WASHINGTON – May 14, 2018 – Last week, a group of Members of Congress referred a discharge petition to the House Committee on Rules calling for a series of floor votes on immigration-related bills, including DACA legislation. BSA urges additional Members of Congress to support the petition, which requires 218 signatures for further action.

Responsible immigration policies are of great importance to BSA | The Software Alliance and the software industry. Software supports more than 10 million US jobs and they are growing faster than can easily be filled. Research has repeatedly shown that DACA recipients tend to attain comparatively high levels of education and are often employed in high-skilled jobs. Protecting their future is important to keeping the United States as a leader in economic competitiveness and, as a result, to creating new jobs for all Americans.

Policies should also aim to encourage high-skilled immigration, which can help ensure software-related jobs remain in the United States while we work to improve education and training for the US workforce. Strengthening the H-1B visa program will enable our country to recruit the best and the brightest who will contribute to American innovation. BSA therefore urges swift action for responsible immigration policy, including support for the discharge petition.