The H-1B Brotherhood

John Kerry and John Edwards, the Democrat's new ticket, seem to agree on H-1B visa policy; it's just hard to figure out what they agree on.During the Internet boom when employers went begging for IT talent, both senators voted to increase the number of foreign nationals allowed to enter the United States to work in highly skilled occupations, especially IT. Since then, as IT unemployment rose, both seem uncomfortable with that position.

Kerry recently said it's "unclear how diligently employers seeking to fill these positions with non citizen technology professionals have sought to fill those same positions with U.S. professionals. It needs to be clear to employers that they must seek qualified citizens before reaching out to potential H-1B visa holders."

Edwards, in a letter to those querying his position in 2002, wrote: "An increase in the number of available H-1B visas is a necessary short-term solution." The long-term solution, according to the newly minted Democrat veep candidate: have the government help students develop math, science, and engineering skills.

That sounds a lot like President Bush, who came out for lifting H-1B visa limits when he first ran for president. Bush's solution to a shortage of high-tech workers: education.