US Reps. Schiff, Bass Introduce INVEST Act to Encourage Investment and Employment

Bill Creates New Visa Category to Help Foreign Students with STEM Degrees Start Businesses in America and Create U.S. Jobs

Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Charles F. Bass (R-NH) introduced the INVEST Act to strengthen our economic competitiveness by fostering an enhanced environment for start-ups. Specifically, the legislation would make it easier for foreign students who have graduated from U.S. universities with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), and other related fields, to stay in the country if they start their businesses here and create American jobs.

According to research by the Kauffman Foundation, 60,000 foreign students graduate each year from a U.S. university with a STEM degree. At the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), for example, foreign students make up nearly 40 percent of the graduate student body. Due to the lack of U.S. immigration options, many of these talented individuals are being forced to return to their country of origin at the expiration of their student visas, where they then take their entrepreneurial ideas, build on them in those foreign countries, and boost those economies instead of our own, while creating competition for American companies.

“As the nation continues to struggle with a sluggish economy, we must make every effort to speed-up our recovery,” Rep. Schiff said. “The loss of American-educated talent only contributes to our economic problems, and we should do all we can to retain those who hold highly-coveted STEM degrees and want to stay in the U.S., start a new business, and hire U.S. workers by encouraging them to make the U.S. their home.”

“Our economic success depends on the willingness of investors and entrepreneurs to take risks with their ideas,” Rep. Bass said. “It doesn’t make sense that we inhibit this economic growth by making it difficult for highly-educated students, particularly those with science, technology, engineering, or math degrees, to remain in the country after graduation and build upon their ideas.  Our legislation will encourage these highly-skilled individuals to grow their businesses right here in the United States, boosting job creation and our economy.”

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Partnership for a New American Economy, a national bipartisan group of more than 400 business leaders and mayors, released a report today that shows that more foreign-born workers means more jobs for U.S. natives. As many as 262 additional native-born workers are employed for every 100 foreign-born workers putting advanced U.S. degrees to work in STEM fields.

“The INVEST Act will allow highly skilled entrepreneurs the opportunity to build the next great company and to do it in America,” Reps. Bass and Schiff wrote in a Dear Colleague letter to other Members. “Our universities are educating the next generation of Steve Jobs – we want to make sure they build the next Apple in the United States and not overseas.”

Under the legislation, permanent residency will be made available to immigrant entrepreneurs who are in the process of completing or have recently completed a graduate STEM degree from an accredited university in the U.S. To qualify, the immigrant entrepreneur must start a new business relevant to the area of study; create two new jobs or invest $200,000 after two years; and create five jobs or invest $500,000 in the business within five years.

WFI: Obama Regulatory Agency Continues Job-Killing Campaign Against American Employer

Washington, D.C. (June 7, 2011) – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) today issued the below statement in response to the National Mediation Board (NMB) working in concert with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) to launch frivolous investigations against an American airline due to the fact its employees sided against forced unionization:

 

“Another day and another example of a regulatory agency stocked with Big Labor’s cronies choosing to put forward job-killing initiatives that benefit union bosses and hurt workers.  The National Mediation Board’s widening of its already frivolous investigation into Delta Air Lines is nothing more than a political witch hunt,” said Fred Wszolek, spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI).  “With unemployment rising and Americans growing increasing desperate about the economic situation in our nation, it is simply staggering that the President of the United States is more concerned with rewarding political contributors than creating jobs.”

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

National Mediation Board Expands Assault Against Delta Air Lines:

 

“The National Mediation Board is widening its investigation into allegations that Delta Air Lines Inc. interfered in a union organizing drive at the carrier last year.  The federal agency on Monday notified Atlanta-based Delta, the world’s second-largest airline by traffic, and the International Association of Machinists that it will conduct on-site probes into whether the airline unfairly pressured about 30,000 ramp workers and gate and reservation agents to vote against unionization.  The NMB said last week it would investigate similar allegations by the Association of Flight Attendants that Delta interfered in elections involving roughly 20,000 of its members.  Delta is the only airline among the five largest U.S. carriers to remain largely nonunion.  The investigations are expected to shine a spotlight on labor relations at Delta, which has denied interfering with the votes and workers' rejection of union representation.  They also could heighten political scrutiny of the NMB amid Republican lawmakers’ allegations that the federal agency has a pro-union bias.  The IAM and AFA unions lost elections late last year aimed at representing about 50,000 Delta employees.  It was the largest such referendum at a U.S. company since more than 70,000 workers organized at a Ford Motor Co. plant in 1941.” (Mike Esterl, “Labor Board Broadens Delta Probe,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/6/11)

 

Americans Rate Economy In Negative Terms:

 

“The [Washington Post-ABC News] survey portrays a broadly pessimistic mood in the country this spring as higher gasoline prices, sliding home values and a disappointing employment picture have raised fresh concerns about the pace of the economic recovery.  By 2 to 1, Americans say the country is pretty seriously on the wrong track, and nine in 10 continue to rate the economy in negative terms.  Nearly six in 10 say the economy has not started to recover, regardless of what official statistics may say, and most of those who say it has improved rate the recovery as weak.” (Dan Balz & Jon Cohen, “Obama Loses Bin Laden Bounce,” The Washington Post, 6/7/11)

NH DOC - Sixteen to Graduate from the New Hampshire Corrections Academy

(Concord, NH)  On May 13, 2011, the New Hampshire Department of Corrections pre-service Corrections Academy will end with a graduation ceremony for sixteen recently hired employees.  Corrections Academy 92 ran four weeks and all of the new employees report to their assignments immediately.

The employees are already certified or licensed in their specialized fields. The participants received important training that included offender management and communication skills, policies and procedures, Corrections legal issues, emergency preparedness, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), defensive tactics, and other topics that will be required when working in a corrections environment. They were also certified in CPR.

