Congressman James Moran's H-1B Visa Problem: His Legislation Flooded Northern Virginia With 20,000 H-1B Computer Programmers, Resulting In Unemployment Among Programmers Who Live In The 8th District

"The H-1B is a nonimmigrant classification used by an alien who will be employed temporarily in a specialty occupation...A specialty occupation requires theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge along with at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent..."

The number of H-1B jobs unavailable to 8th-District citizen and permanent-resident computer programmers may be worse than the number 20,000 suggests. The 20,000 figure does not include H-1B computer-related occupation visas granted before October, 2000, even though H-1Bs can last a maximum of 6 years. These figures also do not include 8,483 H-1B computer-related occupation visas in Maryland and 900 in the District of Columbia, even though 8th-District residents often commute to those two areas. Finally, the 20,000 H-1B computer-related occupation jobs in Northern Virginia do not include H-1B visas granted since September, 2003.

What is James Moran's position on issuing H-1B visas to non-residents of the US to take computer-related jobs in Northern Virginia? JAMES MORAN SUPPORTS IT.

It is one of the mysteries of Moran's career that the congressman who in 1994 co-sponsored a bill that would have reduced the issuance of work visas to 40,000 annually was six years later complaining that issuing less than 195,000 H-1B visas a year was not enough because that was unacceptable to industry.

Yes, it certainly is a mystery. ABC News on May 12, 2000 quoted James Moran as complaining about a rival bill proposed by Rep. Lamar Smith that would have increased H-1B visas by an amount less than the high-tech industry-backed bill that Moran himself was sponsoring. "'Industry is concerned because Lamar Smith has never been an advocate for bringing in immigrants on work visas,' said Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., a founder and co-chairman of the New Democrat Coalition. 'If it's objectionable to industry we may have to amend it.'" Moran was holding out for his plan to increase the number of H-1B visas from 115,000 to 195,000.

Moran is not at all ashamed of bringing 20,000 H-1B computer programmers to Northern Virginia to compete with his constituents for jobs. Indeed, HE IS PROUD OF IT.

Just for fun, visit James Moran's House of Representatives-hosted website where our truly clueless congressman has posted a press release entitled "Leading Technology Group Names Moran to Its 'High-Tech Legislators Hall of Fame.'"

Moran breathlessly touts an award that he received from a high-tech business lobbying group that seeks to lower employer labor costs by pushing for increases in the number of H-1B visa issuances:

"The American Electronics Association cited Moran and the others for their sponsorship and support of significant legislation affecting the high-tech industry and continual efforts to educate the public about the issues that are crucial to the industry.

Moran, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, was the lead Democratic sponsor last year of the Y2K Readiness Act. He is currently sponsoring legislation to raise the cap on H1B Visas for high technology workers."

But then again, when it comes to doling out H-1B visas, Congressman James P. Moran, Jr. has never claimed he was representing his constituents. Read again his statement as reported by ABC News on May 12, 2000 and ask yourself just who he was representing then:

"Industry is concerned because Lamar Smith has never been an advocate for bringing in immigrants on work visas,...If it's objectionable to industry we may have to amend it." "

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