Chamber president and CEO Thomas Donohue, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Subcommitee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship, Thursday stated: "It has been close to 20 years since the last comprehensive immigration reform took place."

"Our immigration laws are out of date and must be fixed. Doing nothing is not acceptable public policy."

In his testimony, Donahue noted that the US population is aging, according to numerous demographic studies. In 10 years, 77 million baby boomers will retire and by 2030 one in every five Americans is projected to be a senior citizen.  At the same time, the Bureau of Labour Statistics projects strong continued job growth in both low-skilled and high-skilled occupations. 

Experts agree, emphasised Donahue, that one of the greatest challenges confronting the American workforce in the upcoming decades is that there will not be enough workers to fill available jobs.

"Our own member surveys show businesses large and small say finding both entry-level and skilled workers remains one of their most difficult challenges," said Donohue. "A steady and available labour force is essential for continued economic growth and prosperity." 

The Chamber has emphasised that any immigration reform legislation must include three components. 

First, it must address - through some type of targeted earned adjustment - the status of undocumented workers who are already here working, paying taxes, and contributing to the economy.  Second, it should allow employers to hire foreign workers under a temporary worker system - after employers have attempted to find US workers. 

Finally, the chamber recognised that stronger enforcement of immigration and border security laws are a necessary part of any immigration reform package. 
 
The US Chamber of Commerce says it is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organisations of every size, sector and region.