Macaca
12-13 06:23 PM
Intraparty Feuds Dog Democrats, Stall Congress (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119750838630225395.html) By David Rogers | Wall Street Journal, Dec 13, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Democrats took control of Congress last January promising a "new direction." A year later, the image that haunts them most is one symbolizing no direction at all: gridlock.
Unfinished work is piling up -- legislation to aid borrowers affected by the housing mess, rescue millions of middle-class families from a big tax increase and put stricter gas-mileage limits on the auto industry. Two months into the new fiscal year, Democrats are still scrambling just to keep the government open.
President Bush and Republicans are contributing to the impasse, but there's another factor: Intraparty squabbling between House Democrats and Senate Democrats is sometimes almost as fierce as the partisan battling.
A fracas between Democrats this week over a proposed $522 billion spending package is the latest example. The spending would keep the government running through the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, 2008, but it has opened party divisions over funding the Iraq war and lawmakers' home-state projects.
After enjoying an early rise, Congress's approval ratings have fallen since the spring amid the rancor. In the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, just 19% of respondents said they approved of the job Congress is doing, while 68% disapproved.
Democrats are hoping to get a boost by enacting the tougher auto- mileage standards before Christmas, but other matters, such as a farm bill to continue government price supports, are likely to wait for the new year.
Republicans suffered from the same House-Senate tensions in their 12 years of rule in Congress. But the situation is more acute now for Democrats, who must cope with both Mr. Bush's vetoes and the narrowest of margins in the Senate, leaving them vulnerable to Republican filibusters.
Democrats in the House interpret the 2006 elections as a mandate for change. They are more antiwar and more willing to shed old ways -- such as "earmarks" for legislators' pet projects -- to confront the White House. Senate Democrats, by comparison, remain more tied to tradition and institutional rules that demand consensus before taking action.
"The Senate and House are out of phase with one another," says Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. "There was a big change last year, a big change that affected the whole House and one-third of the Senate. That's the fundamental disconnect."
Rather than move to the center after 2006, President Bush has moved right to shore up his conservative base. He has also adopted a confrontational veto strategy calculated to disrupt the new Congress and reduce its effectiveness in challenging him on Iraq.
Just yesterday, the president issued his second veto of Democrat- backed legislation to expand government-provided health insurance for the children of working-class families. In his first six years as president, Mr. Bush issued only one veto. Since Democrats took over Congress, he has issued six vetoes, and threats of more hang over the budget talks now.
For Democrats, teamwork is vital to challenging the president, and it's not always forthcoming. A comment by Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, suggests the distant relationship between the two houses. "We have a constitutional responsibility to send legislation over there," said Rep. Rangel. "Quite frankly I don't give a damn what they feel."
Adds Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee: "I can tell you when bills will move and you can tell me when the Senate will sell us out."
With 2008 an election year overseen by a lame-duck president, it's unlikely that Congress will be able to break out of its slump.
Sometimes the disputes resemble play-acting. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) has quietly invited House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Cal.) to blame the Senate if it suits her purpose to explain the slow pace of legislation, according to a person close to Sen. Reid.
At the same time, he can use her as his foil to fend off Republican demands in the Senate: "I can't control Speaker Pelosi," he said last week in debate on an energy bill. "She is a strong independent woman. She runs the House with an iron hand."
Still, the interchamber differences have real consequences, as seen in the fight over the budget.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd of West Virginia long argued against creating a big package that would combine all the main spending bills. He preferred to confront Mr. Bush with a series of targeted individual bills where he could gain some Republican support and maintain leverage over the president. But Mr. Byrd was undercut by his leadership's failure to allow more time for debate on the Senate floor. After Labor Day, the House began pressing for a single large package.
The $522 billion proposed bill ultimately emerged from weeks of talks that included moderate Republicans. The bill cut $10.6 billion from earlier spending proposals, moving closer to Mr. Bush, while giving him new money he wanted for the State Department as well as a border-security initiative.
