CGS Signs on to Letters Regarding Competitiveness Legislation

CGS and 21 other higher education associations sent a letter to the Congressional leadership this week outlining the community’s legislative priorities for the upcoming conference committee negotiation for the Senate-passed USICA Act of 2021 and House-passed America COMPETES Act of 2022. These authorization bills include provisions which will increase federal funding for STEM education programs, fundamental scientific research, and research infrastructure. The bills also include provisions that would reauthorize the Department of Education’s Title VI international education program and streamline the immigration process for international students to study and stay in the United States after graduation. The letter states, “Our nation achieved its status as the global science and innovation leader due in significant part to decades of sustained federal research and education investments. We commend the proposals in the legislation that set ambitious increased research and STEM education authorization levels. It is vital that Congress meet these targets with appropriations.”

CGS also signed a letter emphasizing the importance of allowing individuals with graduate STEM degrees to be exempt from caps on green cards and providing for dual intent to streamline the visa process in any competitiveness legislation. “Allowing doctoral, and in the case of critical industries, master’s students with STEM degrees to be exempt from caps on green cards and providing for dual intent to streamline the visa process will strengthen our global competitiveness by making it easier for the best and brightest scientists from around the world to conduct their careers in the United States.”