House Revives the STRIVE Act
Posted Sep 14, 2007
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On Thursday, September 6, 2007, the Immigration Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced the Security through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy (STRIVE) Act, which was put on hold earlier this year by the U.S. Senate. The session on September 6, 2007 was called by Subcommittee Chairwoman, Representative Zoë Lofgren, and came as a surprise, as the bill has little chance of being passed by Congress before the 2008 presidential election. An announcement of a hearing on the bill and a list of witnesses providing testimony was not available until shortly before the hearing date, which is also unusual for this type of a session.
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Background on the STRIVE Act
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As regular MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will recall from our March 30, 2007 article, STRIVE Act of 2007 Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, the STRIVE Act is a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill containing provisions on various issues. Among those matters addressed are: border security; strengthening interior enforcement; more stringent employment verification requirements; a new worker program; protection of families; avenues for earned legalization for certain qualified, hardworking immigrants; various miscellaneous provisions pertaining to the immigration court system; relief for immigrant victims of the 9/11 attacks; and facilitation of naturalization for members of the armed forces.
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Testimony from Affected Witnesses
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The Immigration Subcommittee considered testimony from about a dozen witnesses, including House members, activists, and individuals whose lives have been affected by the lack of comprehensive immigration reform laws. The latter included a Navy officer on active duty who fears that his wife may be removed (deported), because she is unlawfully present in the United States. Another witness's wife was removed and returned to her home country, having been denied asylum in the United States. Her removal came after 14 years of marriage and resulted in the dissolution of the family when the couple's son went with her.
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Request to Increase H1B Quota and Other Concerns
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Resurfacing as a familiar theme was that of raising the H1B annual quota - a pressing issue for the last few years. Numerous articles on this subject can be found on MurthyDotCom. In addition, subcommittee members continue to debate that the bill creates a new amnesty program for undocumented foreign nationals. Whether the bill adequately provides a more comprehensive solution for workers who contribute to the U.S. economy and for families separated by immigration laws and policies is also a matter of discussion.
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Conclusion
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As this recent hearing attests, the STRIVE Act may not be dead, yet. As it is revived in the U.S. House of Representatives, it becomes more and more vital that immigration be addressed and, hopefully, resolved by Congress in the near future. MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will be informed of new developments with regard to the STRIVE Act and any other important immigration-related legislation.