Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

02 November 2005

The Honorable Wayne Allard
525 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Re: Byrd Amendment to the Senate Judiciary Committee Budget Reconciliation Proposal

Dear Senator Allard:

IEEE-USA urges you to accept Senator Byrd’s amendment to S. 1932 to impose a $1,500 fee on new and renewal applications for L-1 (Intra-company Transfer) visas as a substitute for the immigrant and non-immigrant provisions in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s budget reconciliation proposal. Acceptance of the Byrd Amendment will meet the Senate’s budget revenue targets and expedite reconciliation of differences with the House when the subject legislation reaches conference.

The other provisions in the measure approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, including proposed changes in permanent, employment-based immigrant admissions programs, warrant much more careful consideration by both Houses of Congress. While we support permanent immigration over guestworker proposals, the budget reconciliation bill is not the place to create new immigration policy. We believe that needed reform of our immigration system should be addressed comprehensively with all issues developed through public hearings with an opportunity for careful study and public input. We urge you to communicate support for hearings on substantive admissions policy issues by appropriate Congressional committees at the earliest possible date.

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 careers and public-policy interests of the more than 225,000 technical professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Vin O’Neill at 202-785-0017.

Sincerely,

Gerard A. Alphonse
President, IEEE-USA

[Similar letter went to all Senators]