- Smiles are better than frowns: E-3 campaigners met with Senator Scott Brown (second from left) last week.
There were clear signs of movement this week in the effort to secure thousands of annual E-3 work visa for the Irish. Irish community leaders and immigration activists met with Senator Scott Brown in Massachusetts in recent days and Brown indicated to broadcaster Adrian Flannelly in an interview that he was now expecting support from fellow Republicans for his E-3 Visa bill which has been stalled by fellow GOP senator, Charles Grassley.
"Senator Brown is confident we are going to get the bill through," Flannelly said Tuesday.
Flannelly had met Brown during a visit to Holyoke where he was honored by the city's parade.
Sources indicate that Senator Grassley has become more amenable to an Irish E-3 bill though some details are still being worked. In addition, just how the bill will be voted through the Senate remained unclare at presstime Tuesday.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny was due to meet with legislators on the E-3 issue during his visit to Washington Tuesday. One meeting will be with GOP leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell.
All in all, supporters of the E-3 proposal were far more optimistic this week than in the run up to St. Patrick's Day. The E-3 is a two-year renewable work visa and the plan is for 10,500 per year for Irish applicants.
Sources indicate that if a bill is passed by Congress it might include a "sunset" clause. However, the view is that it is better to get a bill through and then go back to it at a later date with a view to pissbly extending its provision deeper into the future.
