Bi-Partisan Senate Proposal for Immigration Reform Calls for Attracting and Keeping the “Best and the Brightest”

Lisa Hanna
Vice President, Communications
Council on Competitiveness
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Proposal aligned with Council’s recommendation for foreign students who attain advanced degrees in STEM

Washington, D.C. – A bipartisan group of senators has unveiled a new proposed framework for overhauling the U.S. immigration system. A key feature of the proposal focuses on attracting and keeping the world’s “best and brightest” by awarding a green card to immigrants who receive a PhD or Master’s degree in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) from an American University.

The following may be attributed to Council on Competitiveness, President & CEO, Deborah L. Wince-Smith:

“Almost ten years ago, in the Council’s landmark report, Innovate America, we said ‘staple a green card to the diplomas of foreign students earning advanced degrees in science and technology.’ We repeated this call many times over the years including most recently in our 2012 Clarion Call for Competitiveness. We have finally been heard.”

“Foreign students account for nearly half of all graduate enrollments in engineering and computer science and delays and difficulties in obtaining visas in the U.S. are contributing to a declining in-flow of scientific talent. It makes absolutely no sense to educate the world’s future innovators only to send them back to their home country at the moment they are able to contribute to the U.S. economy.”

ABOUT THE COUNCIL ON COMPETITIVENESS

The Council on Competitiveness is the only group of corporate CEOs, university presidents and labor leaders committed to the future prosperity of all Americans and enhanced U.S. competitiveness in the global economy through the creation of high-value economic activity in the United States. The Council is a non-partisan and non-governmental organization.