NEW YORK, United States (CMC) — Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette  Clarke has collaborated with New York Congressman Michael Lawler in leading a bipartisan, bicameral letter, signed by 98 of their colleagues, to United States (US) Secretary of the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem, urging DHS to grant a health care sector exemption from the new US$100,000 fee on employers petitioning for new H-1B visas.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. She also chairs the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

“Worsening workforce shortages across all health care professions are significantly diminishing access to care in rural and urban communities across the nation,” the letter says.

“According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, nearly 87 million Americans live in areas Federally designated as lacking enough medical professionals to address the community’s health care needs.

“Physician demand could exceed supply by up to 86,000 in the next decade, and clinical laboratory science programs are educating less than half the number of clinical laboratory professionals needed,” the letter adds.

“These shortages cannot be filled by the domestic workforce alone, and projections will worsen if health care employers cannot continue to recruit and retain international health care workers.

“Imposing a US$100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions will exacerbate hospitals’ existing staffing challenges and could push chronically underfunded hospitals to their financial brink,” the letter continues. “If these hospitals cannot petition for new H-1B visas to address their staffing needs without also having to pay this fee, it will further damage their financial viability.”

The lawmakers say that critically needed open positions will simply go unfilled, leaving rural and high-poverty urban areas without adequate access to care.

“We strongly urge you to exempt the health care sector from this burdensome fee,” they say in their letter.

Ken Raske, president, Greater New York Hospital Association, said that “New York hospitals have long used the H-1B visa program to ensure they can deliver world-class health care, train the next generation of physicians, and conduct cutting-edge research.

“The filing fee for H-1B visa petitions poses a grave threat to this critical mission,” he said. “It will further strain hospitals, exacerbate ongoing workforce shortages, and diminish access to care. I thank Representatives Clarke and Lawler for their leadership and advocacy on this important issue.”

The letter was signed by 100 Members of Congress and supported by scores of health care organisations and associations across the country.