Promoting Electrotechnology Careers and Public Policy

May 29, 1998

The Honorable Newt Gingrich
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Re: Pending H-1B Visa Legislation (HR 3736)

Dear Representative Gingrich:

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - United States of America (IEEE-USA) urges you to support the worker safeguard (anti-abuse) provisions in the Workforce Improvement and Protection Act (HR 3736) as reported by the House Judiciary Committee when the bill comes up for a vote on the House floor.

Although the increases in H-1B admissions in HR 3736 are higher than we think are warranted, the bill includes important provisions intended to safeguard job opportunities, wages and working conditions in the American economy --- for citizens, legal permanent residents and temporary foreign workers.

The no-layoff provisions (in Section 3) and the domestic recruitment and retention provisions (in Section 4) along with current prevailing wage requirements will help to prevent displacement of U.S. professionals by temporary foreign workers and deter abuse of foreign nationals who may accept less than competitive wages in order to enter or remain in the United States.

As reported, HR 3736 establishes what we think is a reasonable balance between employers’ needs for specialized skills that may not be readily available in the United States and the public’s need to keep Americans in American jobs.

Judiciary Committee amendments calling for General Accounting Office studies of labor market conditions and age discrimination in the information technology industry, protection from retaliation by employers against workers who file complaints and a reduction in the duration of new H-1B visas from 6 to 4 years should also be retained.

We also urge you to accept an amendment to fund training for U.S. workers to be offered by Representatives Lofgren and Pease on the House floor.

The IEEE is a transnational professional and technical society made up of more than 320,000 electrical, electronics and computer engineers in 147 countries. IEEE-USA promotes the professional careers and technology policy interests of IEEE’s 219,000 U.S. members.

Sincerely

John R. Reinert, President

Note: The same letter was sent to all members of the House of Representatives.

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Last Update: June 3, 1998

Staff Info Contact: Vin O'Neill, v.oneill@ieee.org