Official Bill Info

• Latest Action: Jan 23, 2012 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 293.

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know the most recent action for this bill is as follows: "Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 293." on Jan 23, 2012
• Committee Assignment: House Judiciary

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  This bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary committee.
• Committee Assignment: House Judiciary - Immigration Policy and Enforcement

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  This bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary - Immigration Policy and Enforcement committee.
This bill's most-recent vote occurred on November 29, 2011, with a roll call of 389 ayes, 15 nays, and 29 not voting.
Clicking this will add the following text:
This bill's most-recent vote occurred on November 29, 2011, with a roll call of 389 ayes, 15 nays, and 29 not voting.

Bill Statistics on OpenCongress

Contribution Data

Supporting Organizations

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization NAFSA: Association of International Educators supports H.R.3012
• American Council of Engineering Companies

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization American Council of Engineering Companies supports H.R.3012
• Google

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Google supports H.R.3012
• Semiconductor Industry Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Semiconductor Industry Association supports H.R.3012
• American Immigration Lawyers Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization American Immigration Lawyers Association supports H.R.3012
• Microsoft

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Microsoft supports H.R.3012
• Telecommunications Industry Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Telecommunications Industry Association supports H.R.3012
• Association of American Universities

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Association of American Universities supports H.R.3012
• TechNet

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization TechNet supports H.R.3012
• Business Software Alliance

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Business Software Alliance supports H.R.3012
• Information Technology Industry Council

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Information Technology Industry Council supports H.R.3012
• Texas Instruments

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Texas Instruments supports H.R.3012
• Entertainment Software Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Entertainment Software Association supports H.R.3012
• Oracle

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Oracle supports H.R.3012
• Motorola

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Motorola supports H.R.3012
• QUALCOMM, Inc.

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization QUALCOMM, Inc. supports H.R.3012
• Business Roundtable

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Business Roundtable supports H.R.3012
• CompTIA

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization CompTIA supports H.R.3012
• Walmart

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Walmart supports H.R.3012
• TechAmerica

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization TechAmerica supports H.R.3012
• Cisco

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Cisco supports H.R.3012
• Intel

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Intel supports H.R.3012
• U. S. Chamber of Commerce

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization U. S. Chamber of Commerce supports H.R.3012
• Society of Human Resource Management

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Society of Human Resource Management supports H.R.3012
• American Council on International Personnel

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization American Council on International Personnel supports H.R.3012
• Hewlett-Packard

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Hewlett-Packard supports H.R.3012
• Altria

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Altria supports H.R.3012
• American Tegulu Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization American Tegulu Association supports H.R.3012
• Latino Partnership for Conservative Principals

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Latino Partnership for Conservative Principals supports H.R.3012
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - USA

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - USA supports H.R.3012
• Boeing

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Boeing supports H.R.3012
• Global Personnel Alliance

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Global Personnel Alliance supports H.R.3012
• Immigration Voice

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Immigration Voice supports H.R.3012
• National Semiconductor

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization National Semiconductor supports H.R.3012
• Accenture

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Accenture supports H.R.3012
• Compete America

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Compete America supports H.R.3012
• Software & Information Industry Association

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Software & Information Industry Association supports H.R.3012
• National Association of Manufacturers

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization National Association of Manufacturers supports H.R.3012
• Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  I know that the organization Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International supports H.R.3012

Most-commented sections of the bill text

Highest Rated User Comments

• On October 15, 2011, by crookshanks - Country of origin should have no place in an employment based immigration system. It's surprising that this discrimination has been going on for so long. Employers care about skills and merit, not where you were born. It's about time these country limits are removed!

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by crookshanks, a user on OpenCongress.org, on October 15, 2011, "Country of origin should have no place in an employment based immigration system. It's surprising that this discrimination has been going on for so long. Employers care about skills and merit, not where you were born. It's about time these country limits are removed!"
• On October 17, 2011, by tolystoy - Imagine having an approved green card petition and then waiting for decades to get it just because you were born in a certain country. Oh and meanwhile you can't change jobs, accept promotions, start companies, buy a house, travel abroad and you have to renew your driver's license every year. How can an immigration system be so broken for so long? Pass this bill right now!

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by tolystoy, a user on OpenCongress.org, on October 17, 2011, "Imagine having an approved green card petition and then waiting for decades to get it just because you were born in a certain country. Oh and meanwhile you can't change jobs, accept promotions, start companies, buy a house, travel abroad and you have to renew your driver's license every year. How can an immigration system be so broken for so long? Pass this bill right now!"
• On October 18, 2011, by eagle123 - Employment based green cards are based on employment, which is based on skill and talent. How is country of birth relevant? The existing system is unfair. It is not fair that a person from a non-backlogged country who is 10 years old today, can grow up and immigrate to this country and get their green cards before someone from a backlogged country who is already in the queue for the past 10 years as of today. This is a bill in the right direction. Country of birth should not be a factor in employment based green cards, which constitute only 14% of the overall green cards issued. This fix makes the system fair by ensuring that in employment based green cards, the person who applied first will get their green card before the person who applied after them. This is brilliant because it is able to reduce the backlogs without increasing any green cards. This bill will ensure that everyone will wait the same for employment GC regardless of where they are born. I support this bill.

