We have all heard that the border crisis is continuing because Congress and President Trump are not capable of working together to solve any problems. We have also heard that Republicans and Democrats are not capable of working together. Well, while the media was hyping Russia, Russia, Russia, those in Congress did pass a bill relating to immigration. It is bill that will hurt America’s high-skilled workers. The Democrats and the Chamber-of-Commerce Republicans (aka swamp dwellers) worked together to suspend the rules and pass the bill. Isn’t that special?
The Congressional website has the details (there is no direct link because the links expire):
H.R.1044 – Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019
Passed House (07/10/2019)
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019
This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China.
The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country.
This is the timeline on the bill:
| Date | Chamber | All Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 07/11/2019 | Senate | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. |
| 07/10/2019-4:58pm | House | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| 07/10/2019-4:58pm | House | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 365 – 65 (Roll no. 437). (text: CR H5323-5324) |
| 07/10/2019-4:48pm | House | Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5336) |
| 07/10/2019-3:24pm | House | At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed. |
| 07/10/2019-2:51pm | House | DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1044. |
| 07/10/2019-2:51pm | House | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5323-5328) |
| 07/10/2019-2:51pm | House | Ms. Lofgren moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. |
| 06/18/2019 | House | Motion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Ms. Lofgren. |
| 03/22/2019 | House | Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. Action By: Committee on the Judiciary |
| 02/07/2019 | House | Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. |
| 02/07/2019 | House | Introduced in House |
This is the vote:
Understand that the Chamber of Commerce supports many Republican candidates. Their members support lower wages because it keeps corporate expenses down. The Democrats like the bill because it increases chain migration and theoretically provides future Democrat voters. Republicans and Democrats can agree when it is to their benefit. Unfortunately this agreement works against working Americans.
All t his was going on while the media was screaming “Russia, Russia, Russia.”