On Friday 18 November 2011, Rep Sue Myrick (R-NC) introduced Private Bill H.R. 3505 into Congress to grant Permanent Residence to the Stewart Family. The Bill is now with the House Judiciary Sub-committee on Immigration where it may or may not be reported to the House for a vote. Our Bill will hopefully be favorably considered by the 10-member Immigration Sub-Committee (link), chaired by Rep. Elton Gallegly [R-CA24] and Members Rep. Steve King [R-IA5], Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA16], Rep. Louis Gohmert [R-TX1], Rep. Trey Gowdy [R-SC4], Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX18], Rep. Daniel Lungren [R-CA3], Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX2], Rep. Dennis Ross [R-FL12] and Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA35]. Unfortunately we do not know any of these people so lobbying opportunities are somewhat bleak unless some of our supporters would care to lobby these people on our behalf.
In our research into the legislative process, we came across the VoxPop voting system where the public can vote for or against a proposed Bill. Reading through some of the new Bills makes fascinating reading and offers a good feel for the "pulse" of Americans. For example The New Illegal Deduction Elimination (New IDEA) Act, H.R. 3720: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that wages paid to unauthorized aliens may not be deducted from gross income, enjoys an 84% VoxPop support. If you choose to vote on the Bill, your vote is sent to your political representative(s) in your voting district.
You can VoxPop vote on our Private Bill at http://pvox.co/gS9xrt and if you would like to add a comment to your vote, feel free to write your own comment or copy and paste one of the comments we have prepared below.
Since Sue Myrick [R-NC9] is the sponsor of our Private Bill, there is no need to lobby her, but please encourage other lawmakers to support Rep Sue Myrick's Private Bill H.R.3505 and PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION ON THIS WEBSITE.
What's Your Position on H.R. 3505 : For the relief of Bruce William Stewart, Dianne Stewart, Sarah Jane Caitlin Stewart, and Michael Bruce Albert Stewart.
Vote on PopVox at http://pvox.co/gS9xrt
Some suggested comments if you don't have the time to write your own (just copy & paste a comment into VoxPop when you vote) :
Comment #1
The Stewart Family came to the USA in 2001 and remained in legal status until their visas expired in December 2011. They are well-educated, skilled, property-owners, business-owners, tax-payers and active members of the Charlotte NC community. These are exactly the caliber of people that America needs. Approval of this private bill to grant them permanent residence is both in accordance with the spirit of US immigration policy and in the interests of the USA.
Comment #2
Since arriving in the USA in July 2001 to open a branch of their international training business, Dr Bruce Stewart has become a regular provider of Intelligence Management Training to the US Military more specifically to the USAF Pentagon, NASA, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, NMITC, MCIS VA Beach, MCIA Quantico, DIA, DLA, 1 MEF 1st Intel Btn, 2 MEF 2nd Intel Btn, 1 MEF 1st Force Recon, USAF Robins AFB, USCG, US Army. It is in the national interest of America that he be encouraged to continue this valuable service to our troops on the battlefield and his family should be granted permanent residence without further delay.
Comment #3
The United States Marine Corps has declared Dr Bruce Stewart's training to be essential to the Marine Corps and that "any delay or interruption in the supply of this training would be to the detriment of the analytic capabilities of the United States Marine Corps." USMC Captain David Bain wrote that "I can say without a doubt that Bruce and his company provide a crucial training aid and skill to the Marines of 2nd Intelligence Battalion, which led to Marines lives being saved on the battlefield." Brigadier General Goldfain at the Pentagon described this training as "the most important professional development I've had in years." At the conclusion of this training course at 1st Intelligence Battalion 1 Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Pendleton, the Warrant Officers presented Dr Stewart with a 0205 Tactical Intelligence Officer "Plank" for his "contribution to the enhancement of the intelligence analysis capabilities of the USMC". It is thus in the national interest that Dr Stewart and his family be encouraged to remain in the USA through the approval of this private bill.
Comment #4
I have known the Stewart Family for a number of years. Their daughter Sarah completed her high schooling at Myers Park High School and is now a 3.9gpa Junior at Greensboro College. Their son Michael is a 4.0gpa Junior at Providence High School and a Duke TIP Student. After 10 years in the American educational system and just two years away from college and high school graduation, it would not only be an educational tragedy if these two students were forced to leave the USA, but also a sad indictment of our society if we were to abandon the teaching time and financial investment we have made in these two bright, intelligent and hard-working students who have the potential to make a valuable contribution to this country if only afforded the opportunity to do so.
Comment #5
Dianne Stewart started the "South African's in Charlotte" Club which aims to build cultural understanding between new arrivals from South Africa and their USA hosts. At the same time, the Arts and Sciences Council of Mecklenburg County asked her to plan, set-up and manage the "South by South Africa Crafting Cultural Understanding" Project a multi-disciplinary project between the South African Government's Department of Arts & Sciences, the NC Arts & Sciences Council, the Levine Museum of the New South, the African American Cultural Centre, Winthrop University, the Knight Foundation and others aimed at fostering communication and understanding between the ethnic races of America. Dianne also volunteers her time and expertise to fund-raising for The Charlotte Symphony, Opera Carolina, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, Carolina International School and Charlotte Country Day School and was appointed Board Chair of the Epic Arts Repertory Theatre. In 2008 she was appointed to co-ordinate the 2009 Oscar Night America event in Charlotte NC, a fund-raising benefit for The Charlotte Symphony. And in 2009, she was appointed to co-ordinate the 2010 Oscar Night America event in Charlotte NC, a fund-raising benefit for United Family Services and their battered women's shelter. Since 2008 she has volunteered her public relations and marketing expertise to promote the Friends of Music concerts at Queens University in Charlotte NC. Upon the appointment of Christopher Warren-Green to the position of Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony, Dianne volunteered to handle his entire relocation from the UK to Charlotte. This proved to be a major promotional boost for Charlotte NC and the Charlotte Symphony with Christopher Warren-Green's appointment, by the British Royal Family, to prepare and conduct the musical arrangement for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April 2011. Most recently she volunteered to co-ordinate the Christ Church of Oxford England Boy's Choir Tour to the USA and its fund-raising concerts in Charlotte NC, Washington DC, New York, Boston MA and Toronto Canada.
Comment #6
Dr Stewart's advanced reading skills and information management training has strong support from the educational community. Laura Crawley, Ph.D., Director of the Executive MBA Program, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University declared "Dr Stewart's training has become indispensable to our students" and Lynne Chism, a high school principal in IL declared Dr Stewart's training to be "one of the most useful training courses I've ever taken, and which increased my son's ACT score by 25 percent and won him a scholarship." At the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, this training has proved to be so impactful that the training is now mandatory for all medical school freshmen. At a time when America is facing unprecedented economic and educational challenges, people like the Stewarts and the training they provide, should be encouraged in every possible way to remain in this country.