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by eagle123, a user on OpenCongress.org, on October 18, 2011, "Employment based green cards are based on employment, which is based on skill and talent. How is country of birth relevant? The existing system is unfair. It is not fair that a person from a non-backlogged country who is 10 years old today, can grow up and immigrate to this country and get their green cards before someone from a backlogged country who is already in the queue for the past 10 years as of today. This is a bill in the right direction. Country of birth should not be a factor in employment based green cards, which constitute only 14% of the overall green cards issued. This fix makes the system fair by ensuring that in employment based green cards, the person who applied first will get their green card before the person who applied after them. This is brilliant because it is able to reduce the backlogs without increasing any green cards. This bill will ensure that everyone will wait the same for employment GC regardless of where they are born. I support this bill."

Highly Rated Blog Articles

• Senator Removes 'Hold' on Highly Skilled Immigrants Bill | New ... - July 31, 2012 by New World Staffing Inc. - Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Republican Chuck Grassley has lifted his hold on H.R. 3012, a bill that eliminates the per-country caps on immigrant work visas, and will presumably expand immigration for highly skilled ...

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by New World Staffing Inc. on July 31, 2012, "Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Republican Chuck Grassley has lifted his hold on H.R. 3012, a bill that eliminates the per-country caps on immigrant work visas, and will presumably expand immigration for highly skilled ..." (/url?q=http://newworldstaffing.org/blog/%3Fp%3D572&sa=U&ei=FBEYUPflHMit8AHdkYCgCA&ved=0CDgQmAEwBg&usg=AFQjCNFLzrL4bvhCJVoXK7BTSYnYbzFCPw)
• SEN. "BIG GOVERNMENT" GRASSLEY - ILW.COM Blogs - July 24, 2012 by ChrisMusillo - Grassley (R-IA) has released his “hold” on HR 3012. HR 3012 has many components to it. It notably calls for an elimination of “per-country” immigrant visa (Green card) caps, which historically have limited the amount of ...

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by ChrisMusillo on July 24, 2012, "Grassley (R-IA) has released his “hold” on HR 3012. HR 3012 has many components to it. It notably calls for an elimination of “per-country” immigrant visa (Green card) caps, which historically have limited the amount of ..." (/url?q=http://blogs.ilw.com/nurse_immigration/2012/07/big-government-grassley.html&sa=U&ei=1HwQUJunIoLh0QHcxoHQDA&ved=0CFAQmAEwCw&usg=AFQjCNEhhGbDKI6lKzRPr02_hZl0xa5RwA)
• SEN. "BIG GOVERNMENT" GRASSLEY - ILW.COM Blogs - July 24, 2012 by ChrisMusillo - Grassley (R-IA) has released his “hold” on HR 3012. HR 3012 has many components to it. It notably calls for an elimination of “per-country” immigrant visa (Green card) caps, which historically have limited the amount of ...

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by ChrisMusillo on July 24, 2012, "Grassley (R-IA) has released his “hold” on HR 3012. HR 3012 has many components to it. It notably calls for an elimination of “per-country” immigrant visa (Green card) caps, which historically have limited the amount of ..." (/url?q=http://blogs.ilw.com/nurse_immigration/2012/07/big-government-grassley.html&sa=U&ei=IygQUMneB4i09QSy0oGgAg&ved=0CEsQmAEwCg&usg=AFQjCNEgmzPvAhrttYCZLIl8xBpyUMeFUA)

Highly Rated News Articles

• House bill would expand work visa program to include foreign entrepreneurs - July 31, 2012 by NJ.com - Their Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011 (H.R. 3012) won overwhelming approval in the House with a 389 to 15 vote. But the bill has yet to become a law because of gridlock in the Senate. “I have concerns about the impact of this ...

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by NJ.com on July 31, 2012, "Their Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011 (H.R. 3012) won overwhelming approval in the House with a 389 to 15 vote. But the bill has yet to become a law because of gridlock in the Senate. “I have concerns about the impact of this ..." (http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/07/house_bill_would_expand_work_v.html)
• A Better Phase-In Plan For HR3012 - July 26, 2012 by ILW - As we mentioned in an earlier blog post this week, the viability of HR3012 hangs in the balance. Congress will work until August 4 and then take a month off. The legislative calendar has some openings in September, although many Senators and ...

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by ILW on July 26, 2012, "As we mentioned in an earlier blog post this week, the viability of HR3012 hangs in the balance. Congress will work until August 4 and then take a month off. The legislative calendar has some openings in September, although many Senators and ..." (http://www.ilw.com/articles/2012,0726-musillo.shtm)
• High-Skilled Immigration Restrictions Are Economically Senseless - July 22, 2012 by Forbes - The Senators struck a deal to allow the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act (H.R. 3012) to move forward in the Senate. The bill would allocate employment-based green cards irrespective of national origin by eliminating country-specific limitations.

  Clicking this will add the following text:

  As noted by Forbes on July 22, 2012, "The Senators struck a deal to allow the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act (H.R. 3012) to move forward in the Senate. The bill would allocate employment-based green cards irrespective of national origin by eliminating country-specific limitations." (http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/07/22/high-skilled-immigration-restrictions-are-economically-senseless/)