No new money was provided specifically for Iraq but the bill gives the Pentagon an additional $31 billion for the war in Afghanistan and body armor for troops in the field. The goal was to provide enough money for Army accounts so its funding would be adequate into April, when a fuller debate could be held on the U.S.'s plans in Iraq.
For Senate Democrats and Mr. Byrd, the effort was a gamble that a moderate center could be found to stand up to Mr. Bush. The more combative Mr. Obey, the House appropriations chairman, was never persuaded this could happen.
After the White House announced its opposition over the weekend, Mr. Obey said Monday that the budget proposal was dead unless changes were made. The effect was to divide Democrats again, instead of putting up a united front against the White House's resistance.
Mr. Obey suggested that lawmakers should be willing to strip out home-state projects, acceding to Mr. Bush's tight line on spending, if that's what it took to make a tough stand on Iraq.
"I am perfectly willing to lose every dollar on the domestic side of the ledger in order to avoid giving them money for the war without conditions," Mr. Obey said. His suggestion met strong resistance from Senate Democrats. At a party luncheon, senators were almost comic in their anger, said one colleague who was present, loudly complaining of being reduced to being "puppets" or "slaves."
On the Senate floor yesterday, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said Democrats were showing signs of "attention deficit disorder." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, accused the new majority of being more interested in "finger pointing" and "headlines" than legislation. "It won't get bills signed into law," he said.
While Ms. Pelosi had personally supported Mr. Obey's approach, she instructed the House committee to preserve the projects as it began a second round of spending reductions yesterday, cutting an additional $6.9 billion from the $522 billion package.
The Senate committee's Democratic staff joined in the discussions by evening, but the White House denied reports that a deal had been reached at a spending ceiling above the president's initial request.
If agreement is not reached by the end of next week, lawmakers may have to resort again to a yearlong funding resolution that effectively freezes most agencies at their current levels. This would be a repeat of the collapse of the budget process last year under Republican rule -- not the "new direction" Democrats had hoped for.
Tied in Knots
The House and Senate are struggling to complete several matters before they head home this month.
Appropriations: Only the Pentagon budget is in place for the new fiscal year that began Oct. 1. The House and Senate are struggling to finish a bill covering the rest of the government.
Farm bill: The Senate still hopes to complete its version of a farm bill but negotiations with the House will wait until next year.
AMT relief: The House and Senate have passed legislation limiting the alternative minimum tax's hit on millions of middle-class taxpayers. But they differ about whether to offset the lost revenue.
Medicare: Doctors are set to see a cut in Medicare payments in 2008, which lawmakers want to prevent. The House acted, but Senate hasn't yet.
Housing: Several bills addressing the housing crisis have passed the House but are languishing in the Senate.
WASHINGTON -- Democrats took control of Congress last January promising a "new direction." A year later, the image that haunts them most is one symbolizing no direction at all: gridlock.
Unfinished work is piling up -- legislation to aid borrowers affected by the housing mess, rescue millions of middle-class families from a big tax increase and put stricter gas-mileage limits on the auto industry. Two months into the new fiscal year, Democrats are still scrambling just to keep the government open.
President Bush and Republicans are contributing to the impasse, but there's another factor: Intraparty squabbling between House Democrats and Senate Democrats is sometimes almost as fierce as the partisan battling.
A fracas between Democrats this week over a proposed $522 billion spending package is the latest example. The spending would keep the government running through the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, 2008, but it has opened party divisions over funding the Iraq war and lawmakers' home-state projects.
After enjoying an early rise, Congress's approval ratings have fallen since the spring amid the rancor. In the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, just 19% of respondents said they approved of the job Congress is doing, while 68% disapproved.
Democrats are hoping to get a boost by enacting the tougher auto- mileage standards before Christmas, but other matters, such as a farm bill to continue government price supports, are likely to wait for the new year.
