SIA Supports the Securing the Talent America Requires for the 21st Century (STAR) Act

by Semiconductor Industry Association

This week, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Securing the Talent America Requires for the 21st Century (STAR) Act, legislation intended to retain top foreign students who earn graduate degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from American universities. 

One of America’s great strengths is that many of the world’s finest students choose to come here to study. For too long, however, the United States has educated the best and brightest scientific minds from around the world, only to see many of them forced to return home after graduating because of outdated immigration policies.

While the U.S. must continue to invest more in our own workers, we must also recognize that we do not have a monopoly on the world’s talented engineers and scientists. In fact, more than half of master’s and almost two-thirds of Ph.D. graduates in electrical and electronic engineering from U.S. universities are foreign born.

The STAR Act marks a major step forward in our effort to recruit and hire highly skilled Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) graduates. By reforming the immigration policy that is causing the U.S. to lose many entrepreneurs and job creators to competitors abroad, Sen. Cornyn’s legislation will help keep America at the forefront of innovation.  

View the full bill text here.