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Bill Gates expressed concern about the U.S.
immigration system, saying limits on the number
of visas for high-skilled workers, bureaucratic
delays in processing them and exhaustive
security checks following the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks are deterring talented foreign
workers from seeking jobs in the United States.
In testimony before the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Gates
warned that the United States could risk losing
its competitive edge to other countries if
Congress does not reform the immigration system.
"Countries like Canada and Australia have been
beneficiaries of our system, which discourages
these people [high skilled foreign workers] with
both the limits and the long waits, and what the
process feels like as they go through the
security checks," he said.
In the coming weeks, Congress is expected to
consider immigration reform legislation,
including efforts to attract more high-skilled
workers and streamline the visa application
process.
Gates said he believes it is possible to do
background security checks without having the
process become too burdensome.
He also called for ways to make it easier for
more high-skilled workers to become permanent
residents to help retain talent, particularly in
the information technology, or IT, field.
"The IT industry I guarantee will be in the
United States to the degree that smart people
are here in the United States, and that is why I
believe it is important to maximize that number
[of high-skilled foreign workers]," he added.
Gates urged lawmakers to find ways to keep
foreign students in the United States, saying if
the country is going to invest in educating
them, it should also benefit from that
investment by encouraging them to work here.
He urged the federal government to invest more
money in education and training, and in research
and development (R&D).
"Federal research funding is vital," he
explained. "Unfortunately, while other countries
and regions, such as China and the European
Union, are increasing their public investment in
R & D, federal research spending in the United
States is not keeping pace."
Gates suggested an increase of 10 percent
annually in U.S. funding for research for the
next seven years.
He also urged more teacher training and higher
math curriculum standards. He said the nation
should set a goal of doubling the number of
science, technology and math graduates by 2015.
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