Bush's Support for H1-B visas and his Clinton connection
Bush's Support for H1-B visas and his Clinton connection
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 4:07 PM
JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER
www.ZaZona.com
Bush did more than just fund raising in Mississippi, according to the
Indian press (a search of US press articles reveals that the fund
raiser took place, but doesn't mention H-1B or the Indians involved in
lobbying Bush.) can be believed. According the article below, Bush was
greeted by a phalanx of Indian lobbyists, and what Bush had to say was
music to their ears, because he vehemently expressed his opposition to
House Resolution 2688, a bill introduced by Republican Congressman Tom
Tancredo of Colorado that proposes to abolish H-1B.
"Bush spread his hands as wide apart as possible and
stated unequivocally: "Tancredo and I are at opposite
ends of the pole. I fully do not support Congressman
Tancredo's bill against H1-Bs',"
Here were a few of the lobbyists that were on Bush's guest list. They
are savvy lobbyists who aren't afraid to spend money on their favorite
politicians in order to influence their behavior.
* Sampath Shivangi
Dr. Sampath Shivangi is vice-chairman of Indian American Republican
Council.
http://www.iarcnational.org/iarc/index.html
Their Mission: Provide a platform for Americans of Indian origin to
work with the Republican Party and participate actively at local, state
and federal levels nationwide in the formulation of policies that are
of importance to the nation. Earlier this year, Bush told Sampath
Shivangi that he wants to visit India "as soon as I can".
* Krishna Reddy
Dr. Krishna Reddy of Los Angeles, Indo-American Friendship Council, has
been actively campaigning with Congressmen and Senators for better
India-U.S. relations
http://www.gopio.net/nashville.htm
* Paresh Shah
Paresh Shah is an immigration attorney with the American Immigration
Lawyers Association (AILA)
http://www.aila.org/
Paresh Shah is a lobbyist for Indian companies and is CEO of Global
Innovations, Inc. He was part of a
US-India Business Council that wined and dined Clinton when he visited
India.
To see a picture of Clinton and Shah, go to the following webpage:
"IAPF host President Clinton at a successful fundraiser in LA"
http://shahlaw.com/latest/Mar17th00IP.htm
Hopefully Shah will be nice enough to post a picture of his party with
Bush.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=184360
Bush against scrapping H1-B visas
IANS[ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2003 12:35:02 PM ]
NEW YORK: US President George W Bush is reportedly, against a critical
bill now in Congress that would cut down H1-B visas dramatically,
affecting skilled IT and other workers from India.
At a private reception attended by eight Indian Americans in Jackson,
Mississippi, Bush vehemently expressed his opposition to House
Resolution 2688, a bill introduced by Republican Congressman Tom
Tancredo of Colorado, according to those attending the meeting.
Immigration attorney Paresh Shah, who was present at the meeting, said
he specifically questioned the President regarding his stand on the
bill, in which Rep Tancredo has called for terminating the H1-B visa
programme altogether.
"Bush spread his hands as wide apart as possible and stated
unequivocally: "Tancredo and I are at opposite ends of the pole. I
fully do not support Congressman Tancredo's bill against H1-Bs'," Shah
told IANS.
The Tancredo bill has raised hackles both in India and among Indian
Americans and other supporters of the community.
"In fact in India and the US there is an understanding that President
Bush supports Tancredo's efforts to close the H1-B programme as
Tancredo is a fellow Republican and also because the unemployment
figures are so high and many people feel that it is a result of H1-Bs
occupying American jobs," Shah said.
But the President's statements prove the opposite, he said. Shah is a
member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that
presented its counter proposal on the H1-B visa reduction programme to
the president at the gathering.
The private reception was in honour of the Mississippi Republican
gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour and netted $1.2 million for his
campaign.
Besides Bush, other noted luminaries at the reception included former
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi, as well as Karl Rove,
the President's Chief Campaign advisor. Sampath Shivangi of Mississippi
organised the exclusive Indian American delegation.
The California delegation, besides Shah, included Indo-American
Friendship Council chairman Krishna Reddy.
Currently, there are some estimated 900,000 H1-B employees in the US,
35-45 per cent of whom are from India, according to AILA.
"Judging from the President's strong negative reaction to the Tancredo
bill, it's apparent that the President understands that the current
unemployment situation in the US is not due to H1-B visa holders taking
American jobs," Shah contended.
"As soon as I mentioned the visa, he knew what I was talking about, he
knew about the Tancredo bill, he knew what it meant. From his immediate
grasp of the H1-B issue, and his strong support for continuing the
programme, he understands also that these foreign specialty workers are
basically a much needed element of our economy," Shah said.
By implication, some observers contend the President is not going to be
against business outsourcing as well.
