Millions face higher taxes real soon without fix

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Millions of families and businesses will get hit by big tax increases a lot sooner than many realize if Congress and the White House don't agree on a plan to skirt the year-end fiscal cliff of higher tax rates and big government spending cuts.

In fact, they already have.

More than 70 tax breaks enjoyed by individuals and businesses expired at the end of 2011. If Congress doesn't extend them retroactively back to the beginning of this year, a typical middle-class family could face a $4,000 tax increase when it files its 2012 return in the spring, according to an analysis by H&R Block, the tax preparing giant.

At the same time, businesses could lose dozens of tax breaks they have enjoyed for years, including generous credits for investing in research and development, write-offs for restaurants and retail stores that expand or upgrade, and tax breaks for financial companies with overseas subsidiaries.

Even if Congress does act, last-minute changes to federal tax laws could make it difficult for taxpayers to figure out their 2012 tax bills.

"We're really expecting this upcoming tax season to be one of the more challenging ones on record," said Kathy Pickering, executive director of The Tax Institute at H&R Block. "For your 2012 returns there's so much confusion about what will be impacted."

Much of Washington is consumed by negotiations over how to address automatic tax increases scheduled to take effect next year. That's when tax cuts first enacted under President George W. Bush, and extended under President Barack Obama, are scheduled to expire. A temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax is set to vanish as well.

Obama wants to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for married couples, while extending the tax cuts for people making less.

House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans have said they are open to more tax revenue through reducing or eliminating unspecified tax breaks. But Boehner, R-Ohio, late last week moved toward the president's position, proposing raising top rates for people earning more than $1 million in exchange for deeper spending cuts, particularly in health care and other mandatory spending programs.

Obama has not accepted that offer, according to people familiar with the talks, but Boehner's offer suggests that the negotiations are being renewed after appearing stalled just days ago.

Lost in the debate is a big package of tax breaks that already expired for 2012. Lawmakers in both parties say they expect those tax cuts to be addressed in any deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff." But they don't want to deal with them separately because that would reduce pressure to reach a broader budget agreement.

The biggest tax increase facing individuals for this year is the alternative minimum tax, or AMT. The tax was first enacted in 1969 to ensure that wealthy people can't use tax breaks to avoid paying any federal taxes. The AMT, however, was never adjusted for inflation, so Congress routinely does that to keep it from imposing hefty tax increases on millions of middle-income families.

Congress last adjusted the AMT in 2010, and about 4 million taxpayers paid it 2011. Without a new adjustment for the 2012 tax year, the AMT would reach an additional 28 million taxpayers, increasing their tax bill by an average of $3,700.

The tax would affect individuals making more $33,750 and married couples making more than $45,000, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Other expired tax breaks include deductions for college expenses, deductions for state and local sales taxes, and a $250 deduction for teachers who buy classroom supplies with their own money. The sales tax deduction is geared toward taxpayers in states without state income taxes: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

The tax increases could vary greatly, depending on how much money a person makes and which deductions they qualify for. For example, a single man making $65,000 who paid $6,000 in college tuition and fees would get a tax increase of $837, mainly because he would lose a deduction for college expenses, according to the H&R Block analysis.

A married couple with two young children and a $100,000 income could face a tax increase of more than $6,600, if they live in a state that doesn't have a state income tax. Most of that increase ? about $4,015 ? would come from the AMT. The AMT would also reduce their tax credits and they would lose a deduction for paying state and local sales taxes.

The AMT is expensive to fix. A two-year adjustment passed by the Senate Finance Committee last summer would save middle-income taxpayers a total of $132 billion in 2012 and 2013, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the official scorekeeper for Congress. The bill addressed many of the tax breaks that expired for 2012, and the committee passed it with bipartisan support. But the full Senate never considered it.

The AMT adjustment also includes a rule that affects the way tax credits are calculated for millions of taxpayers, even if they don't have to pay the AMT, the IRS said. These taxpayers may not necessarily face a tax increase, but there could be delays in processing their returns.

Congress has always adjusted the AMT in the past, and the IRS is preparing as if lawmakers will do so again, acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller said in a recent letter to members of Congress. If lawmakers don't address the AMT, about 60 million taxpayers, nearly half of all individual filers, would have to wait until late March ? if not later ? to file their returns while the IRS reworks its systems, Miller said.

