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Senate Passes Energy Bill (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/21/AR2007062101026.html?hpid=topnews) Democrats Prevail; Mileage Standard Would Be Raised By Sholnn Freeman (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/sholnn+freeman/) Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, June 22, 2007

The Senate passed a sweeping energy legislation package last night that would mandate the first substantial change in the nation's vehicle fuel-efficiency law since 1975 despite opposition from auto companies and their Senate supporters.

After three days of intense debate and complex maneuvering, Democratic leaders won passage of the bill shortly before midnight by a 65 to 27 vote.

The package, which still must pass the House, would also require that the use of biofuels climb to 36 billion gallons by 2022, would set penalties for gasoline price-gouging and would give the government new powers to investigate oil companies' pricing. It would provide federal grants and loan guarantees to promote research into fuel-efficient vehicles and would support test projects to capture carbon dioxide from coal-burning power plants to be stored underground.

Democratic leaders said they hoped the legislation will be a rallying point for voters concerned about national security, climate change and near-record gasoline prices.

"This bill starts America on a path toward reducing our reliance on oil by increasing the nation's use of renewable fuels and for the first time in decades significantly improving the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks," said Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), the majority leader.

Final passage of the bill capped an otherwise rancorous week in which senators grappled over energy policy. Early yesterday, Democrats accused Republicans of obstruction after a $32 billion package of energy tax cuts was blocked on a procedural vote. But late in the day, a bipartisan group of senators came together to break an impasse on vehicle fuel-efficiency standards that would require cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicle to achieve 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

Earlier in the week, the Senate rejected additions to the bill that would have pumped billions of federal dollars into efforts to ramp up production of a coal-based fuel for cars and trucks, which proponents had called an important alternative to petroleum. Additionally, Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.) failed to win approval for a proposal to allow exploration for natural gas off the Virginia coast, and Republicans blocked an effort to require that more of the nation's electricity come for renewable sources.

The passage of fuel-efficiency measure was viewed as a major triumph for the Democrats, particularly the last-minute dealmaking that enabled passage of the comprehensive change to mileage standards.

The politics of fuel economy had gone virtually unchanged since Congress passed the first nationwide standards -- known as corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE -- in 1975. The last time the full Senate tried to boost fuel-economy standards was in 2002, and the effort was defeated handily.

The auto industry successfully argued that large increases in efficiency standards would force them to build smaller vehicles -- the kind American consumers won't buy. In recent years, however, low mileage standards left U.S. automakers with little market defense against higher-mileage Japanese cars, particularly at times when gas prices soar. As consumers have moved gradually from SUVs and pickup trucks to smaller vehicles, Detroit's Big Three automakers have gone through a painful restructuring period.

The United States, with current efficiency standards of 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 22.2 per gallon for SUVs and small trucks, has lagged behind the rest of the developed world. In the European Union, automakers have agreed to voluntary increases in fuel-economy standards that next year will lift the average to 44.2 miles per gallon, according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. In Japan, average vehicle fuel economy tops 45 miles per gallon. China's level is in the mid-30s and projected to rise, propelled by government policy.

The fuel-efficiency language in the Senate energy package originally had coupled a 35 mile-per-gallon standard with a requirement of 4 percent annual increases for the decade after 2020. A group led by the two Michigan senators -- Democrats Carl M. Levin and Debbie Stabenow -- and Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) had sought instead to gain support for an amendment that would impose less-stringent standards while satisfying growing demands for change in the fuel-efficiency laws.

In the compromise-- shepherded principally by Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) -- lawmakers dropped a provision that would have mandated additional 4 percent annual increases in fuel efficiency between 2021 and 2030. They also softened a provision that would have required all automakers to build substantially more vehicles that can run on ethanol and other biofuels.

After the fuel-economy vote, Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), another architect of the compromise, said the nation's desire to be less dependent on foreign oil would be a "hopeless journey" without more efficient cars and trucks.

"Now, in our vehicles, we have better cup-holders, we have keyless entry, we have better music systems, we have heated seats," Dorgan said. "It is time that we expect more automobile efficiency."

Senators who had previously been friendly to the auto industry said they were changing their position after growing weary of the industry's position. "I listened and I listened, year after year," Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) said on the Senate floor. "And now, after 20 years, I firmly do believe it is time for a change."

In the end, Senate aides said, Levin's group did not have the votes.

Democratic leaders said the bipartisan backing of the compromise worked out in the Senate would help build support in the House when that chamber House begins debate on its energy package. Already, Rep. John D. Dingell, (D-Mich.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have battled over fuel economy.

In another Senate battle yesterday, Democrats lost a fight against oil companies when Republicans blocked a $32 billion tax package that would have poured money into alternative fuel projects by raising taxes on oil and gas companies.

President Bush, meanwhile, visited the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in Athens, Ala., where he touted nuclear power as a clean, dependable and safe source of electricity and promised to streamline the federal regulatory process to ease the way for the construction of new plants.

"Nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gases," Bush said. "If you're interested in cleaning up the air you ought to be for nuclear power."

Staff writer Michael A. Fletcher in Athens, Ala., contributed to this report.

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I can't help but notice that about 1/4 of recently processed audit cases were denied. As it goes now, I'll have to wait about another 6 month for a 75% chance to pass. Well for where the economy is headed right now it all probably won't matter anymore in 6 months.

