September 20, 2012

Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-49) speaks on the House floor supporting H.R. 6249 - the STEM Jobs Act. This bipartisan legislation increases the number of visas for foreign students receiving advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the United States while eliminating the diversity visa program. Current law forces highly skilled, foreign students to return home, or to third party countries, upon completion of their degree allowing them to take their ideas and skills to American competitors. The STEM Jobs Act fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the bill under suspension of the rules in a vote of 257-158. Click here to read Rep. Issa's statement on the vote against American jobs, innovation and competitiveness.