On the potential impact of further immigration restrictions:

American companies must have knowledge of foreign operating conditions, consumer preferences, competing products, the regulatory environment and other expertise relating to those markets. Without access to persons from those markets with such knowledge, American business and industry is at a severe disadvantage vis-à-vis its foreign competitors.

On use of the L-1 visa and global personnel mobility:

In an increasingly global economy the choices are often stark. If we do not permit the technology and know-how to move to where it is needed for manufacturing or research and development, those activities often will have to move to the technology and know-how. In short, L-1 usage by American companies is overwhelmingly a mechanism of job creation.

On the importance of global personnel mobility to economic development:

Successful investments necessarily involve people. Without the key executives, managers, and specialists there would be, quite simply, no investments and therefore no jobs They are truly essential to economic development out of all proportion to their number.

Excerpted from the Global Personnel Alliance's testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, on Tuesday, July 29, 2003.

Click here for the full statement of our testimony.