News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Virginia Congressman Suhas Subramanyam Introduces National Data Center Plan U .S. Representative Suhas Subra- manyam, D-Virginia, introduced a National Data Center Plan Sep- tember 8, 2026. A press release from his office said the four bills to guide data center de- velopment include the Responsible Data Center Siting Act, the Data Center Fair Share Act, the Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act, and the Data Infrastructure Risk Reduction Act. The package requires data centers to pay for their own energy, evaluate the cumulative impacts on communities, the environment, and national security before building data centers, accurately mea- sure water and energy usage, and protect Americans living near data infrastructure. “Our region is home to the fourth larg- est concentration of data centers in the world, and many more are on the way. Because of this, our utility bills are up and transmission lines are cutting through our schools and backyards,” Subraman- yam is quoted saying in the press release. “People are concerned about the future of our community and angry about the im- pact this will have on noise, the environ- ment, and their property. The approach to building data centers has been driven by short-term profit rather than long term planning,” he contends. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. We need a national plan that puts communi- ties first rather than the current ad hoc approach. That’s why I am pushing this legislation forward: to give Virginians and the American people a voice,” said Con- gressman Suhas Subramanyam. Elena Schlossberg, the Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, said her organization had been warning the County about the un- precedented power demands of the data center industry, since 2014. She praised Rep. Subramanyam’s National Data Center Plan saying it “is a needed step in the right direction to protect residents, our envi- ronment, and our grid from irresponsible development.” “This bill is a welcome and necessary step to create meaningful protections for consumers,” said Karim D. Marshall, Di- rector of Climate and Energy Policy at the Consumer Federation of America.. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:SUBRAMANYAM.HOUSE.GOV Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, D-Virginia. News India Times (September 12, 2026 - September 18, 2026) September 18, 2026 4 US Affairs Trump Administration Proposes Axing Grace Period For H-1B Visa Holders After Job Loss T he Trump administration has proposed eliminating a 60-day grace period that allows certain immigrants, including skilled workers on H-1B visas, to stay in the United States and find a new sponsor after losing their job, according to a government notice posted online on Thursday. Under the planned rule change, published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, those with H-1B and certain other temporary work visas would have to leave the country as soon as their employment ends — a potential blow to top American tech companies that rely heavily on foreign workers. It is the latest step by U.S. President Donald Trump to limit legal immigration since returning to office in January 2025. His administration has also intro- duced higher visa fees for skilled workers and recently paused immigrant visa appointments at U.S. missions globally while it implements a new training program. Companies affected by the change could see some disruption, DHS wrote in its proposal, but it said the jobs could go to American workers instead. In some situations, immigrant workers who leave could poten- tially reapply if their employer petitions for them, it added. “DHS presumes that they will either offer the same jobs to equally qualified U.S. workers or go through the I-129 petition process depending on their work- force requirement,” the notice said. The 60-day grace period, in place since 2017, al- lows foreign workers time to find another U.S. job or get their affairs in order —whether selling a home or pulling children out of school — before leaving the country. “Many H-1B workers have been here for years, and they and their families have established themselves in their communities,” said Gabriel Chin, a professor at the UC Davis School of Law. “I see no legitimate reason to force them to leave because they are chang- ing jobs.” VISAS CRITICAL FOR TECH COMPANIES H-1B visas, established by Congress in 1990, are especially critical for tech companies seeking talent from India and China, allowing them to fill roles where there is sometimes a lack of qualified U.S. workers. Consultancy companies such as Deloitte, PwC and Ernst &Young as well as outsourcing firms such as Tata Consultancy Services , Infosys , HCL Tech and LTIMindtree are top H-1B sponsors. Lawyers for Berardi Immigration Law, which specializes in business-related immigration issues, said the move would “sharply compress the timeline HR teams have to manage layoffs and offboarding for foreign national employees.” “It seems like every week this administration an- nounces a new step to make life more difficult for im- migrants in the U.S. and the companies and commu- nities that rely on them,” said Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, an immigration advocacy group. If implemented, the change would also apply to E-1 international trader visa holders; E-2 commercial vehicle operator visa holders; L-1 short-term work for executives or managers with international companies; O-1 visas for people “with an extraordinary ability” in science, sports or the arts; and TN professional work- ers. It would also affect H-1B1 skilled worker visa hold- ers from Singapore and Chile and E-3 specialty worker visa holders from Australia. The rule is subject to a two-month public comment period before it can be finalized. Indian American Congressmen Urge Rubio To Strengthen Nepal Response O n Friday, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Suhas Subraman- yam (VA-10), joined by 27 of their colleagues, in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to use every available resource to support ongoing search-and-rescue efforts following the catastrophic flash floods in Nepal and to ensure the safety and recovery of American citizens and others affected by the disaster. As of September 4, the death toll from the flash floods had surpassed 1,300 people, and at least 4,000 people remained missing, including at least 75 U.S. citizens. “We support the Department’s announcement of $500,000 in assistance through its global award with Catho- lic Relief Services to support emergency shelter, relief items, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance, as well as the $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance an- nounced on August 29,” the lawmakers write. “Nonetheless, given the unprecedented loss of life and countless missing persons, we urge the Department to do much more.” The lawmakers requested that the State Department: 1. Provide daily updates to family members of those miss- ing and Congress as rescue efforts continue. 2. Deploy a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to flood-affected communities. 3. Coordinate with the interagency and private sector to utilize high-altitude assets and thermal/infrared drones to search for missing persons and share aerial imagery with partners. 4. Engage Nepali and PRC disaster authorities and inter- national partners to ensure full coverage and access across search areas. 5. Ensure rapid delivery of disaster assistance and provide additional reconstruction support. From Press Release From Press Release