Beginning October 1, the H1-B visas quota will revert back to the
65,000 per annum level, it was before it was raised a few years ago to
195,000.
Shah also submitted AILA's proposal on the L-1 visa programme to
counteract the various legislation currently pending in Congress to
limit its usage.
"The L-1 Visa programme is heavily used by the Indian community. Last
year, Indians comprised 24.4 per cent of the worldwide L-1 visas
issued, making them by far the number one group of users of this visa
programme," Shah stated.
http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/02aug09/inter.htm#6
Bush says he wants to visit India as soon as he can
WASHINGTON, Aug 8: The US President George W Bush has expressed his
desire to visit India at the earliest and hoped there would be peace in
South Asia.
Bush told Sampath Shivangi, an Indian American Republican activist,
yesterday that he wants to visit India "as soon as I can".
He, however, declined to give any date for the visit, a press release
by the Indian community in Jackson, Mississippi said.
Meanwhile, National Security Council spokesman Sean Mccormack declined
to either confirm or deny reports that Bush planned to visit India next
year.
On the possibility of the American Presidents trip to New Delhi, he
told reporters "certainly, in the future, when we do have an
announcement. We will be very pleased to share that with you."
Shivangi, who is also the president of American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Mississippi, and house delegate to
the prestigious American Medical Association, was the sole
Indian-American to participate in Bushs two major political events
yesterday.
Commenting on his encounter with Bush, he said: "I quickly briefed the
President about the issues that concern us as Indain-Americans and also
raised the question about his possible trip to India."
Referring to the region in his speeches, Bush said: "I want there to be
peace ... In South Asia. "I believe we can lead others to realize that
peace is possible and peace can happen, and peace will happen in the
Middle East, or in South Asia. And I believe we can achieve the peace
we dream for our children and our childrens children." (PTI)
http://www.thedmonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/09/15/3f655edb37c60
Bush speaks at fund-raiser in Jackson
by Kyle Veazey
DM Staff Writer
September 15, 2003
JACKSON - Nearly a decade ago, when George W. Bush was running
neck-and-neck with Ann Richards in his bid to become the Texas
governor, he undoubtedly asked Haley Barbour for help.
Friday at the Mississippi Coliseum, the favor was returned.
President Bush was the highlight of a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser for
Barbour on Friday. Barbour, the Republican National Committee chairman
from 1993 to 1997, is running in a tight battle with Democrat and
incumbent Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove.
"There's no doubt in my mind that when you elect Haley Barbour as
governor of Mississippi, Mississippi will get better," said Bush, whose
remarks were met with loud applause.
Barbour used Bush's leadership in Texas as a model of what he wants to
accomplish in Mississippi.
"After all, most governing is done by governors," Barbour said. "George
Bush did in Texas what I want to do in Mississippi. Mississippi is
dying for leadership. The governor can't dictate, but he can lead. We
need a governor like this in Mississippi."
Bush was in Mississippi on the middle leg of a three-state trip Friday.
He visited with troops from the third infantry division at Ft. Stewart,
Ga., in the morning and ended his day touting faith-based initiatives
in Houston. Musgrove spent Friday at the Governor's Mansion hosting the
state's top math and science teachers.
"This race is not about who can put the most ads on television, and
it's not about who's got the most political friends in Washington,"
Musgrove told the Associated Press. "This race is about leadership.
It's about setting priorities, and it's about putting Mississippi
first."
Barbour's reputation as a Washington insider and lobbyist has been a
flash point for Musgrove, who says Barbour is out of touch with
Mississippi. To Barbour's supporters, though, those connections can
only help the state.
"When's the last time we've had a governor who's had the capability to
pick up the telephone and make a call to the president and get
answered?" asked Jim Sneed, a Barbour supporter who came from Belden
for the event.
Bush encouraged the partisan crowd to go back to their hometowns and
push for a large voter turnout in November's general election.
The president also urged Barbour, if elected, to push for litigation
reform in Mississippi.
"You don't want it said that the fastest-growing industry in the state
is the plaintiff's parties," Bush said.
Bush told supporters that Barbour would push for education reform in
the state and would look strongly at adopting some of Bush's
faith-based initiatives.
Bush reminded those attending the $1,000-a-plate luncheon that the war
on terror is not finished. The world is better off without Saddam
Hussein, Bush said, and Iraq will no longer harbor terrorists.
"We will bring those who harmed America and those who want to harm
America to justice," Bush said. "We owe it to future generations."
Bush -- who just asked Congress for $87 billion to rebuild Iraq --
stressed Barbour's fiscal management would make him a good governor.
"We're not spending the government's money," Bush said. "We're spending
the people's money, and you better have a governor who understands
that."
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