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H.R. 1791, The STAPLE Act (113 comments ↓ | 3 wiki edits)
H.R. 1791 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence and to be exempted from the numerical limitations on H-1B nonimmigrants.
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Visitor Comments
Thanks for the input on the factsheet
June 10, 2009, 8:59pm (report abuse)I will definitely look into the article more. I found a very useful article though that link (http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/97-746.pdf).
I think, it is best to check the pulse of the staff who I am meeting with. If they are willing, we can think about getting more organized support.
saugat
June 16, 2009, 1:43pm (report abuse)Eb1 is very restrictive and Eb2 is too general and takes for ever. If US universities are spending so much money on creating experts then why not also think of proper laws to retain the experts in US. Either Eb1 be relaxed or this bill should get approved.
Co-sponsor
June 22, 2009, 2:26pm (report abuse)It's nice to see a co-sponsor (from California) added to this bill. Other co-sponsor's are welcome!
US-PhD Student
June 24, 2009, 10:55am (report abuse)I have a couple of friends who are International PhD Students. Honestly, most of these guys are pretty smart. Considering the rigorous admission and training processes, it means they have a great intellectual capability(ies), which should be tapped by us. It is thus fair to retain these guys after their programs. Secondly, American tax payers' money is used to train these guys, and the question is why allow other countries- UK, Canada, Australia, etc etc (our 'rivals') to recruite these guys after spending tax payer's money on them here? I personally know a couple of them who have been accepted in Canada(smart move)and more are on the way. This bill is one of the smartest things that will ever happen to this country. It should be supported from both sides of the political divide!!!
Remember scalpel, President Obama
July 1, 2009, 1:46am (report abuse)If President Obama meant his words during the campaign, this would be one fine opportunity to demonstrate use of a scalpel to save these ultra-high techies. This critical surgery must be done before the sword of CIR jolts already miserable lives of these smart, sensible, hard working immmigrants. This country will be devasteted by mass exodus of STEM PhDs, specially at this time when the new PhD admissions are at all time low and career opportunities overseas are very attractive. Listen up Mr. Obama, and take a clue from tech giants of the world - Google, Intel, MSFT ... all are reinventing themselves by investing in their own future. So should America!
Harsh-Servival with H1B cap and Green Card Jail
July 10, 2009, 2:22pm (report abuse)the CURRENT government's immigration policy has set so many barriers to block us from setting down easily.
if polititians can be more open minded, they should pass this bill, it is a win-win !
if they don't make our life easier here, we go back to our mother country to serve, to create, to excell, to compete with USA, WHY
NOT? if we are nOt treated well here by the Gov?
if they are so narrow minded, only look at their nose tip, they would kill the bill, continue their stupid practice, and drive away the wel-trained telants to their competetors and lose in the long run. then this country will follow their loosing path, and become a country nobody wants to come!
look at the big tech companies started by new immigrants, GOOGLE? YAHOO? started by Russian and Chinese , right?
Sed emails to local congressman and/or senator
July 13, 2009, 8:52am (report abuse)Guys, I met with the my local congressman's (MD 3rd dist) team. His immigration policy coordinator was very nice and receptive to this bill. However, they did not hear about this bill until I brought this front. She promised to discuss this bill and advice his support.
According to her, everyone interested needs to contact their local politicians and make them aware of this bill. She also told me that 10 emails/letters will help more than 1 letter with 10 signatures.
Send emails/letters to the extent you can. Let the voice be heard.
She also told me to send emails/letters to the subcommittee that is re
July 13, 2009, 8:54am (report abuse)Do your best...at least you can help the next wave of PhDs, if it doesn't help us.
DSS
July 14, 2009, 7:41pm (report abuse)This is a well thought bill and in equal favor of highest qualified US Non Residential ALIENS and or H1B workers as well as American Tax payers.
Can some one provide a template
July 20, 2009, 1:16am (report abuse)It would help a lot, if someone can provide a template for emailing to the local representatives.
Most of us are too busy to think about what to write and spend time drafting a nice pointed letter.
This is what I sent to my congressman
July 22, 2009, 5:03pm (report abuse)Re: H.R. 1791: STAPLE Act
Dear Mr. ******,
Happy Monday! Let me introduce myself. I am a citizen of India and received my education in the US. Currently, I am on the work visa (H1B) sponsored by the US Government.