Please let me know if anybody has received an Adv Parole approval from NSC...I am plannng to travel in November and I dont have a visa stamp on my passport...Please let me know

Dr. Mirza Tihir is a true angel to the refugees he serves in his town of Syracuse, New York. And he certainly can relate to their story as he too is a refugee. Dr. Tihic lost more than 60 relatives to the "ethnic cleansing" in Serbia in the 1990s including his grandfather. He is now program manager of entreprenuerial practice at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. His job now involves creating programs focused on helping refugees get the skills they need to find jobs and succeed in their new country. Recently, he joined with friends to start...

More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2009/12/immigrant-of-the-day-mirza-tihir-enabler.html)

Listen to this: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5564537

Two women who have been longtime employees in a Pittsburgh federal building, as cafeteria workers, are back on the job. They had been fired and told they failed to pass their national security background check.

In the middle you will hear:
Someone "misread" the social security number

This is not related to GC, but gives a glimpse of the quality of security background check. May be compared to FBI name check.

hi

looks like another one yday http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?p=1719190#post1719190

oops....messed it up....can some one move this thread to Non Immigrant - H1 visa section?

I have few more issues that I want to discuss related to PIMS ...

F1 - Immigration Wiki (http://immigrationvoice.org/wiki/index.php/F1)

Talk to your guidance counselor, they will be in a better position to provide you with advice.

My I-140 & I-485 applications had been transferred to VSC for receipting and later my I-485 was transferred back to TSC. But my I-40 has been pending at VSC for close to 6 months with no signs of any processing. VSC seems to be still processing Apr 06 applications while TSC has been processing I-140 under 6 months. Realistically my application should have stayed at TSC, but was transferred to VSC due to receipting delays and balance the workload. But now my application is stuck at VSC. For no fault of mine, my applications ended up in VSC. There is no signs of PP starting anytime soon. Can I lodge a complain to ombudsman in this regard? Will they be able to help me? Who do I contact and where can I find all the information to lodge a complaint?

I sent my EAD application on 10/24(Wednesday), reached NSC on 10/26(Friday), Notice date 10/29(Monday), Check cashed 10/30(Tuesday)..Already got I-485 receipts back in August.

So they are Current now.... But what about those July/Aug filers who are still waiting for their receipts? Very unfair to them. I could wait for 2 months to get my EAD receipt if they could first receipt all july august filers...

They are really unpredictable..

Over more than the last 30 years, I�ve advised countless foreign businesses and investors seeking to establish operations in the United States. Many thrived, but some, regrettably, failed to survive. Often, the founders� inattentiveness to the requirements of U.S. immigration law has been a primary cause of rough beginnings or failures to launch. This blog post will offer best immigration practices and identify traps to avoid when a foreign firm or individual plans to start a business in America. 1. Respect the Law � It�s Not a Game. The U.S. is no doubt the world leader when it comes to...

More... (http://blogs.ilw.com/angelopaparelli/2011/01/the-9-best-immigration-practices-for-us-inbound-businesses-entrepreneurs-and-investors.html)

My friend and his wife re-entered US on AP a couple of weeks ago....They were paroled into US till Apr 2009. Their APs are valid till Oct 2008. Now his wife needs to go back to her home country immediately for a while (not sure how long due to family emergency).... If she doesn't plan to return before her current AP expires, what are her options to re-enter. My friend is still on H1 status valid till 2010, no H1/H4 visa stamps.....If she intends to stay home longer, can she re-enter US on a H4 visa after getting it stamped...If she plans to return before her current AP expires, say in Sep 2008, is it safe to use AP because she will be out of the country for 5 months if she leaves now and we are not sure if someone can stay out of US for that long and re-enter on AP.....Any suggestions...His PD is April 2004 EB-3 India

I've received very good advice from IV members and hope to get this one sorted out here. My in-laws passed away within the last 2 years and wife's younger sister is stressed out. To cheer up we plan to bring her to US for 2 months. Her visa may get rejected for these reasons. No strong family ties in India since the parents passed away. She is an engineer (non-IT) but not employed and she is unmarried and no other siblings in India.

However she is a partner is her father's business and can show the documents as a proof.

What's the best way to get apply for visitor visa

1. I sponsor her visit, by sending bank statements, pay slips and employment letters etc.

2. She applies on her own and show her partnership documents, bank statements etc..

3. She goes through a travel agent like SOTC and book 10 day sightseeing trip and after which she could join us.

Obviously her sister being in US and no parents back home is a big red flag but we can't change that situation.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

If you new H1 is approved with new employer (for 1 year or 3 years) and if the 140 is revoked AFTER your new H1 is approved, then it wont affect your H1 and it will be valid thru its term.

But if your old 140 is revoked, you will have to get new labor and new 140 going on before your new H1 expires.

talk to a lawyer to make sure though.

jaytubati - I have teh same situation, I already got my EAD card and I-130 approved documents. But today I got duplicate receipts for both I-765 and I-130 with rfe for photograpgh

Can you please shre your experience, what action did you took and what was the otcome? Any suggestions? thanks in advance

Hi Belmontboy,

If you would like to get involved with supporting IV's fund raising, please consider joining Team IV. We have reached a potential fundraising goal of $9,500 in just 3 weeks.

Please see discussion thread on main page for details on Team IV.

Thanks,
NolaIndian
Team IV Captain

That should be fine.

Gurus,
I have a question regarding the H1 / H4 status of my spouse.

My spouse entered US in 2006 on H4 visa (valid till 2008 ). In 2007 she applied for H1B and the I 797 start date is October 2007. She did not apply for any status adjustment (from H4 to H1). She did apply for SSN using the EAD and presently not working.

I just wanted to know, what is her visa status now. Is it H4 or H1?

Thanks