US Senators Propose Bipartisan Bill Overhauling H-1B L-1 Visa Programs Prioritizing US-Educated STEM Workers

Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin, backed by a bipartisan group including Senator Bernie Sanders, have introduced the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act to overhaul the U.S. work visa system. The bill aims to prioritize H-1B visas for U.S.-educated workers with advanced STEM degrees and implement a merit-based selection system replacing the current lottery. It also proposes stricter wage and recruitment regulations, mandatory public posting of H-1B job openings, stronger whistleblower protections, and increased penalties for wage violations. The legislation targets abuses in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs, which have been criticized for enabling companies to lay off American workers while hiring foreign employees at lower wages. President Donald Trump has also enacted policies increasing H-1B visa fees and changing lottery priorities to favor higher-paid workers, further tightening foreign worker hiring. This bipartisan effort reflects growing concerns about protecting American workers and addressing visa program fraud and misuse.