Optimistic, in his annual address.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue has announced that 2014 will be the “year of immigration reform.”
The comment came during his State of American Business speech, an annual address given to the Chamber of Commerce at the outset of each year, today. Donohue also said that he was optimistic based on what he’s been seeing in the US House of Representatives, and is “encouraged” that immigration reform will pass this year.
“We’re two-thirds of the way there,” said Donohue.
As far as the Chamber of Commerce goes, Donohue pledged its full support in getting the legislation passed through Congress.
“The chamber will pull out all the stops,” said Donohue, saying that they’ll accomplish this “through grassroots lobbying, communications, politics and partnerships with our friends in the union, and faith-based organizations, and law enforcement groups, and others.”
The immigration bill has seen some fresh life injected into it after practically dying in the House of Representatives last year. Despite flying through the Democrat-controlled Senate, the bill ran into opposition from the GOP, who argue against providing a pathway to citizenship for the over 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the US.
The bill also aims to instate new fees for employers who want to bring in high-skilled workers on H-1B and L-1 visas, which has drawn the ire of IT companies and several governments around the world, particularly India’s.
There is still a long road ahead to get immigration reform passed and a short window in which to accomplish it. Although there is optimism that it will get passed, most on Capitol Hill agree that it needs to happen in the first few months of the year, before Washington – and the nation – turns its attention to the 2014 midterm elections.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com