H-1B visa elimination Bill introduced in US Congress to end programme

A Bill to eliminate the H-1B visa was introduced by Marjorie Taylor Greene on the day she resigned from Congress

A Bill that would “eliminate the H-1B program”, which allows US companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, was among Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s final two pieces of proposed legislation, newly released Congressional records show.

 

The Bill, formally titled “To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B program, and for other purposes”, seeks changes to federal immigration law that would shut the visa route entirely.

 

What makes the timing unusual is that Greene introduced the Bill on the same day she stepped down from Congress. She resigned after five years in office, citing ongoing disagreements with President Donald Trump and Republican leadership. Her departure has triggered a special election in Georgia.

 

 

How the H-1B visa works

 

The H-1B visa allows US employers to sponsor foreign professionals for roles that require specialised skills, most commonly in technology, engineering and science.

 

Each year, the US government issues:

• 65,000 regular H-1B visas

• 20,000 additional visas for workers with advanced degrees from US universities

 

Demand regularly exceeds the annual cap, leading to a lottery system. Indian nationals account for a large share of successful applicants. 

 

Trump’s recent move on H-1B fees

 

In September, President Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on applications for new H-1B visas as part of a broader push to tighten immigration rules.

 

Status of the Bill

 

According to official Congressional records, the Bill has not yet been sent to three key House committees:

• Energy and Commerce Committee

• Judiciary Committee

• Ways and Means Committee

 

This referral process is the first step in the lawmaking procedure.

 

No hearings have been scheduled so far, and no votes have taken place. The proposal has only been formally introduced, placing it at an early stage of the legislative process.