Washington: US immigration authorities would give preference to better-educated and trained visa-seekers who can contribute to the American economy under a less-noticed provision of the immigration bill in the US Congress.
The bi-partisan bill in the US Senate would rewrite the half-century-old standards that control legal immigration to favor skills over family ties.
The winners of this proposed "merit-based" system, experts say, would be primarily from Asia, particularly from India, China and the Philippines, whose citizens are more likely to have attended college or have on-the-job training in skilled occupations such as engineering and technology. The losers are likely to be Mexicans and Central Americans.
The new system, long advocated by economists and politicians who believe the main purpose of immigration laws should be to serve economic growth, would replace one geared mainly to reuniting families....
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01:07 PM, May 05, 2013
Washington: The US Senate cleared the way on Thursday for debate on proposals to curb gun violence, rejecting an effort by conservative Republicans to block consideration of gun-control legislation prompted by the Newtown school massacre. The Senate voted 68-31 to open what will likely be weeks of emotional debate on President Barack Obama's proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers, tighten restrictions on gun trafficking and increase funding for...
03:07 AM, Apr 12, 2013
A bipartisan group of senators is closer to a deal on immigration reform to resolve the problem of 11 million illegal immigrants, including some 260,000 Indians, according to a media report. The "Gang of Eight", as the group of four Democratic and four Republican senators negotiating the deal is called, had moved closer to an agreement on a visa programme for future low-skilled workers, Politico, an influential news site focusing...
11:40 AM, Mar 30, 2013
The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Chuck Hagel as President Barack Obama's new secretary of defense, ending an unusually acrimonious confirmation fight. ...
05:05 AM, Feb 27, 2013
Global retail giant Walmart - waiting for years to open its supermarkets in India - has been lobbying with the US lawmakers since 2008 to facilitate its entry into the highly lucrative Indian market. ...
10:50 AM, Dec 09, 2012
Washington: US Representative Todd Akin, under fire for controversial remarks on abortion and rape, insisted on Tuesday he would not leave the Missouri Senate race, despite pressure from fellow Republicans and talk of who might replace him on the November 6 ballot. Akin - a staunch abortion opponent - vowed to stay in the contest against Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, indicating he represents a conservative movement that must be heard....
08:08 AM, Aug 22, 2012
Washington: Sounding a fresh warning to Pakistan, a key Senate panel has voted to slash American assistance to Islamabad by more than half, approving only USD 1 billion in aid for fiscal 2013 and warned of further cuts unless it reopens NATO supply routes to Afghanistan. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, which passes the budget for the State Department, yesterday approved only USD 1 billion in assistance to...
01:15 PM, May 23, 2012
Washington: The United States Senate has passed a bill that would ban lawmakers from trading stocks based on the information they acquire while performing their Congressional duties. The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act now requires to be passed by the House of Representatives before it is signed into law by President Barack Obama, who was quick to welcome the Senate passage of the bill. "No one should be...
09:49 AM, Feb 03, 2012
New Delhi: India on Thursday expressed concern over the proposed US Call Centre Bill but said that it is premature to assess the impact of the decision on the domestic IT industry. A bipartisan bill has been tabled in the US House of Representatives to make companies that move call centres overseas ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the federal government, a move aimed at stemming the tide of...
03:35 PM, Dec 22, 2011
Washington: Recognising the religious and historical significance of Diwali, the US Senate has passed a resolution greeting Hindus, Sikhs and Jains in the US and across the globe on the festival. Noting that Diwali is a festival of great significance to Indian Americans and South Asian Americans, the Senate in its resolution lauded the universal message of compassion it offers to the world. The Senate recognises the religious and historical...
10:30 PM, Oct 25, 2011
Washington: Google's Eric Schmidt, the online search giant's point man for all things Washington, goes before a US Senate panel this week to argue the company is not a rival-abusing bully, but in fact is struggling to stay on top. Google Inc controls more than two-thirds of the global search market. But Web technologies such as social networking and smartphone applications offer new ways for people to find information -...
08:05 AM, Sep 19, 2011
Washington: The United States stepped back from the brink of default on Tuesday but congressional approval of a last-ditch deficit-cutting plan failed to dispel fears of a credit downgrade and future tax and spending feuds. President Barack Obama and lawmakers from across the political divide expressed relief over the hard-won compromise to raise the country's borrowing authority after weeks of rancorous partisan battles. Nevertheless, US stocks tumbled, turning negative for...
07:07 AM, Aug 03, 2011
Washington: Top congressional Republicans held fresh talks on Saturday with President Barack Obama to try to break a deadlock on raising the debt limit and expressed confidence that a default by the world's largest economy could be avoided. While engagement with the White House after a week of poisonous political stalemate was a step forward, a deal still seemed elusive. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said the two...
07:17 AM, Jul 31, 2011
Boston: Indian-American academician Subra Suresh has been confirmed unanimously by the US Senate to be the next director of the $7.4 billion National Science Foundation (NSF) for a six-year term. Suresh, dean of the School of Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was nominated by President Barack Obama to the post in June this year. The US Senate confirmed the appointment on Thursday. He is expected to be sworn in...
09:05 AM, Oct 02, 2010
Washington: Senate Republicans successfully blocked the passage of an anti-offshoring bill that would have denied tax breaks to US companies which move jobs overseas. Republicans in a 53-45 vote prevented the bill from overcoming a filibuster. At least 60 votes were needed to overcome the Opposition's obstruction. As per the bill, there will be a ban on government contractors from using American taxpayers' money to move jobs offshore. What is...
09:01 AM, Sep 29, 2010
Washington: Stepping up his campaign against outsourcing, US President Barak Obama on Friday asserted his administration would offer tax benefits only to those firms which will create jobs in the country, a move that may hit Indian IT firms in a big way. "We believe on tax breaks for those firms that create jobs in the US. So we are beginning to do that," Obama said at a press conference...
09:58 PM, Sep 10, 2010
The US senate has resolved to foster and advance the strategic partnership between the two nations. ...
09:49 AM, Aug 07, 2010
Washington: The US Senate on Thursday gave a final approval to a sweeping reform of the Wall Street to make financial institutions more accountable and prevent a repeat of the 2008 market collapse, handing out a major legislative victory to President Barack Obama. The Senate passed the Wall Street Reform Bill by 60 to 39 votes and the bill is now headed to the White House for Obama to sign...
12:25 PM, Jul 16, 2010
It was a huge Christmas eve political victory for President Barack Obama. ...
09:23 AM, Dec 25, 2009
They have approved a $636 bn military spending bill on Saturday. ...
10:12 AM, Dec 20, 2009
