US Senators Introduce Bills to Enable Increased Intake of Foreign-Born STEM Immigration. (May 21, 2012)

Barry Toiv representing the 61 top North American research universities which make up the Association of American Universities (AAU) told ScienceInsider's Jeffrey Mervis that: "Short of comprehensive immigration reform, which we’d love for Congress to tackle, we’re happy to see these [two] bills" being introduced into the United States Senate. And Kasey Pipes of Compete America referring to foreign-born scientists trained at American universities says: "These immigrants are job creators, and while we’re not taking sides, both bills are asking the right question: How do we keep more skilled foreign students in the country after they graduate?”

According to Mr Mervis: "Both bills—one from Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), and the second from the bipartisan duo of senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN)—argue that the U.S. economy is weakened by current barriers facing foreign students who receive graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and want to put down roots in the United States... Both bills would, in effect, sidestep the current system by which foreign graduates temporarily extend their right to remain in the country by having employers certify that they are uniquely qualified for the job."

Senator Cornyn wrote in a media release: "American universities are educating the world’s leading STEM graduate students—only to export this talent to our competitors overseas," while Senator Coons explained to reporters: "Fifty years ago, if you came here from another country and got a doctorate … your chances of applying your skills and strengths to create jobs in your home country were dramatically less than here. But times have changed … and it’s time for us to modernize."

Mr Toiv as AAU representative says while: "We haven’t seen any evidence that they [the Congress] are getting ready to move [a bill] what’s important right now is less the details than that Congress may finally be trying to address the issue."

Australian parliamentarians take note, the competition for brainy STEMs is getting serious, very serious.