Thread: CSpan2: Senate Convenes 7:35am Pacific

He is proposing an amendment to:

1. Increase fee of H1b processing/application.
$8500 USD / per application, (up from $1500).

2. Degree it is true, for certain categories, new revenue to be provided to scholarships to students for those categories. Admin through NSF merit-based scholarships up to 4 yrs.

[Not a bad idea, eh? Sanders "get's it"]

Now, Sanders mentioned IBM too.
Mentioned large profits, much outsourcing,

Also:

Intel

Bank of America

Lehman Bros.

Sanders wraps up, and calls for vote on his amendment...

Roll call...(pause).

I'm checking over on Immigration Voice as a logged in stealth user. If they're unhappy, that will be a sign.

They're following this closely as you may imagine. Here are some snippets:

He did mentioned that, companies with less than 2500 employees would pay only half of that $8,500.

Still that is outrageous to think that, H1B employees (employers) should bear the burden of paying for scholarships for american students.

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His office not picking up phone calls, No way to leave a VM. [Cornyn]

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Song satire:

And I wish I was an American where at least I know I’m free.
OR at least I was an illegal, since I'd get amnesty.
After years of being legal, I still wait in line today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt, they wana kick us out... God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, we are sick of our H1 -B,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s sadness in every legal's heart,
and it’s time to stand and say:
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True lets start a drive to cancel our memberships and write to them about being anti-immigrant members (lets also target those idiots like Hira). I felt cheated for being an IEEE-USA member for 8 years.

Thanks for the realization. They screwed us with our own money and memberships.
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Nothing abt us. He said, It is extremely unfair for the undocumented people to jump the line on those who respected our laws and staying patiently in line.

But He didn't mention anything abt EB, he is all talking about Family backlogs..

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It is horrible and sad that the future of thousands of LEGAL immigrants are in the hands of senators who dont think of reality. Sorry America. We are not the lossers. America is the looser.

More moping:

We are also partly loosers, Because after they kick on our buts, make us pay huge fee for educating thier daughters and sons(BTW are intereseted in it) we will pay the fee and just scratch our living here.

Some body should put some sense into thier brains. If this bill passes we will probably have to do a mass strike or some thing similar.

have you guys seen the movie "A Day without a mexican" . we should shw them in practice "A day without a Desi".

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Well the other california girl in congress...was instrumental in throwing us in to this mess. Dont hope much for something miracle to happen in house. House is traditionally more conservative and in the current bill everyone is sacrificing skilled immigrants for the sake of illegals. Maybe getting the support of church made the difference for illegals; we should start lobbying with church too......or pledge that all of us will convert ourselves for a favorable amendment. Just kidding - my frustration is getting me, I think. Time to go for a walk.
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on the floor ...additional checks towards H1-B employers.. to be voted on post weekend !

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I think that if this bill goes through with this 10k amendment, it makes no sense working in this country any more for a lot of us. Income disparity v/s working in Canada/home country would be negligible
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... a lot of anti-immigration website users are watching us

For example... BetsyRoss of Alipac.us (claim to be pro immigrant but anyone non-white is an illegal alien for them - bigots is what they are!!!)


So, at least one of them is here watching us watch them. Kinda like putting two mirrors up to each other, I guess.

The mood is going south fast over on the other side. However, they were deeply stung by the failure of the SKIL bill in the lame duck session and may be reacting preemptively. What is the current status - I heard somewhere debate would be postponed till June? More tidbits:

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I think all desi's should go back to India and work hard if this bill passes.
our life,career and everything else should not be played around just because of some senators.They surely will relalise how imperative desi's are.
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if after these cuts and consulting company cuts, we will hardly end up with anything.

lets think

$4000 monthly in US - 35000 -40,000Rs after taxes in india is same. we will get everything probably not a huge car and who needs a huge car in India.
Everything seems to be going down man

1) rupee is getting higher
2) US politicians is pushing us to the brink
3) more taxes
4) No green card

This way there is going to be a mass reverse exodus.

Somebody Please stop the bill
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We're suffering because of all these Nilekani, Premji, Murthy, Ramadurai who exploited their people and treated them like "cheap child labor" to make it BIG. They made a joke of this whole H1B system and promoted other "Chota" companies here to do the same. They must be punished.
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I think i know what i am going to do. I will pack my bags leave this goddamn place and take atleast 50 jobs with me. Poor fellow colleagues of mine, I wouldnt normally do this to them, but these senators are forcing me to. I work for a huge bank in US that just started indian offshore facility. I have an outstanding offer to start & lead the offshore operations for my team.
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Something is very wrong here. It seems like we completely missed the boat as far as the anti-immigrationist intentions. I am extremely surprised that we were not able to gauge the change in political intentions against us. Am I the only one who is surprised or is IV core also equally surprised with these dramatic change of events?
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Please do not keep asking for ammendments. as you have seen these ALIPAC guys are on our site and watching every announcement we make.
Last year too, we announced our update only in the end.

[my comment, like we need them for news, now, too?]
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Sen Sessions has floor, and is speaking about Earned Income Tax Credit in relation to current S1348 bill.

Is arguing that it shouldn't be provided (at least automatically) to IAs that have worked in US and may affect (restrict) future eligibility too.

"Benefit should not be conferred to those that came here illegally."

Very expensive program $40Billion+/yr

We have a lot of people not working in America. We need American businesses to take a chance on those people.

[Good man Sen Sessions, good man -PhE]


EITC - Should not be a magnet for people to come here [illegally, especially]

Comments like this are proof positive that the H-1b is step one in the overall offshoring process.

I am also getting good offers to work from offshore for the module I am working.. If I go back and support it succesfully then other modles under my director will start going to offshore.... So, add atleaet 20 more jobs in next year. If this bill passes I will accept the offer and go.

The people who went for this gave away the store. But, the rupee is rising! Hallelujah!

http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/conve ... amt=1&t=5y

They are so funny. They haven't even read their own press where their own companies are complaining about the strengthening of the rupee against the dollar. So, the Indian company charges an American $1000 dollars. Back in the day, that would be INR 47000. Today INR 40400. Suppose they decide to bill us in rupees? They bill us INR 1000. Back in the day, we'd have to give them $21.26 to cover the bill. Today around $24.75. On the scale of business billing, a price rise. They are also raising billing rates to compensate for local salary increases and a real estate boom. So, their profit margins from global deals are being squeezed in many ways. Don't take my word for it: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/23/ ... /rupee.php

I read years ago, that when the rupee is 33-35 to the dollar, India, Inc. will be out of business where the US is concerned. They better go chase business elsewhere while they still can.