I was wondering if I can have an opportunity to discuss H.R. 1791: STAPLE Act with you. This bill has considerable significance to the current economy and the future of the US.
The bill is intended to Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s From Leaving the Economy. I am certainly one of those trained here and believe that the Howard County has considerable talent pool that may be benefited by this bill. In turn, the county as well as the country has a lot to gain as well. Note that a similar bill was proposed by Rep. Lofgren [D-CA]--H.R. 6039-- with several sponsors.
I am contemplating in organizing a structured support. Would you be kind enough to spend a few minutes to discuss this bill and potential actions?
Sincerely,
Meeing Congressman
July 27, 2009, 10:23pm (report abuse)Thanks for the email template.
A few of us (PhDs in different STEM majors) are trying to organize meetings with our local representative. Would you be able to share information docket that you prepared before the meeting?
Thanks.
Let us start I-STAPLE campaign
July 28, 2009, 3:15pm (report abuse)Up until today I have been one of those people that are unaware of this bill. I am going to contact my local congressman office ASAP. We should email all of our friends to make them aware of the bill.
Start I-STAPLE campaign
July 28, 2009, 3:17pm (report abuse)Up until today I have been one of those people that are unaware of this bill. I am going to contact my local congressman office ASAP. We should email all of our friends to make them aware of the bill.
Meeting Congressman-Reply
July 28, 2009, 11:26pm (report abuse)yes, I have prepared a set of 7 slides that took with me in the form of print. It helped me prepare my thoughts and channel the discussion with the congressman.
If you are interested in the slide set- please email me at hr1791@gmail.com
I-STAPLE (i support)
July 28, 2009, 11:35pm (report abuse)That is the best one can do. Just make more people aware of it.
If not now, the immigration reform bill is around the corner (if healthcare bill ever gets resolved)- this should make it there. We can try!
saugat
July 29, 2009, 5:18pm (report abuse)Is there a Facebook entry (like fan of ) for this bill ?
Pramila Jayapal and NYIC
July 30, 2009, 12:45am (report abuse)Pramila Jayapal (http://blog.seattlepi.com/pramilajayapal/) seems like an activist with related focus. She was part of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's closed-door session today. We can work on preparing some discussion points and documents to send to these organizations.
NYIC (http://www.thenyic.org/content.asp?sid=4) may or may not be interested, however they do have a working group on CIR.
Facebook, Twitter, are all welcome .. please crate a group and post link here.
Pelosi
August 24, 2009, 7:19pm (report abuse)Nanci Pelosi says that she is "for it" but "against it" when considered alone. She wants to combine it with comprehensive immigration reform bill. Poor choice? Lacking in vision? What do you think? Anyway, see the link below for full details. Here is a short snippet from that link:
Q: Do you favor making foreign students with newly minted Ph.D.s from U.S. universities eligible for green cards?
Nancu Pelosi: Yes, I'm for that--we want to staple a green card to those diplomas. And I think we have a chance to do it as part of a comprehensive immigration reform bill. But not on its own.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/324/5923/24?maxtoshow=&HITS=... nancy&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
lucaluca
August 25, 2009, 5:16pm (report abuse)Is anybody aware of a possible timeline regarding this issue? My impression is that if it does not pass within the end of the year, the STAPLE act will have to wait the immigration reform bill to hope to be approved, who knows in which form.
Maddy
August 31, 2009, 6:09pm (report abuse)The U.S tax payers, U.S government and U.S funding agencies are spending roughly 250,000 USD for every International PhD student enrolled in U.S universities ( MORE THAN 80% are funded by the U.S universities). Now after graduation these internationals are asked to leave and serve other countries. Does this make any sense????
Why would you train some one, impart them with all the technical know how and then and ask them to leave?? These guys are the best in their fields.
This bill is the first step in preventing talented folks from leaving America.
Foreign PhD
September 5, 2009, 1:57am (report abuse)I am an Eastern European post-doc. I got my PhD in Biochemistry from a University of California campus after 5 years of hard work and a nonexistent personal life.
