FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
Kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2023 - Yesterday, Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) introduced the Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023, which would exempt from the annual green card cap international graduates of U.S. colleges and universities who earn STEM advanced degrees and receive an employment offer for a job that pays above the median wage for the occupation and area from an employer that completes a labor market test. Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement on the introduction of the bipartisan Keep STEM Talent Act:

“I applaud Senators Durbin and Rounds for introducing the Keep STEM Talent Act. This bipartisan legislation would enable talented graduates from U.S. colleges and universities, including members of DPE unions, to continue contributing to the American economy while ensuring that they can earn a fair return on their work. Specifically, the Keep STEM Talent Act offers graduates with in-demand skills a direct path to permanence, rather than forcing them to accept precarious, temporary visas. This approach reinforces the professionalism of the STEM workforce and affords individuals agency in the labor market.

DPE is proud to support the Keep STEM Talent Act’s high-road approach to attracting and retaining international talent. I urge the Senate to pass this important legislation.”

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.