AILA's Dump the Stump Campaign :
Let Your Voices be Heard on Proposed Moratorium
Posted Jun 20, 1999

Many of our clients and other correspondents have expressed concern about the immigration moratorium bill proposed in the House of Representatives by Representative Stump of Arizona. We commented in an earlier issue of the Law Office of Sheela Murthy Bulletin that this bill does not appear to have much chance of passage. Still, the bill has been used as a vehicle for restrictionists in Congress to express their anti-immigrant sentiments, and these legislators need to be held accountable and to be educated as to why a moratorium would be contrary to the national interests of the U.S.

We encourage all of our U.S. citizen subscribers of the Law Office of Sheela Murthy Bulletin to contact their Congressional Representatives, particularly if their local Representative is one of the cosponsors of this bill, H.R. 41.

In order to facilitate these contacts, the Law Office of Sheela Murthy is taking the opportunity to distribute a model letter drafted by AILA, which we provide with minor modifications. It would be especially helpful if businesses who hire temporary professional workers would make their voices heard, as legislators in the Republican majority may be especially receptive to business interests. Encourage the co-sponsors to withdraw their support from the bill! If your Representative is not a cosponsor, let him or her know about the dangers of a restrictionist approach: stifling of U.S. competitiveness and ability to innovate; the fact that critical shortages of workers persist in many key economic sectors; and how this shortsighted policy would hurt your company's bottom line.

We reprint below a list of the cosponsors of the bill, provided courtesy of AILA. The letter follows. The Congressional switchboard, at 202-224-3121, can provide contact information for the members of Congress.

Stump Co-Sponsors

Alaska - Young, D. (R-At Large, Anchorage) Alabama - Bachus, S. (R-6th, Birmingham), Callahan (R-1st, Mobile), Everett (R-2nd, Dothan/Montgomery) Arizona - Shadegg (R-4th, Phoenix) California - Doolittle (R-4th, Roseville), Herger (R-2nd, Chico), Hunter (R-52nd, El Cajon), McKeon (R-25th, Santa Clarita/Palmdale), Packard (R-48th, Vista/San Clemente), Radanovich (R-19th, Fresno) Colorado - Hefley, J. (R-5th, Colorado Springs), Tancredo (R-6th, Littleton) Florida - Goss (R-14th, Ft. Myers/Naples/Punta Gorda) Georgia - Barr, B. (R-7th, Marietta), Collins, M. (R-3rd, Jonesboro), Deal (R-9th, Gainesville), Linder (R-11th, Duluth/Athens), Norwood (R-10th, Augusta) Idaho - Chenoweth (R-1st, Boise) Illinois - Ewing (R-15th, Urbana) Kentucky - Lewis, R. (R-2nd, Elizabethtown/Bowling Green), Rogers (R-5th, Somerset) Louisiana - Baker, R. (R-6th, Baton Rouge), Cooksey, J. (R-5th, Alexandria/Monroe), Tauzin (R-3rd, Gonzales/New Iberia/Chalmette/Houma) Maryland - Bartlett, R. (R-6th, Frederick) Michigan - Camp, D. (R-4th, Midland) Mississippi - Taylor, G. (D-5th, Gulfport), Wicker (R-1st, Tupelo) Missouri - Emerson, J. (R-8th, Cape Girardeau) New Jersey - Saxton (R-3rd, Mt. Holly/Cherry Hill/Toms River) New Mexico - Skeen (R-2nd, Roswell) Nevada - Gibbons, J. (R-2nd, Reno) North Carolina - Coble (R-6th, Greensboro), Hayes (R-8th, Concord), Jones, W. (R-3rd, Greenville), Taylor, C. (R-11th, Asheville) Ohio - Traficant (D-17th, Youngstown) Oklahoma - Watkins (R-3rd, McAlester) South Carolina - Spence (R-2nd, Columbia) Tennessee - Duncan (R-2nd, Knoxville) Texas - Combest (R-19th, Lubbock), Hall, R. (D-4th, Rockwall), Johnson, Sam (R-3rd, Richardson) Utah - Hansen, J. (R-1st, Ogden) Virginia - Goode (D-5th, Charlottesville) Wisconsin - Sensenbrenner (R-9th, Brookfield) Wyoming - Cubin (R-At Large, Casper/Chayenne).

[Date]

The Honorable (full name)

United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C .20515

Dear Representative ____________:

It has come to my attention that you are a co-sponsor of H.R. 41, introduced by Representative Bob Stump (R-AZ). As you know, this bill intends to implement a moratorium on immigration for those other than refugees, priority workers and spouses and children of U.S. citizens. I (or name of company) strongly oppose/s this bill and urge/s you to withdraw your support for this legislation.

I (or insert company name) strongly believe that both family and business immigration are central to ensure that my company remains competitive. Furthermore, immigrants from both flows have been central to our country's economic success. Most companies today seek immigrants at all skill levels to fulfill labor needs. Thus the Stump bill, which would limit family-sponsored immigration to 10,000 people (for spouses and children of citizens only) and employment-based immigration to 5,000 (only for extraordinary ability individuals and academics) simply does not make sense and would impact negatively on businesses nationwide. If implemented, this legislation would hurt this company, which (produces/manufactures/develops -- insert description of company). This company relies on immigrants to (complete here). Simply put, immigrants are integral to (name of company)'s well-being.

Employers today need the skills and vitality that comes from both family and employment-based immigration. America's immigration laws provide for a highly regulated system which should not be disrupted by an ill-conceived overhaul. Please withdraw your support for this ill-conceived legislation. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Name of Person Title of Person

Courtesy of American Immigration Lawyers Association