Republicans suffered from the same House-Senate tensions in their 12 years of rule in Congress. But the situation is more acute now for Democrats, who must cope with both Mr. Bush's vetoes and the narrowest of margins in the Senate, leaving them vulnerable to Republican filibusters.
Democrats in the House interpret the 2006 elections as a mandate for change. They are more antiwar and more willing to shed old ways -- such as "earmarks" for legislators' pet projects -- to confront the White House. Senate Democrats, by comparison, remain more tied to tradition and institutional rules that demand consensus before taking action.
"The Senate and House are out of phase with one another," says Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. "There was a big change last year, a big change that affected the whole House and one-third of the Senate. That's the fundamental disconnect."
Rather than move to the center after 2006, President Bush has moved right to shore up his conservative base. He has also adopted a confrontational veto strategy calculated to disrupt the new Congress and reduce its effectiveness in challenging him on Iraq.
Just yesterday, the president issued his second veto of Democrat- backed legislation to expand government-provided health insurance for the children of working-class families. In his first six years as president, Mr. Bush issued only one veto. Since Democrats took over Congress, he has issued six vetoes, and threats of more hang over the budget talks now.
For Democrats, teamwork is vital to challenging the president, and it's not always forthcoming. A comment by Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, suggests the distant relationship between the two houses. "We have a constitutional responsibility to send legislation over there," said Rep. Rangel. "Quite frankly I don't give a damn what they feel."
Adds Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee: "I can tell you when bills will move and you can tell me when the Senate will sell us out."
With 2008 an election year overseen by a lame-duck president, it's unlikely that Congress will be able to break out of its slump.
Sometimes the disputes resemble play-acting. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) has quietly invited House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Cal.) to blame the Senate if it suits her purpose to explain the slow pace of legislation, according to a person close to Sen. Reid.
At the same time, he can use her as his foil to fend off Republican demands in the Senate: "I can't control Speaker Pelosi," he said last week in debate on an energy bill. "She is a strong independent woman. She runs the House with an iron hand."
Still, the interchamber differences have real consequences, as seen in the fight over the budget.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd of West Virginia long argued against creating a big package that would combine all the main spending bills. He preferred to confront Mr. Bush with a series of targeted individual bills where he could gain some Republican support and maintain leverage over the president. But Mr. Byrd was undercut by his leadership's failure to allow more time for debate on the Senate floor. After Labor Day, the House began pressing for a single large package.
The $522 billion proposed bill ultimately emerged from weeks of talks that included moderate Republicans. The bill cut $10.6 billion from earlier spending proposals, moving closer to Mr. Bush, while giving him new money he wanted for the State Department as well as a border-security initiative.
No new money was provided specifically for Iraq but the bill gives the Pentagon an additional $31 billion for the war in Afghanistan and body armor for troops in the field. The goal was to provide enough money for Army accounts so its funding would be adequate into April, when a fuller debate could be held on the U.S.'s plans in Iraq.
For Senate Democrats and Mr. Byrd, the effort was a gamble that a moderate center could be found to stand up to Mr. Bush. The more combative Mr. Obey, the House appropriations chairman, was never persuaded this could happen.
After the White House announced its opposition over the weekend, Mr. Obey said Monday that the budget proposal was dead unless changes were made. The effect was to divide Democrats again, instead of putting up a united front against the White House's resistance.
Mr. Obey suggested that lawmakers should be willing to strip out home-state projects, acceding to Mr. Bush's tight line on spending, if that's what it took to make a tough stand on Iraq.
"I am perfectly willing to lose every dollar on the domestic side of the ledger in order to avoid giving them money for the war without conditions," Mr. Obey said. His suggestion met strong resistance from Senate Democrats. At a party luncheon, senators were almost comic in their anger, said one colleague who was present, loudly complaining of being reduced to being "puppets" or "slaves."
On the Senate floor yesterday, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said Democrats were showing signs of "attention deficit disorder." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, accused the new majority of being more interested in "finger pointing" and "headlines" than legislation. "It won't get bills signed into law," he said.
