In a huge relief for H-1B visa holders, a White House-backed bipartisan deal has been unveiled under which automatic work authorisation would be granted to about 100,000 H-4 visa holders, who are spouses and children of a certain category of H-1B visa holders. The National Security Agreement that was announced on Sunday after long negotiations between the Republican and the Democratic leadership in the US Senate also provides a solution to about 250,000 aged-out children of H-1B visa holders. The move comes as good news for hundreds and thousands of Indian technology professionals who are waiting in a painstakingly long wait for a Green Card, in the absence of which their spouses cannot work and their aged-out children face the threat of deportation.
An influential United States Senator has demanded a federal investigation into whether Indian-American Nikki Halley, the governor of South Carolina, exploited taxpayer dollars for political purposes. Senator Tom Harkin, in a letter to Daniel R Levinson, the inspector general of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, urged to "examine whether the state of South Carolina met the requirements of federal law in spending its exchange planning grant".
In less than a week of Donald Trump being sworn in as the 45th US President, the "H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act" was introduced to prioritise American workers and restore fairness in visa programmes for skilled workers.
"After talking to the Pakistanis, I don't have any great hopes that they are going to do what ultimately is needed for their own security, and that is to deal with people who are threatening their own sovereignty," Senator Karl Levin told reporters at a Capitol Hill news briefing on his return from the region.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, ended a day of constant talks with optimistic proclamations, as details leaked out of the pact they were negotiating.
Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate are working on a provision in the Immigration Bill that will make it harder for illegals to get employment in the country.
United States Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, has profusely apologised and expeditiously gone on damage control mode after stating that 'a rising India' is a grave threat to the US. The Senator from Texas states that the F-22's are "important to our national security because we're not just fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We're fighting --we have graver threats and greater threats than that: From a rising India, with increased exercise of military power'.
United States President George W Bush has sent the nomination of Santanu K Baruah, an Indian-origin former management consultant whom he picked as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, to the Senate for approval.
The US Senate has unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Democrat and George Voinovich, Ohio Republican -- both members of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- condemning the terrorists attacks in Mumbai and applauding India's restraint so far as it investigates the attacks.
In his first tweet after election results started coming in US President Trump claimed success. "Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!".
After the October 7 attack by Iranian-backed Hamas forces on Israel, the United States military has blamed other Iranian-backed proxy groups for near-daily attacks against its forces in Iraq and Syria.
The United States Senate on Tuesday passed Barack Obama's economic recovery plan, the $829 billion stimulus bill, which the President said would create four million jobs and was vital for reviving the crisis-hit economy. Amid strong Republican opposition, the bill was passed by a roll call vote of 61-37. The House of Representative has already passed it.
US Senator John McCain met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah immediately after his arrival in Srinagar on a two day visit.
The Senate immigration plan would dramatically increase the number of high-skilled foreign workers allowed into the country and give permanent legal status to an unlimited number of students who earn graduate degrees from US universities in science, technology, engineering or math, Washington Post reported quoting people familiar with the negotiations.
US Senate on Wednesday passed the $700 billion financial bailout package by a wide margin of 74-25 votes.
The White House has asked the Republican-majority Senate to pass the USA Freedom Act that would rein in government surveillance capabilities in its present form.
Pakistan is bigger than Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and North Korea combined. There's 156 million people. They have 24 to 55 nuclear weapons. They have not only the bomb, the thermonuclear device, they have the missile that can couple with the bomb, and it can fly all the way to the Mediterranean.
A range of regional and international issues were discussed during the 30-minute meeting Senators Russel D Feingold and Robert P Casey Jr held with Mukherjee. Asked whether the nuclear agreement came up during the deliberations, Feingold said the two sides discussed a wide range of issues including the deal.
Two United States senators have sought modifications in a 9/11 compensation-related bill, seeking to extend the increase in hike on H-1B and L1 visa fees for another six years and impose excise on some foreign companies to fund free treatment of 200,000 Americans living with health problems contracted while working at the Ground Zero.
Elections to 50 seats of the 100-member Senate will be held on March 2, Pakistan's Election Commission on Thursday announced.
A United States lawmaker, who was given the rare opportunity by the Central Intelligence Agency to view the death photos of Osama bin Laden, has said the pictures were "pretty gruesome" and there was no doubt that the Al Qaeda chief was dead.
The resolution condemns additional Chinese provocations, including China's use of military force to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, construction of villages in contested areas, publication of maps with Mandarin-language names for cities and features in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and expansion of Beijing's territorial claims in Bhutan.
The actor made an appearance on the Face The Nation show.
The majority Democratic leadership in the United States Senate prevented a key Republican Senator from moving a vote on his amendment that if passed would have cut off all US aid to Pakistan till release of the imprisoned physician who helped the Central Intelligence Agency trace Osama bin Laden.
The United States Senate has passed the landmark comprehensive immigration reform bill that will provide a pathway to citizenship to some 11 million illegal immigrants, including over 240,000 Indians.
Continuing her three-day visit to Brazil, President Pratibha Patil will address the country's Senate and oversee the signing of four bilateral agreements, including an extradition treaty, before leaving for Mexico on the second leg of her three-nation tour. Patil met with a business delegation in Rio de Janeiro, where she discussed ways and means to boost the bilateral trade.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on the fifth day of its deliberations that included 300 amendments to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill -- Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act -- passed it by 13-5 votes.
Trump's victory in his first election since his unusual exit in 2020 has also laid to rest any lingering questions about his hold over the GOP and the potency of his right-wing message.
A US federal judge in Houston has declared illegal a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of Indians, brought to the US as children, but noted that the government can continue to process renewals of its current recipients.
A key American Senator threatened to force a vote on ending United States aid to Pakistan unless a Pakistani doctor, who helped CIA trace Osama bin Laden, is released from prison.
A key Congressional committee has confirmed the nomination of an Indian American counsel to the key post of US District Court judge for Washington, DC.
The Lewiston, Maine Police Department have released a picture of the 'suspect' involved in the shooting.
An anonymous lawmaker in the Senate put a 'hold' on consideration of the Bill in the Senate, which must be lifted before the agreement is brought to its floor or approved by a Unanimous Consent Agreement. It, however, is not clear what provision of the Senate Bill is the lawmaker objecting to.
Andrews had cancelled Haneef's visa 11 days ago, on the day an Australian court granted him bail.
The US Senate confirmed Garcetti's nomination earlier this month, ending a protracted hiatus of over two years to fill the key diplomatic position.
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