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Thank you for giving me the chance to set the record straight about America's H-1B visa program which helps sustain our rapidly growing economy and also helps meet the health care needs of families living in rural New Mexico.
I oppose any change in the H-1B visa program that would cheat American citizens out of employment opportunities. The H-1B visa program, which has been in place for many years, allows foreign workers with very special skills to work for no more than six years in the United States. Thanks to this program, rural communities are finally able to successfully recruit medical personnel, such as physicians and nurses who may not be American citizens but meet American licensing standards.
High-tech companies in New Mexico need more workers than graduate from our schools, so foreign workers fill a vacuum that otherwise would limit the growth potential of our economy. Foreign workers also have to earn the same wages as their American counterparts, and there have to be no available qualified Americans for the needed job. A strong, growing high-tech economy benefits you and everyone else in our community regardless of how you earn your living.
I will continue to advocate for a stronger math and science curriculum in our schools, increased training for math and science teachers, and encouraging our kids to prepare themselves for 21st Century careers in the high-tech industry.
To meet this goal I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 4271, the National Science Education Act, H.R. 4272, the National Science Education Enhancement Act and H.R. 4273, the National Science Education Incentive Act. These three bills are a first step in a long process to ensure that teachers are provided the necessary training and skills to teach math, science and engineering so that our kids can compete and work in the high-tech, high-paying information age.
I hope this answers your questions about my position on the H-1B visa program. If you have questions about this or any other issue, please get in touch with me again. You can reach me by e-mail at ask.heather@mail.house.gov or by calling my Albuquerque office at 346-6781.
Sincerely,
Heather Wilson
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