"Essentially, IRS has said it will be chaos ? chaos! ? trying to make it work," said Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Kuhnhenn contributed to this report.

___

Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/millions-face-higher-taxes-real-soon-without-fix-132039288--finance.html

tuskegee airmen mike james red tails red tails heidi klum heidi klum red tails trailer

Review: Everclear rocks on at cancer benefit ? Honolulu, Hawaii ...

Art Alexakis, right, returned with his bandmates from Everclear to headline a cancer benefit at Hawaiian Brian's on Saturday, Dec. 15. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

REVIEW BY SJARIF GOLDSTEIN / sgoldstein@staradvertiser.com

There are few successful rockers who seem as authentic as Everclear frontman Art Alexakis.

Despite an appearance ? tattoos, earrings, bleached hair ? that screams rock ?n? roll clich?, he manages to come off as as grounded as your mailman.

Perhaps it?s the honesty with which he?s talked and sung about his life. Perhaps it?s the sense of humor he has displayed in the band?s videos.

Look for that authenticity and playfulness in the band?s live show and you?ll find it in spades.

In Saturday night?s show at Hawaiian Brian?s, Alexakis? personality took a rockin? set to the next level. It wasn?t just the way he coaxed the audience to interact, with sing-alongs on hits such as ?Santa Monica? and ?Volvo Driving Soccer Mom? and pervasive hand-clapping. The small club setting allowed Alexakis, the only member of the five-piece who dates back to the band?s beginning, to connect with his ohana of about 200 people.

He glowed with pride when talking about his 20-year-old daughter at Oxford and lamented his 5-year-old being psyched to come to Hawaii to swim and then falling off a couch while horsing around and needing stitches above her eye.

Given the events in Connecticut a day earlier, it was not surprising that he also weaved in messages of loving your family now and making sure you always have family in your life.
Alexakis was downright funny at times, asking if there are any ?old school Everclear fans out there? and then slyly adding, ?we?ll see,? as he launched into ?Heroin Girl,? one of the band?s earliest singles.

He also toyed with the audience, teasing them by breaking into the signature guitar riff from Led Zeppelin?s ?Whole Lotta Love? midway through the 70-minute show, only to say he ?won?t play that ?? although he professed his need to ?hear Led Zeppelin at least twice a day or I?ll lose my mind.?

Art Alexakis signs an autograph for a fan. (Photo by Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

But of course, all that personality is empty without the foundation of great songs ? and Everclear?s got a strong base there.

The band owned the audience from the opening chord from ?So Much for the Afterglow? and kept the momentum going with ?Father of Mine.?

There was some slowing when they moved on to songs that the audience didn?t know word for word, but a ?Heartspark Dollarsign? or an ?Everything to Everyone? was always right around the corner.

Alexakis kept the good times rolling but also took time out to throw some attention in the direction of his bandmates, who took turns riffing on rock classics as he introduced them during the encore. He willingly ceded the spotlight repeatedly to guitarist Dave French for slice and dice solos.

He also reminded the audience why the band was back in Hawaii for a second straight year ? the bill, dubbed the second annual ?Rock Against Cancer,? was a benefit concert for Kapiolani Medical Center?s Campaign for Hawaii?s Children.

Alexakis dedicated ?Santa Monica? to the the kids at Kapiolani?s cancer unit and closed the show with ?I Will Buy You a New Life,? invoking the slayings in Newtown, Conn., once again and making sure the crowd knew it was ?not a song about money.?

?This is a song about love,? he said.

With that, Alexakis rocked the crowd one more time and thanked everyone who made the benefit show happen, including the fans and the entire state, authentic to the very end.

Related Post:

PICS: ?Rock Against Cancer? at Hawaiian Brian?s

Source: http://www.honolulupulse.com/music/review-everclear-rocks-on-at-cancer-benefit

torn acl derrick rose injury st louis news utah jazz lawrence of arabia denver nuggets correspondents dinner

43 years old; Owns 6 Rental houses - Vancouver Real Estate ...

