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Remarks Prepared for
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
PERM Backlog Elimination Ceremony
Frances Perkins Building
Washington, D.C.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Thank you, Bill.
Congratulations to the entire Office of Foreign Labor Certification, on your hard work in eliminating the backlog of nearly 363,000 cases over the course of two and a half years! That's a tremendous achievement!
Clearing up the Permanent Labor Certification's backlog was not only a priority of this Department, but of this Administration. That's why reducing the backlog was made a Presidential Management Agenda priority item and additional resources were directed to the effort. And you have risen to the challenge. The Backlog Centers have processed the 363,000 applications in about two and a half years — again, a tremendous achievement. Through your efforts, no matter the case outcome, thousands of people are no longer left waiting and worrying.
Let me thank, in particular, a few of the leadership team who made this possible.
First, thanks to Emily DeRocco, who led this effort but unfortunately cannot join us today. Thanks also to Mason Bishop, who is in Dallas, and Doug Small, who is in Philadelphia.
Thank you as well to Bill Carlson, the Administrator of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. We also have Barbara Shelly, the Director of the Philadelphia Backlog Center, and Dick Souder, the Director of the Dallas Center. And Bill Rabung, who has been the Director of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification Project, is here this afternoon, as well. Thank you all for your hard work and your commitment to achieving this significant milestone in a very large and complicated project.
Finally, all of you have made this happen! Thank you for all your hard work and support!
Eliminating the very large program application backlog is so important to our country and to the workers and employers who have been waiting for an answer to their petitions. Behind every application is a person or group of people, waiting to come to our country and work in jobs for which no qualified U.S. worker can be found. The Permanent Labor Certification program is really about people — their hopes and their dreams of greater opportunities, and of reunification with their families. Secondly, and equally significant, this milestone shows that the Department of Labor is enforcing the law humanely and efficiently.
On August 10th, the White House announced a series of reforms that the Labor Department will be undertaking to streamline existing foreign worker certification programs. Clearing out the backlog allows DOL to focus on this next important task in improving our administration of foreign worker programs.
Let me mention that I have seen the brand new, just-published Performance Report from the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. This report highlights patterns and trends among U.S. employers and foreign workers. And it reveals that DOL certified applications for workers from more than 180 countries to help meet American employers' need for talent. Next year's report, which will highlight the progress of the Backlog Centers, will be a great addition to this record of achievement.
Also, Emily has shared with me feedback from stakeholders, expressing their sincere appreciation for the hard work of the Backlog Centers. They really put a human face on the work that you do and are a wonderful reminder of how your work touches the lives of so many. Here are just a few examples:
An immigration attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina wrote DOL to let us know about the "exemplary performance" of one of our team members at the Philadelphia backlog center. Another attorney, also sounding pleased, wrote us about the "high degree of professionalism" of one of our Dallas team members.
One university administrator sent us a letter explaining his shock at receiving phone calls and regular updates regarding a pending case. A faculty member at another university wrote simply to commend the professionalism and compassion of a team member, and to ask that he be acknowledged somehow.
Finally, an executive from a large employer wrote us about the very good communication and responsiveness of one of our adjudicators. This employer had 700 to 800 cases pending at the time the backlog centers were established, and last month they were delighted to inform DOL that they were down to zero.
Now, let me finish by presenting this certificate recognizing Bill Carlson, Administrator of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification, and all of you.
Bill, you and your team have done a terrific job! This is just one of the many certificates that will be given out to memorialize the important milestone that everyone working on this program has achieved.
Now Bill would like to say a few words on behalf of Emily DeRocco.
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