While Ms. Pelosi had personally supported Mr. Obey's approach, she instructed the House committee to preserve the projects as it began a second round of spending reductions yesterday, cutting an additional $6.9 billion from the $522 billion package.
The Senate committee's Democratic staff joined in the discussions by evening, but the White House denied reports that a deal had been reached at a spending ceiling above the president's initial request.
If agreement is not reached by the end of next week, lawmakers may have to resort again to a yearlong funding resolution that effectively freezes most agencies at their current levels. This would be a repeat of the collapse of the budget process last year under Republican rule -- not the "new direction" Democrats had hoped for.
Tied in Knots
The House and Senate are struggling to complete several matters before they head home this month.
Appropriations: Only the Pentagon budget is in place for the new fiscal year that began Oct. 1. The House and Senate are struggling to finish a bill covering the rest of the government.
Farm bill: The Senate still hopes to complete its version of a farm bill but negotiations with the House will wait until next year.
AMT relief: The House and Senate have passed legislation limiting the alternative minimum tax's hit on millions of middle-class taxpayers. But they differ about whether to offset the lost revenue.
Medicare: Doctors are set to see a cut in Medicare payments in 2008, which lawmakers want to prevent. The House acted, but Senate hasn't yet.
Housing: Several bills addressing the housing crisis have passed the House but are languishing in the Senate.
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jbr
02-23 12:10 AM
Hi,
I apologize if I am asking a repeat question.
I received my green card a few months ago but my family haven't received their's yet. As a result they are still using EAD and/or Advance Parole documents. I am considering a job change and in that context I have two questions:
1. Are there any gotchas that I should be aware of - given that my family's cases haven't been approved yet.
2. If I do change jobs, can I apply for EAD and Advance Parole documents for my family on my own? Meaning, without going through the employer.
Thanks for your time.
I apologize if I am asking a repeat question.
I received my green card a few months ago but my family haven't received their's yet. As a result they are still using EAD and/or Advance Parole documents. I am considering a job change and in that context I have two questions:
1. Are there any gotchas that I should be aware of - given that my family's cases haven't been approved yet.
2. If I do change jobs, can I apply for EAD and Advance Parole documents for my family on my own? Meaning, without going through the employer.
Thanks for your time.
gc_kaavaali
12-19 07:15 PM
Applying for SSN doesn't invalidates your H1..
HI
if we apply ssn on ead istead of h1 will H1 get cancelled.please suggest me.
HI
if we apply ssn on ead istead of h1 will H1 get cancelled.please suggest me.
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wandmaker
01-02 02:38 PM
My AP approvals are lost in mail, my employer mailed them in ordinary mail during holiday season (12/11/07). What can I do next? Go thru attorney for duplicates? Please advice.
USCIS will not issue duplicates for AP, you will have to re-apply with a fee.
USCIS will not issue duplicates for AP, you will have to re-apply with a fee.
more...
Blog Feeds
11-03 08:30 AM
Obviously, the prospects for major immigration reform legislation are being dealt a blow this evening. But it looks like the lord of the anti-immigrants - Tom Tancredo - is going down to defeat in the Colorado governor's race. Marco Rubio seemed to push an Arizona-like law for Florida in the election campaign, but his speech this evening was all about the immigrant dream. Perhaps he'll follow in Mel Martinez's footsteps and lead in re-establishing a pro-immigration Republican caucus. Exit polls are showing that immigration was NOT driving most voters decisions. And it's a little early to call it, but it...
More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2010/11/election-holds-silver-linings-for-pro-immigrants.html)
More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2010/11/election-holds-silver-linings-for-pro-immigrants.html)
ekaurgcf
06-01 08:42 PM
Hi Attorneys,
If someone could give me your inputs/replies please.
Thanks.
If someone could give me your inputs/replies please.
Thanks.
more...
