12 Governors call on Congress to increase H-1B cap

In an unprecedented move, one dozen governors sent an open letter to Congressional leaders requesting that the Senate and House raise the cap on H-1B visas and permanent resident visas [Green Cards].

The letter was sent to Harry Reid, majority leader, U. S. Senate, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, minority Senate leader Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, minority leader in the House and signed by the governors of Washington, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, California, Wyoming, Kansas, Indiana, New York, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Texas.

For the full text of the letter and for the names of each governor go here.

The governors both patted themselves on the back–“we continue to make significant investments in math and science education–” while claiming at the same time that more needs to be done, “we and our nation face a critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science to fill current needs.”

Unfortunately, the letter did not cite any actual statistics to back the governors’ claims of a “critical shortage.”

The letter continued with what I would call a nice bit of double-speak:

“We urge Congressional action this year that recognizes states’ immediate need to recruit and retain professionals in key sectors, while we continue to produce here at home the skilled workforce our companies need in the long-term.”

So, when we produce here at home “the skilled workforce our companies need” are the governors going to send to Congressional leaders another letter advising them to shut the H-1B visa program down?

Or better still, if someone can show these governors the statistics that there is no shortage, rather the call for more H-1B visas is motivated by the desire for cheap labor will they take back their letter and say, never mind?

I guess we will have to wait and see.