U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) introduced , the American Innovation and Education Act of 2011 that kept the green card provisions but eliminates most of the other things in Lofgren's bill, including the H-1B provisions. That effort has only five co-sponsors; Lofgren's bill has 24 co-sponsors.

There is also a Republican effort to help the technology industry on green cards called the and Fairness Enhancement (SAFE) for America Act (HR 704). Introduced by U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the bill would eliminate the visa lottery program. Each year, a visa lottery is held that provides green cards to as many as 50,000 immigrants.

Goodlatte, speaking at the forum, said his bill was important to the tech community. He said H-1B visa levels "seem to be sustainable for getting someone out of college or bringing someone in from another country who is not a U.S. citizen."

The problem arises when an employee's H-1B visa ends, Goodlatte said. Employers face long wait times to obtain company-sponsored permanent residency for their employees. That wait for a green card could force employees to return to their home countries once the H-1B expires, he said.

The lottery program awards visas based on luck, not on any skills, Goodlatte said. The lottery also excludes people from certain countries, including India and China, from participating. "Those visas are not available to citizens from countries that have the highest demand, where tech companies are hiring, like India and China," Goodlatte said.