Washington, DC: Advocating for policies and programs that help maintain US leadership in technology, the ITServe Alliance organized its 5th annual Capitol Hill Day here, where they met 145 key lawmakers.
The HIRE Act, sponsored by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and the role of H-1B visa holders were among the key highlights of the June 11 meetings. “I'm proud to be the original sponsor of the HIRE ACT, which is foundational,” said Rep Krishnamoorthy, while addressing the nearly 200 ITServe Alliance members.
“It just updates the law. It doesn't do anything revolutionary, but it does something necessary for our country, which is to make sure that we modernize our system in accordance with our needs, and plowing money into the STEM fields so that more indigenous talent rises, so that our children and others end up taking these jobs eventually,” Krishnamoorthy explained.
The High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment (HIRE) Act, which is being considered to be reintroduced in the current Congress, has been a key measure that ITServe supports.
The Alliance leaders met with Rep Jim Jordan, a Republican Congressman representing Ohio’s 4th District. Rep Tim Moore, representing North Carolina's 14th District in the US House, said: “ITServe Alliance visited to discuss education and building a skilled workforce in North Carolina.”
Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Rep LaMonica McIver from New Jersey, and Rep Robert Paul from Pennsylvania were among other key lawmakers that ITServe members met and advocated for immigration reforms.
“Capitol Hill Day serves as a perfect platform to communicate our collective voice with key policymakers on important issues to our members,” said Amar Varada, ITServe Governing Board member.
