Senator Rick Scott is drawing a clear line in the sand for American workers, declaring that their shot at the American Dream will no longer be "raffled off overseas" to prioritize foreign labor. The Florida Republican has unveiled bold legislation aimed squarely at companies that exploit loopholes to bypass qualified U.S. citizens in the job market.
At the heart of the problem is the "PERM" – the Program Electronic Review Management certification form. This is the document companies submit to the Department of Labor, claiming there are no "able, willing, qualified and available" Americans for a job, thus clearing the path to hire non-citizens. It’s the critical first step for many employment-based green card applications.
Despite federal law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act, requiring employers to advertise these positions in local newspapers to alert U.S. citizens, a blatant loophole exists. Some businesses deliberately place these crucial job ads in obscure, low-circulation papers, effectively ensuring American applicants won't see them. It's a calculated maneuver that undermines the spirit of the law and directly disadvantages our own citizens.
Senator Scott’s newly introduced "American Hiring Transparency Act" aims to put a stop to this systemic abuse. The bill would levy a hefty $10,000 fee on businesses filing a PERM claim to sponsor a foreign worker for a green card. Half of this much-needed revenue would be funneled into a new "PERM Fee Account," with the remainder bolstering the U.S. Treasury’s general fund.
These dedicated funds in the PERM Fee Account would be strategically deployed to support the PERM process itself, enhance vital labor market testing tools – much like USAJOBS.gov – and modernize systems designed to ensure Americans genuinely get a fair and honest shot at competing for these jobs. It's about investing in American workers, not facilitating their replacement.
As Senator Scott powerfully stated to Breitbart News in an exclusive statement, "American workers deserve a fair shot at the American Dream. Instead, many have been forced to watch jobs they are qualified for get raffled off overseas to someone willing to accept a substandard wage – all with the U.S. government’s blessing."
The Florida senator left no room for ambiguity: "That’s not acceptable. A good job is the cornerstone of the American dream, and federal policies should always put American workers first. That’s why I’m introducing this bill."
This legislation represents a vital step towards restoring common sense and accountability in our labor market. It’s a clear affirmation that federal policy must actively defend and prioritize American citizens and their right to opportunity, ensuring that the promise of the American Dream is preserved for those who built this nation.