CMan
12-03 08:40 PM
I'm in the process of a COS and was denied an R1 petition. Here's my case, and it would greatly help me if someone could assist me in determining whether my countdown of unlawful presence and unlawful status has begun.
Aug 15, 2004 Arrived on a F1
Jul 21, 2009 F1 expired
Aug 20, 2009 Filed for R1
Aug 24, 2009 OPT expired
Nov 18, 2009 R1 status denied
Dec 18, 2009 Appeal of Decision
After the expiry of my OPT i still continued to work whilst my R1 petition was in process. Does this violate my status automatically, or does it begin when it is determined by the USCIS? If it does, does my 180 days countdown to unlawful presence begin from Aug 24, 2009, or from the denial of my R1 petition? IF i appeal the decision will that nullify the days counted against me if any? And as i await the appeal decision, which apparently take 5 months, what would be my lawful/unlawful status/presence?
Thanks for you help.
Aug 15, 2004 Arrived on a F1
Jul 21, 2009 F1 expired
Aug 20, 2009 Filed for R1
Aug 24, 2009 OPT expired
Nov 18, 2009 R1 status denied
Dec 18, 2009 Appeal of Decision
After the expiry of my OPT i still continued to work whilst my R1 petition was in process. Does this violate my status automatically, or does it begin when it is determined by the USCIS? If it does, does my 180 days countdown to unlawful presence begin from Aug 24, 2009, or from the denial of my R1 petition? IF i appeal the decision will that nullify the days counted against me if any? And as i await the appeal decision, which apparently take 5 months, what would be my lawful/unlawful status/presence?
Thanks for you help.
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snathan
05-14 03:53 PM
Dear All,
my current stamping expires in May 2009 and i am Planning to go for H1B stamping in india(Chennai).
any recent H1B Stamping experiances in chennai consulate in india?
Thanks
Sunny.
One of my friend went there for stamping couple of days back. No issues. Asked only the W2 and he got the stamping.
my current stamping expires in May 2009 and i am Planning to go for H1B stamping in india(Chennai).
any recent H1B Stamping experiances in chennai consulate in india?
Thanks
Sunny.
One of my friend went there for stamping couple of days back. No issues. Asked only the W2 and he got the stamping.
more...
drirshad
04-07 12:30 PM
no news yet, i m kinda breaking ........
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mayurcreation
08-27 02:06 PM
Dear Attorney,
My I140 got approve from A company when I was working in company B.( I applied for I140 from company A and left the company after 5 months due to some reason). My approved I140 is still valid as I went to USCIS website and check the case status using EAC number.
This is my 5yr on H1 visa.
My question is:
- Can I transfer my H1 to company C using A company I140 EAC number and get 3 yrs of extention? ( I only have EAC number of approved I140. A company have refused to give me copy of approved I140 as I left the company.).
Thanks!
My I140 got approve from A company when I was working in company B.( I applied for I140 from company A and left the company after 5 months due to some reason). My approved I140 is still valid as I went to USCIS website and check the case status using EAC number.
This is my 5yr on H1 visa.
My question is:
- Can I transfer my H1 to company C using A company I140 EAC number and get 3 yrs of extention? ( I only have EAC number of approved I140. A company have refused to give me copy of approved I140 as I left the company.).
Thanks!
more...
GayatriS
06-22 04:58 PM
Yes, I read this article and wanted to read more so I searched for the study this refered to. Here is a link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=991327
I think everyone must read this study.
Gayatri
I think everyone must read this study.
Gayatri
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ektha123
12-19 06:50 PM
HI
if we apply ssn on ead istead of h1 will H1 get cancelled.please suggest me.
if we apply ssn on ead istead of h1 will H1 get cancelled.please suggest me.
more...
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eb3_nepa
02-27 01:28 PM
I had emailed the Murthy team on Friday. Today Mr Vasant Nayak from Murthy.com emailed me back with concerns since i had emailed him from yahoo and my name was not in the list of volunteers. I have given him Admin and Walden Pond's names and have emailed both Admin and Walden Pond to touch base with him.
