Posted by marilag from IP 122.2.219.121 on October 31, 2007 at 15:14:52:
10/30/2007: Fate of H.R. 3043, Labor-HHS FY 2008 Appropriation Bill
As we reported earlier, the Senate passed this bill with the two immigration rider bills: One is 61,000 employment-based visa numbers recapture for EB-3 to relieve the Schedule A Allied Healthcare Worker shortage problem. The other is H-1B Supplemental Fee bill to increase the H-1B filing fees to $5,820 for the employers hiring over 25 employees. The fate of this legislation depends on challenges at the two different levels. One is the test in the conference committee. However, even if these riders survive in the conference committee, there is more serious challenge ahead involving the President's veto of the entire bill.
Report indicates that the Senate-House conference committee will meet on Thursday, November 1, 2007, and start sending the conference-agreed bills to the President. It is thus likely that H.R. 3043 may be resolved in the conference committee on or after November 1, 2007 with or without one or both of the immigration riders. However, even before reaching this point, there is an on-going struggle between the White House and the Democrat Congress. The White House has been threatening to veto this bill. To deal with such potential veto, the Democrats are considering putting two or three conference bills together including Iraq war appropriation which the President anxicously needs. It appears that the President is not backing down from its desire to veto the bill, no matter whether it is presented as a separate bill or as part of a packet that can include Iraq war funding legislation. This showdown is likely to continue until November 16, 2007 when the Congress will go into a holiday break. Next two weeks can mark a critical juncture for the two immigration bills attached to H.R. 3043. Please stay tuned.
- from The Oh Law Firm
Fellow RNs, relatives & friends, more prayers are needed...