Dire visa situation

Congressman David Price's effort to create the Roosevelt Scholars program ("Price bill finances future scientists, engineers," Dome, May 22) highlights our declining science and math talent but will do little in the near term to alleviate the critical hiring environment for our government, technology and pharmaceutical businesses.

We need a substantial increase in H-1B visas, the primary vehicle used by employers to hire foreign-born scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

This year the H-1B quota was oversubscribed by a factor of two within days of its early April filing deadline, creating enormous frustration for employers. The situation is so dire that last summer Microsoft opened research facilities in Canada in response to the difficulty of getting visas for the talent it needs in the United States. Microsoft just announced it soon will double the number of its R&D staff in China. Due to the low H-1B quota, primary and secondary schools can rarely avail themselves of this sensible visa to alleviate a shortage of teachers with expertise in science, math and foreign languages.

Congress should open its eyes to the needs of American business and education and adopt immigration policies that will shore up our nation's international competitiveness in the here and now.

Adrian R. Halpern, Chapel Hill