House expected to vote on STEM visa bill next week

The House will likely vote next week on a bill that would increase the number of green cards available to people with advanced degrees in science, math and technology.

The House Rules Committee is set to look at H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act, which would allow the spouses and children of legal residents to come to the United States while they wait for their green cards. 

The bill would also allow unused STEM green cards made available in fiscal years 2013 through 2016 to be utilized in future years. In total, 55,000 visas would be made available under the measure.

The STEM Act gives green cards to foreign-born graduates with advanced science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees from U.S. universities.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced the bill last month and the House voted on the measure, but it failed to get the necessary two-thirds approval under a suspension vote. The House will likely use regular order rules this time, which means a simple majority would be needed to pass the bill.

The House will return from Thanksgiving break Monday to work during the lame-duck session.

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