In my opinion, the quality of PhDs depends on the field, not on the particular university: physics and math tend to be competitive and truly have exceptional students, while chemistry and biology are not demanding on quality; I have seen biology PhD students with a 3.0 GPA and GRE scores near 50th percentile. The reason is that not enough American students apply as they would rather go into something more profitable like bussiness, and US universities desperately need TAs and PhD student researchers.
Personally, I have suffered so much due to the outdated US immigration system, that I will return to Europe and contribute to its re-emergence in becoming #1 once more; after all, Europe started the modern scientific revolution, and America is simply carrying on the torch.
I love America though, so may the best continent win!
International PhD
September 15, 2009, 1:54pm (report abuse)I have PhD from a US university, usually i am always busy in my research to write blogs, but since the time i have started worrying about my career, i have realized how frustrating my situation is. I like it here, i enjoy my research, there is always someting new to learn and an opportunity to impliment your ideas. Also i must mention, the great mentors of science from around the world who have settled here to guide you. I have completed my PhD, Now when i need to move on in my career, i see job requirements limited only to citizens and green card holders.Few more months of this kind of job searching i will be even more motivated to pack my bags and leave. I really don't understand why on one hand US spends so much time and money on us and then on the other, when we are ready to give back to the country's economy, they don't want us.This Law if passed will centainly help US, you really don't need a PhD to know that.
lucaluca
September 17, 2009, 3:31pm (report abuse)Hi,
I hope that this bill is not losing momentum, and I think everybody who has a real interest in pushing it to the Congress Floor should actively support, by writing and calling their representatives.
Also, if anyone has any information on the timeline - when it will be possible discussed - it would be great if she/he could update the rest of us, since, as we all know, time is critical in visa processes.
Thank you all!
emad
October 2, 2009, 3:50pm (report abuse)support "Staple act "
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/322741?m=a9753488
emad
October 2, 2009, 3:51pm (report abuse)http://apps.facebook.com/causes/322741?m=a9753488
Jprof
October 7, 2009, 12:29am (report abuse)If you're looking for reasons to puff out your chest and take pride in being American, then take note that all six Nobel Prize winners announced so far this week are U.S. citizens.
Here's something else you should know: Four of those winners were born outside the U.S.
...
According to statistics from the National Science Foundation released in February, foreign-born science and engineering students in 2003 earned one-third of all Ph.D.s awarded in the U.S. And the study noted that "those who do decide to finish advanced study in the United States overwhelmingly choose to stay in the country after earning their advanced degrees."
from ... http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13500107 ...
Nobel prizes remind us why immigration matters
Pro-STEM
October 7, 2009, 6:37pm (report abuse)One more reason why the STEM bill is a good idea. So far of the 8 Americans 2009 Nobel laureates in Medicine, Physics and Chemistry 5 are foreign born naturalized citizens and 3 are native born.
Can we get this organized, time if of essence
October 23, 2009, 12:16pm (report abuse)Hello everyone, can we make a mailing list and organize some support for this. A facebook group would work wonders. This is the only time we can get this thing done, immigration reform is around the corner. Lets get going Junta... and get the graduate student bodies involved. All the PhDs if you take one step to support this start with your own international graduate student societies and get their support. Write to your congressman and senator. PLEASE WORK A LITTLE FOR THIS ONE..
emad
October 27, 2009, 2:47pm (report abuse)support "Staple act "
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/322741?m=a9753488
RAS
November 7, 2009, 2:03pm (report abuse)When will we know if this bill pass or not?
Luca
November 7, 2009, 8:38pm (report abuse)I'm afraid all we can hope at this point is that the bill will be part of next year immigration reform. I do not see any signal it will hit the floor of the Congress any time soon.
Lama
November 10, 2009, 4:39pm (report abuse)It is not hitting the house floor anytime soon. It seems like the health care reform is going to take all the time left this year and may be early next year. However, it is encouraging that there are not 4 co-sponsors to the bill. Jeff Flake should be encouraged to go ahead full throttle on this one. The usefulness of writing to your representative cannot be under estimated.
Fax or email or call is the best way to let them know you care. Post-docs and graduate student organizations would be the best bet for this. National postdoctoral association can be contacted.