Eight Senators unveiled a bipartisan proposal for comprehensive immigration reform on Monday that would award green cards to immigrants that earn a doctorate or master's degree in a STEM field from an American college or university. If passed, the program would end the uncertainty that currently faces foreign graduate students looking to stay in the U.S. after completing their educations. Currently such students must find an employer willing to sponsor their visa in order to remain in the U.S. A green card would negate the need for such employer sponsorship, and potentially allow foreign graduates, who earn half the graduate degrees in STEM fields at American universities, to set up their own companies and startups. Encouraging entrepreneurship among foreign STEM graduates has been billed by the tech industry as engine of job growth, and appears to be one of the least controversial aspects of the bipartisan deal.
However, the bipartisan proposal largely stakes out the middle ground, with Democrats trading an emphasis on border security in order to gain a path toward citizenship for immigrants without visas or STEM degrees. Critics on both sides have already charged the lawmakers involved with selling out their side, but any comprehensive immigration proposal will no doubt encounter fierce criticism, and this one appears to tick all the boxes that have framed the debate up to this point. President Barack Obama plans to flesh out his own plan for immigration reform later today in Nevada, but the White House hasn't yet tipped its hand on where it stands regarding the Senate proposal. The most controversial aspect of the Senate plan appears to be a requirement for the implementation of new enforcement measures before any sort of amnesty kicks; whether Obama supports such a trade-off will be a key point to watch in today's speech. Regardless, it appears comprehensive immigration reform is finally on the table, and both sides appear willing to talk. House Republicans can always bring any legislation to a grinding halt, but if they decide to play ball, the tech industry will be grateful just to come along for the ride.
House Oversight Committee Probes Aaron Swartz Prosecution: The leaders of the House Oversight Committee wrote (PDF) to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday, requesting a briefing on the prosecution of late Internet activist and reddit co-founder Aaron Swartz. Swartz was accused of breaking into a utility closet at M.I.T. and downloading millions of academic articles from the subscription service JSTOR. He committed suicide earlier this month. Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., specifically question the appropriate level of punishment for Swartz, who was reportedly facing a potential sentence of many years in prison under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Prosecutors also reportedly offered Swartz a deal under which he would serve roughly 7-8 months in prison, which he reportedly rejected. The case has drawn widespread condemnation from Internet activists, some of whom have portrayed Swartz as a martyr and the victim of an overzealous prosecutor. The lawmakers request more information on how the CFAA is used in other cases, and whether Swartz's activism, such as his opposition to the online piracy bill SOPA, influenced his treatment. More on this story later today on CQ.com. Lawmakers Plant Markers on Cybersecurity Legislation: Cybersecurity legislation is currently on the back burner while immigration reform, gun control and budget talks dominate Congress' agenda. But the key lawmakers involved are already trying to establish what they see as the most vital components of any potential legislation. The biggest advocate of security standards for critical infrastructure providers in the Senate, Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., has retired, and the placeholder bill introduced (S 21) by his former colleagues includes no mention of standards. Senate stakeholders will likely press the White House to do something on critical infrastructure via executive order if they are unable once again to pass legislation. Meanwhile, House lawmakers unsurprisingly favor an information sharing bill similar to the legislation they passed last year, with strong support from industry. We have long maintained that information sharing language is far more likely to gain bipartisan support than any regulatory regime, but the White House could potentially marry the two by waiting for Congress to act and then issuing an executive order that would augment the new legislation. Still, don't expect any action until the second half of the year at the earliest. Happy Data Privacy Day! Here's a quote from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich.: “On this Data Privacy Day, I urge American families to take a minute and review their digital footprint. Thanks to American ingenuity and innovation, we are spending more and more of our time online — the Internet is where we shop, learn, and play. But as technology advances, so do privacy threats. It is important for consumers to be aware of how their personal information is viewed and shared online. We held a number of hearings last Congress examining online privacy and consumer protection issues, and the committee will continue these efforts in the new Congress to protect consumers without harming innovation.”