Sens. Grassley, Durbin launch new H-1B fight [View all]

Nov 10, 2015 5:57 PM PT

wo of the Senate's leading H-1B reformers, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), say abuse of the H-1B visa "is real" and the need for reform urgent. On Tuesday they introduced a new reform bill they say will protect U.S. workers.

These senators have made repeated efforts since 2007 to try to reform the H-1B program. This time, they're getting help from co-sponsors Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), where Disney replaced U.S. workers, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Both Brown and Blumenthal signed a letter earlier this year requesting a federal review of use of H-1B workers at Southern California Edison.

"The H-1B visa program was never meant to replace qualified American workers, but it was instead intended as a means to fill gaps in highly specialized areas of employment that cannot be filled by Americans," said Grassley, in a statement.

Grassley said the "abuse of the system is real, and media reports are validating what we have argued against for years, including the fact that Americans are training their replacements," he said.

More: http://www.computerworld.com/article/3003877/it-careers/sens-grassley-durbin-launch-new-h-1b-fight.html