Following Their Strong Advocacy Efforts, Reps. Krishnamoorthi, Manning, and Ross Applaud Employment-Based Green Card Backlog Relief in Build Back Better Act, and Call on House and Senate to Finish the Job

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, following their strong advocacy efforts, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Deborah Ross (D-NC) applauded the House Judiciary Committee's passage of its portion of the Build Back Better Act, which would provide significant relief to the more than 1.2 million individuals stuck in the employment-based green card backlog, most of whom are from India and Asia. The legislation must now pass the full House of Representatives and the Senate before it can be signed into law by President Biden. The Representatives call on their colleagues in both chambers to take all necessary steps to ensure that timely access to green cards for high-skilled workers is a part of the final Build Back Better Act.

"I am greatly encouraged that the House Judiciary Committee included much-needed relief for the 1.2 million people stuck in the employment-based green card backlog in its portion of the Build Back Better Act," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "For too long, we have allowed high-skilled workers to languish in the backlog, unable to fully establish themselves as Americans and contribute to our long-term economic prosperity. However, much work remains to be done before these provisions are signed into law. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to do everything in their power to ensure that backlog relief is given due consideration for inclusion in the bill ultimately sent to the President's desk."

"Earlier this month, I wrote to USCIS Director Jaddou urging her to do everything possible to prevent unused green cards from expiring and going to waste," said Representative Manning. "I am pleased to see the House Judiciary Committee has taken action to solve this problem by including critical reform to the employment-based green card backlog in the Build Back Better Act. I thank Congressman Krishnamoorthi for his leadership of this important reform, and I urge the House and Senate to include much-needed backlog relief in the final version of this bill."

"More than 1.2 million highly skilled immigrants are stuck in the employment-based green card backlog, hindering our economic success and our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. I was proud to join the House Judiciary Committee in addressing this crisis in the Build Back Better Act, which provides critical relief to immigrants waiting in the backlog," said Representative Ross. "Ensuring that high-skilled workers can contribute to our economy and spur growth and innovation for decades to come is crucial to America's future. I urge my colleagues in both the House and Senate to support this legislation to end the backlog."

The legislation passed by the House Judiciary Committee would recapture family-sponsored and employment-based green cards unused since 1992, allow individuals with approved immigrant petitions to file for adjustment of status early upon payment of a fee, and exempt family-sponsored and employment-based applicants from numerical limits on visas for an additional fee.

Representative Krishnamoorthi has long been a champion of reforming the immigration system for high-skilled immigrants. He is an original cosponsor of the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act (H.R. 3648) and, along with Representatives Manning and Ross, recently led 40 Members of Congress in sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the importance of addressing the employment-based green card backlog in the Build Back Better Act.