Gates testimony to House Science and Technology Committee

Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 1:24 AM

<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1833 -- 3/10/2008 >>>>>

Bill Gates is scheduled to testify to the House of Representatives Science and
Technology Committee on Wednesday. So far he is the only one listed to
testify! Unless the Committee allows opposing views, and they didn't last
year, the conclusions of the hearing will be rigged and predetermined. The
House website isn't giving much detail, but of course we all know what Gates
is going there for -- more H-1B visas.

http://www.science.house.gov/publications/Testimony.aspx?TID=11283
Competitiveness and Innovation on the Committee s 50th Anniversary with Bill
Gates, Chairman of Microsoft [Scheduled]
:: Location ::
10:00 a.m. - 2318 Rayburn House Office Building

:: Witness Statements ::
Mr. William H. Gates

At the time of this writing nothing on the CSPAN schedule indicates whether
they will broadcast the hearing. If you feel the public has a right to see
this event it wouldn't hurt to call CSPAN and request it. You may be surprised
but they are quite responsive to requests and sometimes it just takes 2 or 3
telephone calls. Obviously they need time to schedule camera crews so calling
early tomorrow is essential.

http://www.c-span.org/about/contact.asp?code=About
Main Number: (202) 737-3220

There has been scant news coverage of the upcoming visit. This Washington Post
article gives us a few hints of what Gates is up to.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/09/AR2008030901750.html

An insider's guide to the upcoming week

Monday, March 10, 2008; A02

Gates and a Golden Anniversary: Speaking of anniversaries, the House Committee
on Science and Technology, the government's overseer of scientific research
not tied to defense, is celebrating a big one this
year: 50 years since it was formed on the heels of Sputnik's trip around the
Earth and the launch of the space race.

To celebrate this golden anniversary, members of the committee invited Bill
Gates to testify Wednesday on "Competitiveness and Innovation." But the
appearance won't necessarily be a cheery remembrance of things past.

Gates, who has come to the Hill just a handful of times, is planning to
discuss the need for immigration changes and the need to allow highly skilled
foreign-born workers to remain in the United States, according to Microsoft
spokeswoman Ginny Terzano.

Gates testified before the Senate last year, stressing the need to improve
education as well as immigration procedures for skilled workers and to
increase the H-1B visa pool. To coincide with that testimony, he wrote an op-
ed in The Washington Post in which he said that the demand for specialized
workers has long exceeded the native-born supply and that the issue "has
reached a crisis point."

He is likely to sound as urgent a plea this week.

"Unfortunately, the issue still exits. We haven't seen a lot of progress from
a year ago," Terzano said.

The House hearing will be just one of Gates's stops in Washington this week.
He will also be the keynote speaker at the Northern Virginia Technology
Council's "Premier Titans" breakfast at the Capital Hilton on Thursday.
However, no one gets to be a titan without good planning skills:
The $100-a-person event is already sold out.

By Rachel Dry

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