True, Hatch 8 is too long - bundles in too many things, but if the centerpiece of the amendment was likely to pass, the STEM degree elements would have passed more easily than as a standalone. Now it's been imperiled by the controversy over H1B issues.
Was reading the sponsors' amendment (
http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/legi...(MDM13313).pdf). Look at Pg 315. It looks like if you have a PhD from outside the US, it helps you more than if you have a PhD within the US - if you fall into the latter category, your PhD must be in STEM, you have to have a job offer in that STEM field AND your PhD must have been within the last 5 years! Makes no sense.
They must do away with at least the 5 year thing, and removal of job offer and type of job should also help.