Key Votes

HR 6429 - STEM Jobs Act of 2012 - Key Vote

National Key Votes

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Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (245-139) - (Key vote)

Title: STEM Jobs Act of 2012

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the number of employment-based immigrant visas and repeals the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, effective October 1, 2013.

Highlights:
  • Repeals the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which provides visas to 55,000 randomly selected qualified immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States (Sec. 3).
  • Increases the number of employment-based immigrant visas by 55,000 (Sec. 2).
  • Requires the preferential allocations of employment-based immigrant visas to no more than 55,000 immigrants whose qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following (Sec. 2):
    • A doctorate or master’s degree from a United States doctoral institute of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM); and
    • An agreement to work in the specified field for no less than 5 years.
  • Defines “United States doctoral institute of higher education” as the following (Sec. 2):
    • An institution that is at least 10 years old; and
    • An institution that is classified as a doctorate granting university that conducts a high or very high level of research activity by either the Carnegie Foundation or the National Science Foundation.
  • Requires an employer who petitions for an immigrant visa on behalf of an employee to submit the job order for the position the immigrant is seeking to fill to the State Workforce Agency website (Sec. 2).
See The Voting Record

Legislation - Bill Failed (House) (257-158) - (Key vote)

Title: STEM Jobs Act of 2012

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the number of employment-based immigrant visas and repeals the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, effective October 1, 2013.

Highlights:
  • Repeals the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which provides visas to 55,000 randomly selected qualified immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States (Sec. 3).
  • Increases the number of employment-based immigrant visas by 55,000 (Sec. 2).
  • Requires the preferential allocations of employment-based immigrant visas to no more than 55,000 immigrants whose qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following (Sec. 2):
    • A doctorate or master’s degree from a United States doctoral institute of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM); and
    • An agreement to work in the specified field for no less than 5 years.
  • Defines “United States doctoral institute of higher education” as the following (Sec. 2):
    • An institution that is at least 10 years old; and
    • An institution that is classified as a doctorate granting university that conducts a high or very high level of research activity by either the Carnegie Foundation or the National Science Foundation.
  • Requires an employer who petitions for an immigrant visa on behalf of an employee to submit the job order for the position the immigrant is seeking to fill to the State Workforce Agency website (Sec. 2).
Note:

NOTE: THIS VOTE WAS TAKEN UNDER A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES TO CUT OFF DEBATE EARLY AND VOTE TO PASS THE BILL, THEREBY REQUIRING A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY FOR PASSAGE.

See The Voting Record

Legislation - Introduced (House) -

Title: STEM Jobs Act of 2012


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