?A hard-working entrepreneur who runs a restaurant and retail outlet, Jim hopes to retire while he is still relatively young and live off the income from his rental properties.
Jim and his partner Bethany live with their toddler in her home in small-town Alberta. He is 43, she is 38. Jim also has a 12-year-old child from a previous marriage.
Jim?s short-term goals include buying four more houses ? the ones he has are in Alberta and British Columbia ? paying off his mortgage debt and perhaps forming a holding company if it makes sense. Longer term, he wants to retire comfortably at age 50 and leave something for his children.
Jim is doing well, bringing in $10,000 a month before tax from his businesses. He estimates his share ? he has partners ? is worth $750,000. Bethany, who keeps her personal finances separate but contributes to joint food and housing costs, earns $75,000 a year before tax.
On paper, Jim is looking good. He has $3-million worth of investment real estate. Still, he is mindful of the other side of the balance sheet ? the $1-million-plus of mortgage debt, which he hopes to have paid off by the time he is 55 or 60.?
?
?So can Jim retire at age 50?
Jim figures he will have his mortgage debt paid off by the time he is 55 or 60. His financial picture at age 50 is less clear. As well, Jim doesn?t have a firm handle on how much money he will need when he retires. In his application, he lists ?spending money? of $2,500 a month or $30,000 a year after tax.?
?
?Jim is taking home $84,000 a year from his businesses now plus another $12,000 in net rental income, for a total of $96,000. If he sells his share of the businesses for $750,000 and invests the proceeds at 4 per cent a year, he will be making $30,000 a year before tax. When calculating how much Jim might need in retirement, the adviser uses a rule of thumb of 70 per cent of preretirement earnings, which in Jim?s case would be $67,200 before tax. Thus his revenue properties would have to generate at least $37,200 a year after operating expenses to make up the difference, substantially more than the $12,000 a year they are throwing off now.?
?
?Monthly net income: $8,000
Assets: Bank accounts $25,000; stocks $50,000; TFSA $25,000; RRSP $25,000; RESP $10,000; six rental houses $3-million. Total: $3,135,000
Monthly disbursements: Mortgage $900 (his share of $1,800); other housing costs $790; car lease $500; other vehicle costs $390; groceries $250 (his share of $500); child care $900; clothing $300; gifts, charitable, other $150; vacations, travel $200; dining out, entertainment $250; clubs, sports $150; grooming $50; doctors, dentists $250; drugstore $100; cellphone, Internet $200; RESP $200; TFSA $400. Total: $5,980
Liabilities: Mortgages $1,062,000; car loan $17,000. Total: $1,079,000?
- image and excerpted text from ?An entrepreneur?s path to early retirement?, Dianne Maley, Globe and Mail, 14 Dec 2012 [Hat-tip Makaya at VCI]
?-

Jim and Bethany have accumulated a net-worth of over $2 Million ($2.75 Million if he were able to sell his share of his business), by the age of 43, on a household income of less than $200K before tax. This is remarkable. It is highly likely that a large portion (almost all?) of their gains are due to the increase in the paper value of the six rental houses that they own. This would also explain their desire to ?buy four more houses? ? this sector has treated them well and they expect it to continue to do so.
As others have pointed out in the G&M comment section, simply liquidating all of their assets and investing in conservative instruments would already possibly spin off enough income for them to be able to retire soon.
A disastrous outcome would be the use of their equity to buy even more RE at the very peak of a nation wide speculative mania in housing. Worse still if they are tempted to use leverage by increasing their mortgage debt. This is the way that many with impressive paper gains on RE holdings, at this point in the cycle, will give them back (and in some cases even be wiped out) in the coming market weakness.
As an aside, note the misallocation of resources that comes with the speculative mania: in this case we have a couple considering leaving the workforce in their 40?s.
- vreaa

Source: http://vreaa.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/43-years-old-owns-6-rental-houses-goal-is-to-buy-4-more-and-retire-by-50/

taylor swift taylor swift kanye west cbs Univision josh hamilton pnc

Scientists discover evidence of giant panda's population history and local adaptation

Dec. 16, 2012 ? A research team, led by Institute of Zoology of Chinese Academy of Sciences and BGI, has successfully reconstructed a continuous population history of the giant panda from its origin to the present. The findings suggested whereas global changes in climate were the primary drivers in panda population fluctuation for millions of years, human activities were likely to underlie recent population divergence and serious decline. This work reveals a good example for assessing and establishing the best conservation method for other endangered species.

