Thread: Senator questions hiring of H-1B workers by two federal enti

Senator questions hiring of H-1B workers by two federal entities

Patrick Thibodeau

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November 28, 2007 (Computerworld) The National Institutes of Health employed more than 300 H-1B workers during the federal government's 2006 fiscal year, prompting Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to ask in a letter to NIH officials why a federal agency is hiring foreign workers with temporary visas.

Grassley, a member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and a leading critic of the H-1B visa program, today also fired off a letter with a similar set of questions to the Federal National Mortgage Association, also known as Fannie Mae. The Washington-based lender began as a government agency before becoming a private business that operates under a congressional charter.

During fiscal 2006, which ended in September of last year, the NIH "hired or otherwise employed" 322 people through the H-1B visa program, according to Grassley. Fannie Mae had 141 H-1B workers during the same period, he wrote. Grassley said in a statement that the NIH and Fannie Mae were the only federal or government-chartered entities among the top 200 users of H-1B visas in fiscal 2006, with the NIH making the top 100.

"I'm asking questions today to find out how many taxpayer dollars are being used to recruit foreign workers and how invested our government-backed entities are in this visa program," Grassley said in a statement.

In the letters, he asked the NIH and Fannie Mae to provide an accounting of how many full- and part-time H-1B workers they have employed each year dating back to January 2002, along with the job titles of the H-1B holders.

The senator is also seeking detailed descriptions of the steps that the NIH and Fannie Mae take to hire American workers before filling jobs with H-1B holders, plus information on the number of layoffs made by the two organizations since 2002, including the job titles of affected employees.

Grassley acknowledged in the letters that the H-1B program "provides an avenue for U.S. employers to temporarily employ skilled foreign workers when the domestic workforce is unable to meet employer demands." But, he added, "this system is open to abuse and has raised concerns about whether American workers are being protected and whether H-1B employers are skirting the law in order to hire cheaper foreign labor."

The senator addressed the letters to Elias Zerhouni, the NIH's director, and Daniel Mudd, president and CEO of Fannie Mae. Grassley wrote that as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, he has a "duty to conduct oversight" of federal entities and their immigration practices.

Grassley said he became interested in the NIH and Fannie Mae because they were among the top 200 users of H-1B visas in fiscal 2006. The NIH was No. 55, and Fannie Mae was No. 199, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. That made them the only federal or government-chartered entities on that list, Grassley said.

Officials at the NIH and Fannie Mae weren't immediately available for comment on Grassley's letters, which asked that responses to his questions be submitted by Dec. 12.

Last spring, Grassley and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released data showing that the largest user of H-1B visas during fiscal 2006 was Bangalore, India-based offshore services provider Infosys Technologies Ltd., which received 4,908 visas. It was followed by Wipro Ltd., another Bangalore-based outsourcing firm that used 4,002 visas.

Microsoft Corp. was the third-largest H-1B user that year, with 3,117 visas, and Bill Gates, the software vendor's chairman, has been among the most vocal advocates of raising the annual cap on the number of visas that can be issued. The cap currently is 85,000, including 65,000 regular visas and 20,000 that are set aside for foreign nationals who have advanced degrees from U.S. universities.

The NIH wasn't the only public-sector agency that was a major user of H-1B visas during fiscal 2006. New York City's public school system was issued 642 visas that year, putting it in 22nd place on the list of visa users.

Grassley sent his letters to the NIH and Fannie Mae on the same day that Compete America, a lobbying group with heavy backing from IT vendors, said that it had sent a letter to Congress urging legislators to take action on a proposal to increase the H-1B cap before they adjourn for the year.

Citing an effort by the European Union to attract skilled workers with its Blue Card temporary visa program, Compete America contended that the visa system in the U.S. "should better reflect the realities" of the global economy. "At a time when other nations are aggressively taking steps to improve their own competitive position, the United States is failing to do so by sustaining a visa system that turns away future innovators," the organization said in its letter.

Call the good senator and express your thanks:

Sen. Chuck Grassley
135 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC
20510-1501
202.224.3744

I did.

Spare me your stupid justifications for more visas. Bill Gates can't find qualified Americans to work for him? He made his millions through the work and innovation of Americans. Now, he's selling us out for cheap labor. It always comes down to money. Gates is a traitor.

Fannie Mae. Corporate Sponsor of La Raza. Always has been.

http://www.nclr.org/section/corporate_p ... corporate/


Home > Corporate Relationship Opportunities > Institutional Corporate Partners Institutional Corporate Partners
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) recognizes those corporations that have invested in NCLR’s long-term strategic efforts with multiyear, multimillion-dollar commitments, including NCLR’s Empowering An American Community Campaign.

The Allstate Corporation
Bank of America
The Coca-Cola Company
Citi
Fannie Mae
Freddie Mac
Ford Motor Company
General Motors Corporation
MBNA Corporation
PepsiCo Foundation
The PMI Group, Inc.
State Farm Insurance Companies
UPS
Univision
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.



I thanked him too, he has really been paying attention to American sell-outs. The rep sounded totally bored with the issue "I'll pass it along" (said in Eeyore's voice) - I think I'll send an email instead.

Senator Grassely has been very loyal to our side, lets keep him there and add him to your call list, a nice thank you would go along way to show our appreciation!
Won't take but a minute while you are working on the "Action Alert"below!!!


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE TAKE ACTION!!!! 11/29
HELP STOP "NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGES" FROM ADMITTING ILLEGALS !!(This could come to your community college next)
WATCH VIDEO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zxJZBecp_0
ACTION THREAD( CONTACT INFORMATION)
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-92278.html
WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT ALIPAC Please Contribute!!
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=C ... page&pid=9

Thank God we still have some reps who aren't traitors.

I will call him today too.

I called and the aid that answered the phone was polite and cheerful. I thanked the Senator for doing this and also asked that he co-sponsor the SAVE ACT. The aid said "Thank you and I'll pass yr comments to the Senator"

He must be getting a lot of calls. I accidently called Senator Boxley's (sp?) office, and started my message, "Please tell the Senator that he is my hero" only to be cut off with, "You must want Senator Grassley's office" and they transferred me.