1.   And a federal crackdown appears to restrict laboratories that handle dangerous microbes from hiring certain foreigners.

2.   A floor fight is expected, at least in the Senate, over proposals designed to make it tougher for businesses to hire foreigners.

3.   But no matter what they say about shortages of specific skills, the real reason they hire foreigners almost always boils down to money.

4.   France has eased rules that made it almost impossible for companies to hire foreigners.

5.   That bill would boost the number of visas, but it would also require employers to certify that they tried to recruit American workers before hiring foreigners.

6.   The deal also navigated a tricky issue of how to assure that companies are not laying off US workers in order to hire foreigners.

7.   The committee also voted to require companies to certify to the Department of Labor that they tried to recruit an American before hiring a foreigner.

8.   The program allows companies to hire foreigners for what are supposed to be shortages in short-term, high-skilled workers in the U.S. labor market.

9.   Until recently, many such companies were reluctant to hire foreigners.

10.   Penalties against employers hiring foreigners without work permits also should also be harsher, it said.