The latest study was published online in Nature Genetics.

The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family. Looked upon as the ambassador for all endangered species, it is a well-recognized symbol of international wildlife conservation. The giant panda is currently threatened by continued habitat loss, human persecution, among others. Its dietary specialization, habitat isolation, and reproductive constraints have led to a perception that this is a species at an "evolutionary dead end," destined for deterministic extinction in the modern world.

In this study, researchers carried out whole genome resequencing of 34 wild giant pandas and found the current six geographic populations of giant panda could be divided into three genetic populations, including Qinling (QIN), Minshan (MIN) and Qionglai-Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan (QXL). Through reconstructing giant panda's population history, they found several important evolutionary events such as two population expansions, two bottlenecks and two population divergences.

The giant panda has a very special bamboo diet, while its ancestor was omnivorous or carnivores. As early as about 3 Myr ago, they probably had already completed their dietary swift and pygmy panda emerged with bamboo as its primary diet. The warm and wet weather at that time provided ideal conditions for the spread of bamboo forests that further led to the first population expansion of giant panda. However, about 0.7 Myr ago, the panda population began to decline due to the two largest Pleistocene glaciations happened in China, and its first population bottleneck occurred at about 0.3 Myr ago. During that period, pygmy panda was gradually replaced by another subspecies -- baconi panda that has larger body size.

After the retreat of the Penultimate Glaciations, giant panda's second population expansion happened and it reached its population peak between 30~50 thousand years (kyr) ago. The warm weather in the Greatest Lake Period (30~40 kyr ago) and alpine conifer forest may play an important role in the flourishing of the panda population. However, during the period of last glacial maximum (LGM), the climate was cold, dry, and inhospitable with frequent storms and a dust-laden atmosphere. Under such harsh environment, extensive panda habitats were loss and its second population bottleneck occurred.

The more recent panda population history showed that the panda population separated into Qinling (QIN) and non-QIN populations at about 0.3Myr ago, and then the non-QIN cluster diverged into two populations, the Minshan (MIN) and Qionglai-Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan (QXL) at about 2.8 KYA ago. Subsequently, the three populations were different in the ways of fluctuation. For example, there was a drastic decline in the QIN, a slight increase in the MIN and a more remarkable growth in the QXL populations.

Researchers identified the signals of panda's local adaptation. They found the largest group of selected genes in these populations was related to sensory system. However, the two genes, Tas2r49 and Tas2r3, were associated with bitter taste and were under directional selection between the QIN and non-QIN populations, showing no signal of directional selection between MIN and QXL populations.

As a form of olfactory communication, odor perception is crucial for reproduction and survival of giant pandas in the dense forest. Researchers found the MIN and QXL populations had fewer directionally selected genes than QIN and non-QIN, suggesting less variation happens in the selection processes between MIN and QXL. They also found the evidence that population fluctuations were driven by global climate shifts, but recent human activities have likely caused population divergence and the serious recent decline.

Shancen Zhao, Project Manager from BGI, said, "We have identified three genetic populations of giant panda for the current six geographic populations lived in western of China. The varied local adaptations found in our study provide invaluable resource for researchers to better select effective conservation methods to rescue the giant panda even other endangered species. The translocation of wild-caught individuals or releasing the captive-bred ones may be a feasible approach. "

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BGI Shenzhen.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Shancen Zhao, Pingping Zheng, Shanshan Dong, Xiangjiang Zhan, Qi Wu, Xiaosen Guo, Yibo Hu, Weiming He, Shanning Zhang, Wei Fan, Lifeng Zhu, Dong Li, Xuemei Zhang, Quan Chen, Hemin Zhang, Zhihe Zhang, Xuelin Jin, Jinguo Zhang, Huanming Yang, Jian Wang, Jun Wang & Fuwen Wei. Whole-genome sequencing of giant pandas provides insights into demographic history and local adaptation. Nature Genetics, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/ng.2494

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/21Wy8KjtKXU/121216132511.htm

match play championship the national enquirer marie colvin cm punk

Is Kristin Chenoweth Dating a Former 'Bachelor'?

