Bridge Amendment offered – two actually! 10/22/07
Two different versions of the Bridge amendment – either of which would eliminate retrogression for Schedule A workers – were offered in the Senate over the weekend. Both amendments could be debated this week, perhaps as early as today. If formally passed and attached to the base bill, either amendment would have to be acted on by the House of Representatives, likely through the Conference Committee. After Conference, if the amendment survives, the entire bill would have to be approved by President Bush. Still, the mere offering of the amendments is a significant step in the legislative process, and significantly raises the chances of ending the retrogression of Schedule A workers.
The first, SA 3404 to HR 3043, seeks to amend the forthcoming Labor Health and Human Services appropriations bill, by recapturing 61,000 unused visas for Schedule A workers and their derivative family members. SA 3404 is co-sponsored by long-time champions Sen. Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Hutchison (R-TX).
The second, SA 3442, is also offered as an amendment to HR 3403. SA 3442 is a much more comprehensive amendment that seeks to recapture visas for not just Schedule A workers and their derivative family members, but also for conventional EB workers.
The purpose of offering two amendments is to hedge the bets of the champions. We’ll know shortly if their strategy works. Debate on the two amendments could start as soon as today, so stay tuned to the blog and CSPAN2.
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43 Responses to this article
We hope and pray this will pass.
To HLG: What are the chances of these amendments passing?
And what is the chance of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill – H.R. 3043 being signed by the President and made into a law?
I thought that someone might ask that. 60-70%? Maybe a shade higher?
good day HLG!!
I guess this is good news for the long waiting.. lets just keep praying and help us fight our future dreams that it may come into a reality.. God Bless..
Good luck guys!! This is our only chance till the next fiscal year or the elections.. Hope this amendment passes..
Oh my Lord…Pls let this amendments to be approved…Pls bless us…
Amen
This is what I found on one of the forums regarding HR 3043… I hope its NOT true…
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In a strongly worded statement of administration policy, the White House said President Bush would veto the bill because “it includes an irresponsible and excessive level of spending and includes other objectionable provisions.”
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Comments from Hammond LLC?
I pray for these bills to pass.God,please help us,you are so strong,everything is possible for you jesus christ
Twinkle,
what you said is true. But I found all the veto information atleast 3 months old. Lets us hope that the congress had made appropriate corrections to HR 3043 to satisfy President Bush. Lets hope that everything goes well. Here are some links.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sap/110-1/hr3043sap-h.pdf
http://republicanleader.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=69601
http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2007/ghouseeduapprops071807.html
Twinkles is right. Even recent news, such as this, shows that the bill is expected a veto from Bush.
just curious about the original post.
The second amendments to HR 3403?
Is it any misspelling, for example HR3043???
Because the first bill mentioned is H.R.3043, these two numbers are too close.
To HLG,
When you said that visa retrogression will be lifted if this bill will be pass, do you mean that their will be no more quota system in place just like the H-1A before or simply you mean the recapturing of the unused visas like what happened in 2005?
We need to be positive and be not cynical…
Are there any provisions for the Conrad state 30 program in this, and are there any additional visas being made for NIW physicians?
Hi HLG,
we have been waiting for this moment.Thanksvery much for the information that two amendments have been submitted.Hopefuly it will be passed.we have been praying earnestly,for the passing of this amendment. May the almigthty speak to the people concerned. Congratulations
banu
We can only hope and pray.
Thanks HLG.
Dear HLG,
The news about these amendments really lightened up our suffering retrogressed souls.
But its really unfortunate to know that President Bush is gonna veto the bill altogether.
Dear HLG, please make sure same kind of amendments are offered in other bills with high sucess rate of passing.
You mentioned in your thread that these few days are critical since November 16 is the adjournment date for Senate and no immigration bills will be approved in 2008.
We cannot wait till 2009 or later. We pin all our hopes on you. Please save us from this hell of retrogression.
.
Dear HLG,
Heard the following news from Ohlaw.
