Detroit News - September 5th, 2000

http://detnews.com/2000/politics/0009/05/a01-115624.htm

High-tech firms help Abraham

Companies that would benefit from his bill give to his campaign


By Gebe Martinez / Detroit News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Michigan Sen. Spencer Abraham, a leading sponsor of a bill
to increase the number of immigrant visas for highly skilled workers, has
received $270,000 from companies that obtained a large number of visas
between Oct. 1, 1999, and Feb. 29, 2000, according to a Detroit News study
of campaign finance reports.

Roughly 70 percent of that sum has been donated in this 1999-2000
election cycle as Republican Abraham fights off a challenge from Democratic
Rep. Debbie Stabenow and as Congress debates what is considered a crucial
bill by the high-technology industry.

Overall, the amounts are a small portion of total spending in Michigan's
senate race. Both Senate candidates are raising millions from traditional
party donor bases. Abraham expects to collect about $14 million for this
campaign, while Stabenow is aiming for $6 million.

But the donations, along with a report by the Immigration and
Naturalization Service on the number of visas granted during the first five
months of this fiscal year, offer a look at the level of political activity
by companies likely to benefit from Abraham's pending bill.

"There's no question they are expressing their gratitude," said Larry
Makinson of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. "This is one of
those really unusual cases where the donors are giving him money, not
strictly to lobby him, but also to make sure he's around the next time."
Donor firms got visas

Of the 13,940 so-called H-1B visas granted to firms with more than 60
INS-approved positions during the five months studied, 5,500 went to
companies that contributed to Abraham through June.
Some of the major donors include:

-- Microsoft Corp. and employees, which gave $30,150 since Abraham took
office in 1993; the company received 362 visas.
-- Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and its associates, which
donated $23,500; the firm was granted 272 visas.
-- Accounting firm Deloitte & Touche and employees, contributed $47,200;
it was approved for 205 visas.
-- Contributions related to brokerage Merrill Lynch totaled $24,750; 87
visas were granted to the company.

Metro Detroit companies on Abraham's donor list include computer services
firms Syntel Inc. of Troy, which got 337 visas between last October and
February; Compuware Corp. of Farmington Hills with 179 visas; and MSX
International of Auburn Hills, which was given 68 visas by the INS.
Abraham chairs the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, and also is
co-sponsor with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch on the bill
to raise the annual H-1B cap to 200,000 visas from 115,000.

If a new bill is not passed, the cap will revert to 65,000 visas a year
at the end of 2001, compounding a critical shortage in jobs that industry
leaders say the U.S. labor market cannot fill.

Abraham Campaign Manager Joe McMonigle said the donations from the
high-technology and financial services firms reflect Abraham's work, not
just on H-1B visas, but other high-technology issues including the "digital
signatures" bill recently signed into law that gives electronic signatures
legal standing.

"I don't think a lot of members in the Senate or House really understand
the high-tech economy and the sort of detail and sort of policies that are
involved," McMonigle said. "(Abraham) has carved out a niche and really
understands it all. The industry really appreciates what he stands for."
He said that is why the firms give more to Abraham than Stabenow, even
though she also has sought contributions from the high-technology industry
while holding back her support for the bill.

Stabenow sees shakedown

But the Stabenow campaign had a different view.
"Sen. Abraham promised Michigan six years ago that he would shake up
Washington, when it appears now that all he's done is shake down lobbyists,"
said Robert Gibbs, Stabenow campaign spokesman.

Firms interested in the legislation have demonstrated on numerous
occasions their strong support for Abraham.

"Sen. Abraham has been the Hill leader in many ways on this H-1B issue.
He realizes the future of the U.S. economy depends on this," said Harris
Miller, president of the Information Technology Association of America,
which has lobbied extensively for the Hatch-Abraham bill.

Last spring, the high-technology industry rallied around Abraham after he
became the target of a $1 million -- and growing -- media campaign by the
Federation for American Immigration Reform, an immigration control group,
which opposes a raise in the H-1B visa cap.

The American Business for Legal Immigration coalition, which includes
Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and others, raised money for a $20,000
pro-Abraham spot on two Detroit radio stations.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., also summoned the
high-technology lobbyists to Capitol Hill, urging them to contribute money
to Americans for Job Security, a group that ran ads targeting Stabenow that
cost about $500,000. The response to Lott was limited because of concern
about the nature of the ads, some of the lobbyists said at the time. The
meeting also prompted the filing of a complaint with the Senate Ethics
Committee by a government watchdog group.

Lobbyists increase pressure

But the lobbyists have increased their pressure to have the bill approved
before Congress' Oct. 6 adjournment.

Once considered a mostly bipartisan effort, the bill has become bogged
down in opposition from labor unions that want more U.S. worker training
programs. The White House, Democrats and Hispanics also are demanding other
immigration provisions, including amnesty for immigrants who began residing
in the U.S. before 1986.

"We are undeterred in our determination to make it happen," said John
Czwartacki, Lott's spokesman.

While the high-technology and financial services industries were the
largest recipients of H-1B visas, McMonigle said the program also greatly
benefits Michigan companies, including the auto industry.

The point was underscored in a recent article by Doug Rothwell, president
of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. He offered as an example a worker
from Taiwan who was hired by auto supplier firm TRW Corp. on an H-1B visa to
design a new generation of "smart" air bags. Rothwell said the project will
create 250 U.S. jobs.

In this age of fast and furious campaign fund-raising, the Abraham
campaign also noted that the level of giving by companies interested in this
bill is not unique.

"You could go into any business sector for any candidate and come up with
something like this," McMonigle said.

But Gibbs, of the Stabenow campaign, maintained that the H-1B bill has
generated more than usual campaign activity.

"Typical interest group involvement doesn't wind up on the document of
the Senate Ethics Committee," Gibbs said.

Detroit News Staff Writer April Taylor contributed to this report.