[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20841]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 3, 2000

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, in 1998, Congress passed 
legislation to raise the H-1B caps to 115,000 visas per year. That 
legislation included important provisions to ensure that American 
workers would not be displaced by those holding H-1B visas. This 
included requirements for employers to file applications with the 
Department of Labor showing that they will pay the H-1B worker the 
``required wage rate'' and that a strike or lockout was not occuring at 
the job site.
  Unfortunately, that legislation was not enough and already the 
115,000 H-1B visa limit for Fiscal Year 2000 has been reached. Tuesday, 
the Senate passed S. 2045 to increase the H-1B cap to 195,000 through 
2003 and included several important worker training and education 
provisions. It is now time for the House to pass this bill as well.
  This bill includes provisions so that 55% of the H-1B education and 
training fees go toward Department of Labor demonstration programs and 
projects to provide training for workers. Twenty-two percent of the 
fees will go toward low-income scholarships and fifteen percent of the 
fees will go toward National Science Foundation grants for math, 
technology and science education in primary and secondary schools. It 
also provides after-school technology grants to encourage youth 
education in these subject areas.
  Earlier this year, I cosponsored ``The Helping to Improve Technology 
Education and Achievement Act of 2000'' introduced by Congresswoman Zoe 
Lofgren and Congressman David Dreier. This bill was critical to the 
debate on this issue and I am proud to have worked with those sponsors, 
as well as with members on both sides of the aisle who have been 
dedicated to bringing this bill to the floor.
  I recognize the enormous difficulties that the current worker 
shortage poses to high tech companies. At the same time, however, I 
want to insure that we do all that we can to reach the best and 
brightest in America and providing opportunity for and training to 
American workers as well. Today's bill is attentive to both of these 
needs. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for S. 2045.

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