Thread: Key senator blocks Lee-Chaffetz immigration bill

Key senator blocks Lee-Chaffetz immigration bill

sltrib.com
By Matt Canham
The Salt Lake Tribune
First published 4 hours ago
Updated 16 minutes ago

Washington • A bipartisan immigration bill is unusual, but one led by Utah Republicans received overwhelming support in the House earlier this week and was just about to fly through the Senate, too.

And then Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, stepped in the way.

The Iowa senator’s objections delay any action on the measure, which was sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz and passed the House on Tuesday in a 389-15 vote.

Sen. Mike Lee is taking the lead on the issue in the Senate and has offered an identical bill.

Their proposal would eliminate the per-country caps on visas issued to highly skilled workers, essentially allowing more well-educated people from India and China to work in the United States.

Currently each country can claim only 7 percent of the 140,000 work visas issued annually. The bill also would boost the cap from 7 percent to 15 percent on family visas, allowing more people from places such as Mexico to reunite with their families.

The legislation sidesteps the hot topic of undocumented immigration. It also doesn’t increase the total number of visas provided in a year.

While a wide swath of Democrats and Republicans supports the measure, Grassley has reservations.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/5 ... y.html.csp

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WASHINGTON — The House has voted to eliminate a law that sets country-by-country caps on visas offered to skilled workers seeking permanent residence in the United States.

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