Higher fees for specialized visas impact Iowa & Illinois

We’re now three days from a shutdown of the federal government. There could be an impact that’s not getting a lot of attention.

And the President’s executive order for a massive increase to the fee for a specialized visa could keep a lot of people out of the country who are needed.

Host Jim Niedelman gets into that with former Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack and former Iowa republican Party Chair Steve Grubbs.

“The way it’s structured it really cuts out startups, which I think is disappointing; it should be structured in a way that’s a graduated fee; small companies like ours would be able to afford something for less,” Grubbs said.

“This is the kind of thing that’s happened before; I don’t know if they’re trying to raise some extra money for the federal government or what they’re doing,” Loebsack said.

To hear more from the panel, click on the video.

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 the Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

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