You gotta admit: there's something kind of perfect about a Bachelor star dating a Good Wife actress! Jake Pavelka has been dating Kristin Chenoweth -- and Chenoweth isn't exactly denying it.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/kristin-chenoweth-dating-jake-pavelka-rumor/1-a-506320?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Akristin-chenoweth-dating-jake-pavelka-rumor-506320

stock market stock market Google News Obama Acceptance Speech 2012 dow jones Bbc News Selena Gomez

Diabetes Drug May Help Ovarian Cancer Patients Live Longer

Metformin, an inexpensive and common diabetes drug, may fight ovarian cancer, according to a new study.

Women being treated for ovarian cancer at the Mayo Clinic who were also taking metformin for their diabetes lived longer than their counterparts who had the same stage of cancer, but were not diabetic and not taking metformin, the study showed.

Among the 239 women in the study with epithelial ovarian cancer, 67 percent of those taking metformin were still alive five years after their diagnosis, compared to 47 percent of the 178 women not taking metformin. All of the patients in the study underwent the same chemotherapy treatments.

Although it is not yet clear how the drug may work against cancer, it's probable that "metformin results in starving the cancer cells of their energy source ? namely glucose ? inhibiting the growth of these cells," said study researcher Viji Shridhar.

Only metformin, not other anti-diabetic drugs, demonstrated a survival advantage for ovarian cancer patients in this study.

Analysis of a more heterogeneous group of ovarian cancer patients had a similar result: 73 percent of the 72 metformin-taking patients were alive at five years, while 44 percent of the 143 patients not taking metformin lived that long.

"I think there is good rationale to support further study of metformin," in breast cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancers, said Dr. Robert L. Coleman, gynecological oncologist at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

At this point, researchers have gathered enough data to show that it's very likely that metformin has anti-cancer activity, said Michael Birrer, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer in Boston who was not involved in the study.

"But all of [the data] is retrospective so for, including this study," Birrer said. In other words, the study showed an association, rather than a direct cause-effect link between metformin and ovarian cancer survival rates.

Birrer added that he treats ovarian cancer patients, and some have requested metformin prescriptions, but he has to refuse ? until a prospective, randomized trial is conducted and shows benefit, cancer patients cannot be given metformin for the purpose of treating their cancer.

Shridhar said he and colleagues are currently laying the groundwork for such a study.

In the current study, the researchers found metformin use alone could statistically predict patients' likelihood of surviving five years, independent of how far along the patient's ovarian cancer was, the cancer's aggressiveness, and body mass index ? all of which are known to affect long-term survival.

Ovarian cancer is an uncommon, but particularly deadly disease?about 22,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and more than 15,000 women will die of ovarian cancer in 2012, according to National Cancer Institute estimates. [5 Things Women Should Know About Ovarian Cancer]

Most patients are diagnosed at a late stage of the disease and new, effective treatments are needed.

While the idea that metformin may fight cancer is not entirely new, this is the largest case study to analyze the potential of metformin for ovarian cancer.

Laboratory research has shown that metformin has anti-cancer properties, and a a clinical trial is now testing whether giving metformin to women with early-stage breast cancer can help prevent progression to later-stage disease.

Another open question is whether metformin would be effective on both late-stage and early-stage ovarian cancer. "Since metformin alters the cancer cell's metabolism, we anticipate that it will be effective in reducing tumor growth of early-stage tumors," Shridhar said.

The study is published today (Dec. 3) in the journal Cancer.

Pass it on:The diabetes drug metformin may be a way to help treat ovarian cancer patients.

FollowMyHealthNewsDaily?on Twitter?@MyHealth_MHND. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Copyright 2012 MyHealthNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/diabetes-drug-may-help-ovarian-cancer-patients-live-124117584.html

rihanna and chris brown back together pebble beach clive davis cause of whitney houston death keanu reeves whitney houston national anthem beverly hills hotel

House votes to offer advanced-degree visas

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Testing the waters of what is expected to be a turbulent battle over immigration policy next year, the House voted Friday to make green cards accessible to foreign students graduating with advanced science and math degrees from U.S. universities.

But even this limited step, strongly backed by the high-tech industry and enjoying some bipartisan support, is unlikely to go anywhere this session of Congress, dramatizing how difficult it will be to find lasting solutions to the nation's much-maligned immigration system.

