H1B Visa Bill May Be Included In Senate's Omnibus Appropriations Bill

(October 13, 1998, 8:00 PM)  The Senate is likely to pass the H1B visa bill by attaching it to the Omnibus appropriations bill to be voted on by the Senate on Wednesday, according to Sen. Abraham.  The House passed the bill last month.  The bill had been held up in the Senate since last week by Sen. Harkin.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill (S 1723) on May 18 to temporarily increase the annual cap on visas for high tech professionals.  House members sought more protections for American workers, and House and Senate leaders negotiated a compromise bill on July 24, 1998.  However, the House did not proceed to pass the bill because Bill Clinton threatened to veto it.  Clinton later withdrew his objections, and the House passed the compromise bill on September 24.  With few days left before adjournment, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IO) was able to hold up the bill by objecting to consideration of the bill under a unanimous consent rule.

Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI) released a statement today that reported the following:

"... legislation to temporarily increase the number of high tech visas was incorporated into the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Despite White House support, the House passing it by a vote of 288-133, and a previous Senate vote of 78-20 on a similar measure, the H-1B visa bill was prevented from passing when Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) objected to a unanimous consent request last Friday. The Omnibus bill could be passed as early as Wednesday."

Sen. Abraham is the Chairman of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee.  He has lead the fight in the Senate for enactment of H-1B reform legislation.

Rep. Lamar Smith (T-TX), Chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee, has pushed the bill in the House.  "The Chairman continues to be very actively engaged in gaining adoption of the measure, and believes it will be enacted," said Allen Kay, Communications Director for Rep. Smith.   "Reports of its death are exaggerated."

The bill would increase the number of H1B temporary worker visas from 65,000 now to 115,000 in 1999, 115,000 in 2000 and 107,500 in 2001. The visa limit would return to 65,000 in 2002.