This class was made up entirely of non-uniformed employees and was the second “Civilian Academy” the Department has operated. The class included eight medical and mental health professionals, three administrators, two corrections counselors/case managers, two accountants, and one victim advocate.

SEIA: National Solar Jobs Census Shows Solar Employment Strong, Expected to Grow

New 'Solar Works for America' website tells stories of real solar workers in all 50 state; includes webisode tour of solar installations, manufacturing

LOS ANGELES – The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA®) today highlighted the strength of the U.S. solar job market in the face of high nationwide unemployment. The announcement was made at Solar Power International 2010, North America's largest business-to-business solar conference and exhibition.

The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit research and policy organization, released the "National Solar Jobs Census 2010: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce." This first-ever review of national solar employment identified more than 16,700 solar employment sites and 93,000 solar jobs in all 50 states. Additionally, the report found that solar employers expect to increase the number of solar workers by 26 percent, representing nearly 24,000 net new jobs by August 2011.

Complementing the National Solar Jobs Census 2010, SEIA launched the Solar Works for America (www.SolarWorksforAmerica.com) website to showcase the extraordinary work of real people in the solar industry. The website features state-by-state solar employment data, solar companies and the personal stories and photos of local workers in all 50 states.

The site includes a new webisode series produced by the trade group. The Solar Generation USA Road Trip chronicles a film-crew traveling cross-country from the East coast to the West, touring solar installations and manufacturing sites and interviewing workers and solar clients along the way.

"Over the past 10 years, a strong and vibrant solar industry has emerged through innovation, market forces and smart government policies to create thousands of jobs across the value chain from manufacturing and engineering, construction and sales, to installation and other supporting industries," said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. "This unprecedented census of jobs in the industry and the individual stories behind Solar Works for America illustrate that solar is indeed working for America in all 50 states and will only continue to grow stronger."

"The sun generates more energy in an hour than all the coal mines and oil wells in the world do in a year.  This report shows we are on the way to tapping the sun's potential, generating pollution free energy and a tremendous number of good, green jobs along the way," said Margie Alt, Executive Director of Environment America.  "Strong leadership from Washington will be critical to turning this solar opportunity into a solar reality."

"This important report demonstrates that the solar industry is a true area of growth for our economy - creating jobs across the country while helping to transition our nation to renewable sources of energy," said BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director David Foster. "It is critical that we continue to pursue policies and investments that facilitate the continued growth of this industry and the continued development of a clean, renewable energy economy."

###

Background Materials:
National Solar Jobs Census 2010 Available October 13, 2010 at 8 p.m. PDT at www.TheSolarFoundation.org.

Solar Works for America Website – www.SolarWorksforAmerica.com.

Webisodes of cross-country tour of solar installations, manufacturing and interviews with workers and clients: www.solargenerationUSA.org.

About SEIA®:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA is working to build a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

SEIA® Online:
SEIA President & CEO Rhone Resch is on Twitter. SEIA is on YouTube and Facebook.



NH Employment Program Relocates to DHHS District Offices

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Family Assistance (DFA) is announcing the NH Employment Program (NHEP) is relocating to DHHS’ District Offices. The NHEP is both a financial assistance program and an employment support program and was being coordinated at New Hampshire’s Employment Security Offices.

“Moving the NHEP to our field offices will help provide clients with better coordinated access to DHHS services,” said DFA Director Terry Smith. “This will reduce the number of trips clients must make to separate offices; now they’ll be able to apply for the assistance they need at one location instead of two.”

NHEP helps families become self-supporting by providing employment opportunities, job readiness, education, and training services. People who participate in the program work with Employment Counselor Specialists who provide employment and training services at DHHS District Offices around the State.

The NHEP moves are scheduled throughout the month of June. As a result the NHEP will be closed the day of and day after the moves.

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|Office |Move Dates|Dates Closed| New Address |

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|Keene | 06/01/10 | 06/01 - |809 Court Street, Keene, NH 357-3510 |

| | | 06/02 | |

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|Salem | 06/02/10 | 06/02 - |154 Main Street, Suite 1, Salem, NH 898-9763 |

| | | 06/03 | |

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|Portsmouth| 06/03/10 | 06/03 - |50 International Drive, Portsmouth, NH 433-8300 |

| | | 06/04 | |

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|Conway | 06/08/10 | 06/08 - |73 Hobbs Street, Conway, NH 447-3841 |

| | | 06/09 | |

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|Concord | 06/09/10 | 06/09 - |40 Terrill Park Drive, Concord, NH 271-6201 |

| | | 06/10 | |

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|Laconia | 06/10/10 | 06/10 - |65 Beacon Street W., Laconia, NH 524-4485 |

| | | 06/11 | |

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|Claremont | 06/15/10 | 06/15 - |17 Water Street, Suite 301, Claremont, NH 542-9544 |

| | | 06/16 | |

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|Rochester | 06/16/10 | 06/16 - |150 Wakefield Street, Suite 22, Rochester, NH 332-9120 |

| | | 06/17 | |

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|Berlin | 06/17/10 | 06/17 - |650 Main Street, Suite 200, Berlin, NH 752-7800 |

| | | 06/18 | |

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|Manchester| 06/22/10 | 06/22 - |195 McGregor Street, Suite 110, Manchester, NH 627-2330 |

| | | 06/23 | |

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|Nashua | 06/23/20 | 06/23 – |3 Pine Street Ext., Suite Q, Nashua, NH 883-7726 |

| | | 06/24 | |

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|Littleton | 06/24/10 | 06/24 - |80 N. Littleton Road, Littleton, NH 444-6786 |

| | | 06/25 | |

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