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Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...

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Strengthening Immigration Reform: Improving STEM Education And Training

May 14, 2013 | Press Releases

Hatch amendment will “enhance the economic competitiveness of the United States by improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and training in the United States.” (Amendment)

CONCERN WITH ORIGINAL BILL: While the immigration bill puts American workers first, there are opportunities to improve the provisions regarding STEM education. Earlier this year, a bill dealing specifically with STEM visas was introduced in the Senate, with Senator Marco Rubio as a cosponsor. That bill, the “I-Squared” bill, better addressed the needs of U.S. workers.

HOW THE AMENDMENT STRENGTHENS THE BILL: Senators were able to identify ways to improve the STEM aspects of the immigration bill. The Hatch 9 amendment increases fees for those applying for green cards as STEM graduates and in turn guarantees those fees will be spent to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and training in the U.S. Each state will be able to determine how best to spend the new STEM education funds. This amendment puts the immigration bill more in line with the “I-Squared” bill.

All of the amendments submitted to the Committee on the Judiciary are available online for review here