legal immigrants and refugees who earn their
professional credentials somewhere other than the United States. The
study will also include policy recommendations for better helping these
immigrants and refugees obtain skill-appropriate employment in the
United States.
Obstacles for foreign-educated immigrants and refugees who are
legally in the United States but are unemployed or underemployed
include language barriers, credential recognition difficulties,
regulatory hurdles, and a lack of professional networks to offer
assistance.
This underutilization of skills, or brain waste, is costing the
United States billions of dollars per year in lost individual earnings,
economic output, and tax revenue.
The healthcare sector is especially impacted by this challenge. Two
million immigrants with college degrees in the United States have been
relegated to low-wage jobs or unable to find work, often because of
licensing, credential recognition, and other barriers. This leaves
immigrants and refugees unable to contribute fully to the economy,
reach their full potential, or secure the American Dream.
In addition to providing recommendations for addressing these
challenges for individual immigrants and their families, S. 3157 will
benefit all Americans and our economy. With too many jobs still going
unfilled and a rapidly evolving labor market, it is vital we address
this issue now.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 3157, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), the chair of the Subcommittee on
Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development of the Small
Business Committee.
Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3157, a bill to
help eliminate barriers to employment facing immigrants and refugees
across the country.
I represent one of the most diverse districts in Colorado, and we
know in Colorado and in my community that diversity is our strength.
Many of our immigrant refugee neighbors have skills and professional
credentials they can't use because of regulatory hurdles. These
hurdles, whether language barriers, difficulty in recognizing
credentials, or a lack of professional networks, prevent many from
making a good living for their families or contributing fully to our
economy in reaching their full potential.
The unemployment and underemployment of these folks is a missed
opportunity for our businesses, for our community, and for our country.
In 2016, across the U.S., nearly 2 million immigrants with college
degrees were unable to find work or were employed in low-wage jobs.
This includes more than one-third of the 11,000 immigrants in the State
of Colorado with health-related undergraduate degrees in 2020.
Identifying these barriers to full employment for these immigrants
and refugees is an essential first step to overcoming them. This bill
would direct the Department of Labor to conduct a collaborative
interagency study of the barriers that hold back refugees and
immigrants from their full potential.
I thank Senator Klobuchar and Congressman Katko for their diligence
in this effort, and I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting
passage of this bill today.
Mr. SEMPOLINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Katko), my friend.
{time} 1615
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3157, the Bridging
the Gap for New Americans Act. This legislation's journey to the House
floor began in my office 3 years ago and was born out of a conversation
with Interfaith Works of Central New York, a nonprofit in my district.
Interfaith Works serves the Central New York community by working to
resettle individuals and families that have fled unimaginable hardship,
seeking opportunity and prosperity legally, legally, in the United
States.
As advocates from the organization with firsthand experience
described, Interfaith's resettlement efforts consistently encounter a
troubling trend; underemployment or unemployment among individuals that
come to America with professional degrees and certifications from other
countries.
This phenomenon, often referred to as ``brain waste,'' impacts
individuals with skills and experiences in a wide range of in-demand
fields, and it is by no means isolated to Central New York.
A study by the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 2 million
immigrants and refugees with college degrees have been relegated to
low-wage jobs or left unemployed in the U.S., with 60 percent of these
individuals holding credentials in the healthcare sector.
On an annual basis, this untapped talent is estimated to cost nearly
$40 billion in uncollected wages and over $10 billion in unrealized tax
receipts.
Simply put, these are individuals who came to our country through the
proper channels--and I can't stress that enough--who want to contribute
to our economy, and who are now facing significant obstacles in seeking
employment through no fault of their own.
Most concerningly, the underutilization of their skills comes in the
midst of a nationwide workforce crisis, when our economy needs their
contributions more than nearly any point in my lifetime.
So, what is Congress going to do about it?
I am proud to say that the Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act
takes a significant first step in addressing brain waste and enabling
millions of individuals who are already legally present in the United
States to participate fully in our economy.
This bill would seek to identify the underlying factors that
contribute to brain waste by directing the Department of Labor to study
existing barriers and issue recommendations to help combat them.
Critically, the narrowly tailored consensus approach taken by this
legislation has already received strong bipartisan support, with the
legislation passing in the Senate by unanimous consent earlier this
year.
The Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act also has significant
support nationwide and has been endorsed by over 200 workforce
development groups and community organizations.
I thank Representatives Crow, Fitzpatrick, and Gottheimer for joining
me in introducing the House version of this bill in a bipartisan
manner, as well as Senators Klobuchar and Cornyn for their work to move
this legislation through the Senate.
I also thank the hundreds of national advocates who have worked
tirelessly to raise awareness surrounding this brain waste and to build
support for this commonsense legislation.
This bill is about upholding the American Dream and unlocking
opportunities for millions of workers, and I urge all my colleagues to
join me in voting to send it to the President's desk.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. SEMPOLINKSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Bridging the Gap for
New Americans Act. This bill will help us understand how to give legal
immigrants with professional credentials more access to opportunities
in our country.
Immigrants and refugees who spent years earning college degrees and
professional credentials should not be relegated to low-wage jobs
because they were educated outside of the United States.
Those pursuing a better life and respecting our laws should be
commended, not punished. S. 3157 will shed light on the bureaucratic
hurdles and
[[Page H7914]]
unnecessary red tape these workers face and how we might remove these
obstacles.
It would be foolish of us to let good talent go to waste, especially
as our country continues to face a labor shortage, particularly in the
healthcare sector.
This legislation is common sense. It will help immigrants and
refugees who are in our country legally fulfill their potential, better
provide for their families, and become even more of an asset to our
economy. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues have pointed out, the Bridging the Gap
for New Americans Act is particularly critical as we continue to
recover from the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now,
more than ever, we must draw from the skills of our Nation's immigrants
and refugees to accelerate our recovery and strengthen our communities.
In other words, this bill will ensure that the new Americans can re-
establish their careers, succeed to their full potential, and join the
effort to build back a brighter future for all Americans.
I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sempolinski), the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Katko), the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), and the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), as well as Senator Klobuchar of Minnesota,
Senator Cornyn of Texas, Senator Coons of Delaware, and Senator
Murkowski from Alaska, for their leadership on this legislative
priority.
I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 3157.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________