A more sweeping bill presumably would deal not only with legal residents but also the estimated 11 million people here illegally.

Republicans largely shunned by Hispanic voters and other minorities in the November elections used Friday's 245-139 vote for the STEM Jobs Act to show they have softened their hardline immigration policies and are ready to work for more comprehensive legislation.

GOP leaders also added a provision making it easier for immigrants working in the country legally to bring their spouses and children to the United States while they wait for their visa applications to be approved. Typically, family members now wait more than two years to be reunited. About 80,000 such family-based visas are issued every year.

But for many Democrats and the Obama White House as well, this first step was more of a misstep.

Democrats, including members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, assailed the legislation for offsetting the 55,000 new permanent residency visas by eliminating a program that provided green cards to people with traditionally lower rates of immigration, particularly those from Africa. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The White House, in a statement opposing the GOP-crafted bill, said it was encouraged that Congress "appears to be ready to begin serious debate on the need to fix our broken immigration system." But it said the administration does not support "narrowly tailored proposals" that do not meet long-term objectives of achieving comprehensive reform.

That comprehensive approach includes dealing with the young people brought into the country illegally, establishing a solution for agriculture workers, creating an effective border enforcement system and worker verification program and deciding by what means those living in the country illegally can attain legal status.

The Democratic-controlled Senate is seen as likely to ignore the House STEM bill in the waning days of the current congressional session.

The partisan bickering attending the STEM bill signaled how hard it likely will be to pass more far-reaching immigration legislation. The idea of retaining foreign students with advanced degrees in the STEM fields enjoys wide bipartisan support and has long been sought by high-tech industries that have seen some of their brightest employee prospects being forced to leave the country and work for competitors abroad.

"We should staple a green card to their diplomas," said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a proponent of overhauling immigration law. He cited a National Science Foundation study showing that foreign students receive nearly 60 percent of U.S. engineering doctorates and more than 50 percent of doctorates in mathematics and computer science.

"American employers are desperate for qualified STEM workers no matter where they are from," said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.

But most Democrats balked at what they called the Republicans' "zero sum game" where there is no increase in the number of green cards offered.

The elimination of the Diversity Visa Lottery Program is a "slap in the face to the core value and the position of immigrants to the United States," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., a leader on immigration policy with the Hispanic Caucus. "If you support this bill, then you are saying that one type of immigrant is better than the other," he said.

"It pains me greatly to say I can't support this flawed bill," because it ends the diversity program, said Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a strong proponent of STEM visas whose northern California district includes many high-tech companies.

She said the number of green cards issued under the Republican bill would actually decline because there are only about 30,000 foreign graduates every year who would qualify under the bill and the legislation does not allow unused visas to roll over to other programs.

The House voted on a similar STEM Act in September, but it fell short under a procedure requiring a two-thirds majority. It was revived under rules needing only a simple majority. Republicans also tried to attract votes by adding a provision that makes it easier for people with green cards to bring their spouses and children to this country. But this popular concept also ran into Democratic criticism because it stipulates that spouses waiting for their own green cards to be approved cannot work and family members in the country illegally are ineligible.

The STEM Act visas would be in addition to about 140,000 employment-based visas for those ranging from lower-skilled workers to college graduates and people in the arts, education and athletics.

The Diversity Visa Lottery Program, created partly to increase visas for Ireland, has shifted over the years to focus on former Soviet states and now Africa. In 2010, almost 25,000 visas went to Africa; 9,000 to Asia and 16,000 to Europe. Applicants must have at least a high school education.

Critics say the visa lottery program has outlived its purpose because Africans and East Europeans are already benefiting from family unification and skilled employment visas, and the lottery program is subject to fraud and infiltration by terrorists. Lofgren said it was "preposterous" that terrorists would try to get into a country under a program that picks 55,000 people at random out of more than 14 million applicants.

The provision on reuniting families allows the spouses and children of permanent residents to come to the United States to wait for their own green card applications to be processed one year after applying. Currently, family members must wait more than two years before being reunited.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/house-votes-offer-advanced-degree-visas-170824719--politics.html

blunt amendment justin bieber birthday read across america vikings stadium breitbart dead