Posted on 10/09/2001 3:15:14 PM PDT by Mini-14
Congressman Dick Armey
9901 Valley Ranch Pkwy. East, Ste. 3050
Irving, TX 75063
972-556-2500
October 4, 2001
Brent Hanson
6001A Orinda Dr., No. 1044
Dallas, Texas 75248-5813
Dear Brent,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your concerns regarding the H1-B non-immigrant visa program. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.
While I understand your concerns, I'm afraid we disagree on this issue. As you may be aware, H-1B visas are issued to temporary, highly skilled, non-immigrant workers in "specialty occupations" who possess at least a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent. Furthermore, U.S. employers petitioning for an H1-B worker must certify that they will pay the non-immigrant no less than the prevailing company or occupation wage for that job, and they must complete an extensive application process that includes a $1,000 visa fee for each application. Additionally, prior to hiring an H1-B worker, the employer, must publicly post a notice at the workplace indicating their decision to apply for these workers.
Opponents of the H1-B program have raised concerns that increasing the number of H-111B visas would results in fewer high skilled jobs for Americans. However, research has consistently indicated that there is a growing shortage of high skilled workers in America. In fact, the Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued a report stating that 1.3 million new high tech jobs will be created in the next 10 years, yet, American colleges and universities are expected to produce only 25 percent of the graduates needed to fill those positions. In my opinion, the H-1B visa program is a beneficial tool for American businesses and American workers, because it helps keep our economy strong and fosters more free market competition.
While I am sorry that we do not see eye-to-eye on this issue, I am sure that there are many other issues upon which we do agree.
Again, thanks for contacting me. I hope you will continue to keep in touch.
Respectfully yours,
DICK ARMEY
Member of Congress
I will request an appointment to see Dick Armey when he visits the Dallas area. If you have any complaints you want me to forward to Dick Armey regarding the H1-B program, please send them to me at brentahanson@hotmail.com
Baloney....he's no fool. He's more likely getting political contributions from companies that sub-contract these workers.
I'd really like to inspect his donor list.
By Computerworld
Aug 06 2001 11:27 AM PDT
The high-tech sector has accounted for more than a third of the record 983,337 pink slips handed out so far this year.
Job cuts in the U.S., particularly in the technology and manufacturing areas, have reached an all-time high, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Monday. Since the beginning of the year, the telecommunications, computer and electronics markets have announced a total of 358,375 jobs cuts, compared with the 26,758 cuts announced in 2000, according to the Chicago-based firm.
The company said there have been 175,350 cuts in the telecommunications industry so far in 2001, compared with just 6,848 in 2000; 101,044 cuts in the computer industry since the first of the year, compared with 10,976 last year; and 81,981 cuts in the electronics industry this year, compared with only 8,938 in 2000.
Challenger said the total number of job cuts in all industries for 2001 is 983,337 so far, compared with 613,960 in all of 2000. Challenger said the previous high was 677,795 job cuts, recorded in 1998. Challenger started keeping job-cut statistics in 1993.
"Job cuts tell us as much about the economy's future as they do about the present," John A. Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in a statement. "Companies are looking at their staffing needs for the balance of 2001, and the numbers do not present a very positive picture. If companies were anticipating a 2001 turnaround, with an increase in demand for goods and services, we would not be witnessing the extraordinary number of job cuts that are taking place this year."
The most worrisome aspect of the job-cut numbers, in terms of serving as an economic barometer, is the fact that job cutting has been heaviest in manufacturing and technology."
According to Challenger, the 205,975 total job cuts announced in July are 65 percent higher than the 124,852 cuts announced in June, and 222 percent higher than the cuts recorded in July 2000.
Here's some ammo.
Bingo. That's what's really going on.
And if you do not like it.... Contribute tens of thousands of dollars to the Republicans to get it changed...
You gotta love that name and title.
Opponents of the H1-B program have raised concerns that increasing the number of H-111B visas would results in fewer high skilled jobs for Americans. However, research has consistently indicated that there is a growing shortage of high skilled workers in America . In fact, the Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued a report stating that 1.3 million new high tech jobs will be created in the next 10 years, yet, American colleges and universities are expected to produce only 25 percent of the graduates needed to fill those positions.
What a bunch of hog wash. The workers brought in are hired at a much lower wage - the bottom of the scale. It drives wages down for Americans trying to enter into these fields and makes it less attractive for American citizens to go into these fields becasue they can not recoup the cost of the university money they spend - the students in other countries don't pay anywhere near what a U.S. university costs.
Hog wash. Pure Hog wash Armey is speaking. Let the free market in America solve this problem.
Deport? That hasn't happened since about 1932. We let anyone, everyone and their families into our country. When they choose to complain rather than kiss the ground that they wanted so badly to land on, I'm all for doing precisely what you're bellyaching about.
Did you speak this way of your own country before you abandoned it for our shining shores? Can you pronounce the word, "ingrate"?
After Sputnik they wanted more engineers. So they got more engineers. Then in and about 1972 they fired 300,000 engineers and support personnel nationwide when they killed the space program. Perhaps if they were more consistent, they would find more people willing to undertake the strenuous training.
Since then I have taken a job here in the Austin area and have Lamar Smith as my Rep. The startup that I work for has laid off 10% of it's workers yesterday, sparing me so far.
Add me to any list of laid off workers who will not take this H1-B visa crap anymore considering that Americans are loosing their jobs while foreigners keep theirs.
Tell Armey that I work with several H-1B who indeed do have Bachelors degrees and work in Hi-tech fields. Too bad their degrees are in Zoology and Physics and Biology, working in a Mortgage Company. Yes they are ousting Americans from these positions.
He's actually a libertarian.
THAT'S WHY - I LIKE HIM.
Boo,hoo, hoo, you all. Too bad, if you can't stand a free global labor market. I'm sick & tired of all the labor market protectionists floating around in the U.S., and on Republican web sites, banging the drums for "closed borders." You all sound like a bunch of whiney, Democrat Union malingers. Grow up and -- get competitive. It's an international marketplace, called "Consumer Sovereignty." As long as people want to enter the US to compete and work peacefully, I don't give a dump WHERE they're from. Customers are better off when suppliers - including 'labor' suppliers -- *COMPETE.
And - we can thank public schools and Teachers' Unions, if our own workers can't add & subtract thanks to their fear and stanch political opposition to educational Accountability and Testing Standards (I see it all the time, -- as a community college instructor working with high school "graduates": One student asked me recently, "Which number is larger, .6 or 1.4?" It's absolutely appalling.)
Let immigrants in, to compete, and work. My S&W will take care of those with different "plans" during their stay... Just as it takes care of US citizens, with alternative "ideas" for survival!
Pam, in LA
Not entirely your fault. Thanks to Unions, we have wage-inflexiblity in many sectors. Unemployment follows - and, persists.
Thank you, Unions...
grr.
---max
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