Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

11 August 2003

The Honorable George W. Bush 
President 
The White House 
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush,

We are writing to you on behalf of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - USA (IEEE-USA). IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., created in 1973 to promote the careers and public policy interests of the more than 235,000 electrical, electronics, computer and software engineers who are U.S. members of the IEEE. In 2004, we will be the lead professional society for National Engineers Week.

During a July 30 press conference in the White House Rose garden, you were asked a question about job losses and jobs moving overseas. Your response was, in part, "as technology races through the economy, a lot of times worker's skills don't keep up with technological change. And that's a significant issue that we've got to address in the country." Although I am sure that was not your intention, many of our members who heard your comments interpreted them as suggesting that they and other American engineers have not kept their technical skills up to date in order to compete in today's economy. Thousands of our members have communicated their concern both directly to us and to the White House by e-mail.

The majority of our national technical workforce maintain their technical skills through continuing education. Most of today's engineers and IT workers are committed to lifelong learning. No sir, the real problem with our current high unemployment situation is the importation of high-tech workers through the H-1b and L-1 visa programs. This is exacerbated by the exportation of high-tech jobs to foreign countries. Both trends are being driven primarily by cost efficiencies, not by inadequate worker skills.

Mr. President, let me assure you that the IEEE-USA wants to keep America strong. And a very important way to do that is to maintain a viable national technical workforce.

I wanted to bring this matter to your attention, in case you were not aware of the impact of your statement on our members. We would be pleased to share your views with our members and to assist your Administration in its efforts to ensure that U.S. engineers and IT professionals remain vital and productive contributors to the U.S. economy.

Sincerely,

Jim V. Leonard, P.E. 
2003 President, IEEE-USA

John W. Steadman, Ph.D., P.E.
2003 President-Elect, IEEE-USA

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IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., created in 1973 to advance the public good, while promoting the professional careers and public-policy interests of more than 235,000 electrical, electronics, computer and software engineers who are U.S. members of the IEEE. The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society. For more information, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org.