Murthy is a BIG source of traffic. He did say Murthy wud have to look a lot into us to put a link on their website. I request someone from the Board to pls get in touch with Mr Vasant Nayak. If you need his email pls send me a private message (as i dont want him getting spammed) ;)
Murthy is a BIG source of traffic. He did say Murthy wud have to look a lot into us to put a link on their website. I request someone from the Board to pls get in touch with Mr Vasant Nayak. If you need his email pls send me a private message (as i dont want him getting spammed) ;)
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MYGC2008
02-22 02:46 PM
Hello,
Please let me know if anybody is travelling from BLR(Bangalore) to BOS (Boston) by British Airways on Mar 1 2011.
Because my mother-in-law is visiting US and she is travelling alone. If some travel companion is there it will be helpful as she does't speak english.
Thanks in advance.
Please let me know if anybody is travelling from BLR(Bangalore) to BOS (Boston) by British Airways on Mar 1 2011.
Because my mother-in-law is visiting US and she is travelling alone. If some travel companion is there it will be helpful as she does't speak english.
Thanks in advance.
more...
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ansari
10-29 09:50 PM
Hello,
If one gets stuck with H1b revalidation, and then gets approved after 6 months. Is there any issues when coming back to the US at the POE entry?
Please let me know.
S
If one gets stuck with H1b revalidation, and then gets approved after 6 months. Is there any issues when coming back to the US at the POE entry?
Please let me know.
S
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ilikekilo
05-18 01:12 PM
i believe so, however
this " The new I-94 would have the same date of departure as was in the previous I -94 " i dont know
this " The new I-94 would have the same date of departure as was in the previous I -94 " i dont know
more...
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webm
03-11 01:37 PM
You have to return both I-94's while ticketing ie before exiting and while entering at POE IO will give you new I-94 based on AP as Paroled AOS pending..
Ofcourse keep your copy of I-94 from your H1 Extension I-797 approval notice.
HTH,
webm
Ofcourse keep your copy of I-94 from your H1 Extension I-797 approval notice.
HTH,
webm
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krish01
09-24 02:28 PM
Hi ,
Trying to get my green card (11 Years in the waiting) .
My I-140 was denied / and we have applied for Motion to Reopen . in the meantime, i have my AP approved this 2011. can i switch employer.
Thanks
Krishnan
Trying to get my green card (11 Years in the waiting) .
My I-140 was denied / and we have applied for Motion to Reopen . in the meantime, i have my AP approved this 2011. can i switch employer.
Thanks
Krishnan
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ramaonline
02-11 06:15 PM
You may be able to stay without a job as long as the future job offer is still open and the gc sponsoring employer has an intent to hire you after the 485 is approved. Please confirm with your immig attny
stonebrook2008
06-25 11:49 AM
hi,
My company allows me to DIY my h1b renewal for my 2nd 3-year term of H1b. My title changed to SENIOR research engineer from research engineer last year. I have the same duty. When I fill out LCA/I129, which should I choose from:
a. New employment:
b. Continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer
c. Change in previously approved employment
d. New concurrent employment
e. Change in employer
f. Amended petition
My wage is ok. Are there any potential problems or things I need to pay attention if I file my H1b extension with new title? or it is perfectly ok?
Thanks a lot for your attention
My company allows me to DIY my h1b renewal for my 2nd 3-year term of H1b. My title changed to SENIOR research engineer from research engineer last year. I have the same duty. When I fill out LCA/I129, which should I choose from:
a. New employment:
b. Continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer
c. Change in previously approved employment
d. New concurrent employment
e. Change in employer
f. Amended petition
My wage is ok. Are there any potential problems or things I need to pay attention if I file my H1b extension with new title? or it is perfectly ok?
Thanks a lot for your attention
kk_kk
08-06 01:07 PM
AFAIK, yes that is true.
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