11/14/2006: 900 Businesses Wrote a Letter to Congress to Improve H-1B and EB Number Problems
AILA has reported that approximately 900 businesses jointly wrote a letter to the Congress to do something to relieve the businesses from suffering from the ailing H-1B and EB immigration clog problem. We hope the Congress and the President to listen to their voices and to act on the broken employment-based immigration system. We hope the AILA to continue its initiative to lead the business community to actively participate in the employment-based immigration issues.
11/14/2006: Salute to USCIS for Improvement in Telephone Inquiries Answered by the Live Service Center Officials
We wonder whether people have noticed that if one calls 800 number and request a contact with a live official, the phone goes to the relevant Service Center and it is answered by the officials of the Service Centers live. We found this change, if any, a tremendous improvement in the USCIS service for the customers. It appears that for this service, one needs the Service Center file numbers. The USCIS deserves a big applause. Thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU!
11/14/2006: House Floor Agenda Update
House is scheduled to act on Continuing Resolution tomorrow. As we reported earlier, current federal funding expires on Friday, November 17, 2006. For the federal government to stay open, the Congress must pass another Continuing Resolution before Friday. Otherwise, federal departments other than Defense Department must close the offices.
House will have no votes Thursday and Friday after passing the Continuing Resolution on Wednesday. No appropriation bills are tabled for action within this week. Unlike other legislative bills, the Constitution of the United States grants power to initiate a legislation over the House when it comes budget and funding. It is anticipated that the appropriation bills may be tabled and actively acted upon from next week unless the Democrats want to have a handle on the budget matter after the next Congress opens in January 2007. It is thus possible that this Congress (Lame Duck) may quickly wrap up a few top priority issues which both parties more or less have agreed and pull down the cutain of 109th Congress earlier than expected. Should this happen, immigration matters will be turned over to the 110th Congress next year. When 109th Congress closes, all the pending legislative bills will also be dead and the members of the 110th Congress will reintroduce most of these bills. It is likely to happen that CIR or SKIL Act may be taken care of early next year as both parties agree a need for action on immigration reform. Please stay tuned to this web site for the development of immigration legislation.