Andy Grove, Intel CEO, in the past has been a strong proponent of raising H1B visa limits, giving the industry standard line of

* We need these workers to be competitive

* They are brighter than their American counterparts

* American workers need better education

I saw this in a headhunter website:

US Abandoning H1B Visas?
Friday, 01 May 2009 00:00 h1bvisas

It looks like the United States is on the way to abandon H1B Visas. As a matter of fact, most petitions for New H1Bs and Extensions are being denied. I guess the policy is to deny them rather than officially close the "H1B Visa Category"

At this denial rate, most H1B workers applying for an Extension will loose Status and have to go back to their Home Countries (forget about new aspirants)