Senate Scheduled to Vote DREAM Act Tomorrow, 10/24/2007
Whether Schedule A bridge legislation is also included.
Since Dream Act will be brought up this week, I am afraid that democrats would tie all immigration-related amendments to the Dream Act to make it another comprehensive immigration bill. That would be nothing but dirty politics. The lives of American people seem to have a lower priority to the senate than illegal children.
Update:
The bill will be closed early afternoon today. As of now, neither of the two amendments is pending to be considered.
hi, alan. what does that mean? neither amendment will pass?thanks.
Leismd,
It is still a bit early to say that. If some magics do not happen this afternoon, we can forget about the amendments.
hi everyone,
can somebody please tell me whether there is any relationship between I140 processing time and visa availability in our scedule-A category.Im asking this because many off my collegues who had their I140 filed early last yr(when visas were available from recapture) got their approval in 1-3 months.Ive been filed in march this year n still waitin for the approval and many others who r filed this year have not got approval.I just want to know whether it really takes 8-10 months or is it because my agency is bad .Please help me out.
Hi All,
Still these two amendmends and Dream Act are in Senate, We all will pray as follows…SURE..there will be a result..!!
Prayer to St. Jude
Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Make use, I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of.
Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever.
I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen.
Yours in hope,
Please…PRAY..
To Anna,
From what I know,there is nothing between I140 processing time and visa availability. I knew somebody did wait more than 8-10 months although they filed their application early last year. Sometimes it is up to individual’s luck I suppose.
Whether or not they got I140 approval in 1-3 months, everyone is in the same terrible situation if the amendment we are waiting could not be passed.
Just pray for the bill at the moment please.
update:
Amendment 3404 will get a vote in the next hour or so. Tune to c-span2 to get a live coverage.
Even if the amendment is passed, the president has threatened to veto it as it overruns the spending budget. Thus, it will be square 1 for the nurses …
alan,where do you get the update of the bill,thank you!
The amendment should be acted on tonight. Sen. Reid has said so, and we’ve double checked with an “insider” who is actually inside the Congress.
Don’t sweat a veto…at least not yet. First of all, Pres. Bush may not necessarily veto it.
Second, Congress will have to pass a Labor HHS bill and will likely do it by years’ end. Since our amendment only adds to the govt’s coffers, it seems likley that it will survive the rewrite.
LET’S PUT OUR TRUST IN THE LORD FOR THESE BILLS TO PASS.LET US PRAY THAT THE GOOD LORD WILL CAUSE THE PASSAGE OF THESE BILLS.lET US CLAIM IT, BY FAITH !!LET US NOT BE WEARY IN PRAYING BECAUSE A PRAYER CAN MOVE A MOUNTAIN.ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.DONT GET DISCOURAGED, HE HEARS ALL YOUR PRAYERS.DELIGHT IN HIM ALWAYS AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART.
the majority whip just said something about Amt. 3404. It seems Senator Durbin has provided a provision to the amendment. But I kind of lost what’s going on now.
alan you have been on ball most of the day! If what the whip said holds it appears Sen Durbin has added a carve out with reagrd to nurses!
it is over without voting on 3404????
I think it was withdrawn.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_1.htm
I wonder What happened to the ammendment?
Whats going on NOW in the senate ?
HLG,
could you stand up and lighten all of us? what happened to amt. 3404?
The bill has been passed and i think the amendment was also included in the bill.
maybe it is “agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent”, I heard this, but don’t know the meaning. seems good for us.
hlg,we are waiting for you,thank you!
Its 2:20 AM in UK and we are still waiting to know what happend to the amendment 3404, HLG Pls… comment
pass!see hlgcomment
Thank you so much to Hammond law group! Hope retro will be over soon! more power guys!
this is from Thomas.loc.gov
1. [110th] S.AMDT.3404 to H.R.3043 To increase the domestic supply of nurses and physical therapists, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 10/19/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 10/23/2007 Senate amendment agreed to. Status: Amendment SA 3404 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent