Special Order Remarks on Rebuilding the Economy through Immigration Reform (H.R. 4259)

There are many issues before Congress, both great and small--all of tremendous importance. One of the issues that there's an outcry among the American people for us to deal with is immigration reform. Whether people are conservative or liberal, left or right, Republican or Democrat, we agree that what we are doing now does not work. We have a large population living, working here illegally. We don't have adequate enforcement of our borders, verification of who can work.

Now, within our efforts to solve immigration, to replace our broken immigration system with one that works and reflects our basic American values of, if you follow the law and learn English, you're welcome here, within the comprehensive House immigration reform bill that I'm a cosponsor of there's a provision to create jobs for Americans to help make immigration work for us rather than immigration be a cost for us.

Today, there are investors and foreign entrepreneurs who raise venture capital, ready to start their companies, who can't get the visas to come to this country and start their companies here. And then we wonder why these businesses in China and England and India are so successful. Well, some of them actually wanted to set up shop in this country. The House comprehensive immigration reform bill contains a startup visa provision that would allow an entrepreneur, be they a French entrepreneur, an Indian entrepreneur, that is backed by an investment that has raised several hundred thousand dollars, we would allow them to come here and start their company here as long as they hire five American citizens. This bill will likely create at least 50,000 jobs. And that's just a start. Because, you know what? Some of those companies hiring five people today could be the next Google, could be the next Yahoo of tomorrow, and employ tens of thousands of Americans.

Yes, America has an immigration challenge on a whole host of issues, but we also have an immigration opportunity--the opportunity to attract the best and brightest from around the world to help make America more competitive and provide jobs for America here at home. It's insourcing instead of outsourcing. Our current immigration code works against us and forces companies that want to hire Americans and be based here to instead set up shop overseas. Through comprehensive immigration reform we have the opportunity to change that. In the House bill there's a startup visa provision. Senator Kerry has introduced that as well in the Senate.

We need to encourage not only financial capital to flow into our country, but also human capital to create jobs for American citizens here at home. And that's an important lens to look at any piece of legislation through. I, for one, am thrilled that the House comprehensive immigration reform bill will create tens of thousands of jobs for American families. And that's one of the reasons that I'm a proud cosponsor.

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