This Issue: House Leaders delay vote on jobs-killing EAGLE Act -- Fate of the bill still up in the air

Fri, Dec. 9th

Overwhelming levels of grassroots activism and growing public concerns over the EAGLE Act all led to House Leaders delaying this week's vote on the legislation.

Thanks to all the NumbersUSA activists who made phone calls this week to their U.S. Representative and to those who sent messages of opposition to Congress last month. Momentum has moved in our direction and the finish line is in sight, but we still need more activism to defeat the jobs-killing EAGLE Act.

The EAGLE Act would allow most foreign guest workers who have had an approved petition for an employment-based green card for at least 2 years to stay and work in the United States permanently.

In addition it would lift the per-country caps for employment-based green cards, guaranteeing that nearly all those green cards would go to guest workers from India and China within a decade.

Put simply, the EAGLE Act would permanently block American workers across all wage levels from jobs that are filled with cheaper, foreign guest workers.

HOW WE GOT HERE

On Monday, the House Rules Committee voted to move the EAGLE Act to the House floor. A vote was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was forced to cancel the vote after some Members of the Congressional Black Caucus expressed concern with the legislation.

In addition to the CBC's concerns, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) also announced opposition to the bill. AILA is an open-borders, pro-amnesty group that rarely opposes legislation that would expand legal immigration.

The House is out today and returns on Monday for its final scheduled week of the 117th Congress. However, House Leaders could extend the session, especially if Congress isn't able to agree to a deal to fund the government before existing funding expires on Dec. 16.

We've posted new messages to your Action Board that you can send to your U.S. Representative over the weekend. We'll, once again, be asking you to make phone calls on Monday morning as we continue to monitor the legislation.

Phone calls to your Members of Congress are the most effective way to have your voice heard and are at least 10x more impactful than sending an email. We hope you'll consider taking a minute or two of time next week to call your U.S. Representative and express opposition to the EAGLE Act.

FINAL NOTE

You may recall that the House inserted a pre-emptive amnesty into its version of the National Defense Authorization Act.

We're happy to report that the compromise version of the NDAA that was passed by the House on Thursday, and will receive a vote in the Senate next week, did NOT include the amnesty provision.

Another thanks to the activists who contacted their Members of Congress over that provision.