Visa Legislation Stalled by Senate Judiciary Committee

Houston, TX (Law Firm Newswire) March 21, 2012 – Two pieces of proposed legislation that could lend help to start-up companies and entrepreneurs ready to grow their businesses are being stalled in Congress.

The StartUp Visa Act of 2011 has been jostled since last spring. This bill would establish a new visa for a sponsored alien entrepreneur who is financially backed by an investor and whose activities here will generate employment, revenue or capital investment. This new visa would be terminable if conditions were not met.

Houston immigration attorney Annie Banerjee supports the bill and thinks it would help the U.S. economy.

“The StartUp Visa is a great first step for immigration reform,” Banerjee said. “With ideas like the StartUp Visa, we are showing the world that the United States is going to continue to lead the global technology industry.”

The StartUp Visa was introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. William Owens (D-NY). In the Senate, the legislation was introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). The Senate bill is stuck in the Judiciary Committee, which is led by Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley.

Grassley’s committee is holding up another visa bill that many American executives would like to see passed to help them with recruiting.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011 would eliminate the percentage restriction that holds the number of approved work visas from any given country to a specific percentage of the total number. The restriction tends to keep technology entrepreneurs from bringing as many Indian and Chinese workers to the United States as they would like.

Grassley’s office told the Silicon Prairie News he is reluctant to move forward with visa legislation because of fraud and abuse in current visa programs.

“Both of these pieces of legislation would be a huge boost to the struggling economy,” Banerjee said. “I am surprised they are having a hard time getting passed.”

Annie Banerjee is a Houston immigration lawyer specializing in helping people become United States citizens. The law offices assist in visas and other legal immigration requirements as well. To learn more, visit http://www.visatous.com.

Law Offices of Annie Banerjee
131 Brooks Street, Suite #300
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (281) 242-9139

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