[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2412 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2412

 To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious 
 worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and 
 to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility 
Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes 
                   in the employer sanctions program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 5, 1997

Mr. Smith of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious 
 worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and 
 to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility 
Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes 
                   in the employer sanctions program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION. 1. MODIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS WORKER VISA PROGRAMS.

    (a) Modifications to Nonimmigrant Religious Worker Program.--
Section 101(a)(15)(R) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(R)) is amended by striking clauses (i) and (ii) and 
inserting the following:
                            ``(i) seeks to enter the United States for 
                        a period not to exceed 5 years solely to 
                        perform the work described in subclause (I) or 
                        (II) of paragraph (27)(C)(ii);
                            ``(ii) satisfies the requirements of 
                        paragraph (27)(C)(i); and
                            ``(iii) will not be significantly dependent 
                        for support on the personal solicitation of 
                        donations; or''.
    (b) Modifications to Special Immigrant Religious Worker Program.--
            (1) In general.--Section 101(a)(27)(C) of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)) is amended--
                    (A) in clause (i), by striking ``2'' and inserting 
                ``5'';
                    (B) in clause (ii)--
                            (i) in subclause (I), by adding ``or'' at 
                        the end;
                            (ii) by striking subclause (II) and 
                        redesignating subclause (III) as subclause 
                        (II); and
                            (iii) in subclause (II) (as so 
                        redesignated)--
                                    (I) by striking ``1997,'' and 
                                inserting ``2000, solely''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``and'' at the 
                                end;
                    (C) in clause (iii)--
                            (i) by striking ``vocation, professional 
                        work, or other work'' and inserting ``vocation 
                        or occupation''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``described in clause 
                        (i);'' and inserting ``immediately preceding 
                        the time of application for admission; and''; 
                        and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) will not be significantly dependent 
                        for support on the personal solicitation of 
                        donations or on supplemental employment.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 203(b)(4) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(4)) is 
        amended by striking ``or (III)''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall take effect on October 1, 1997.

SEC. 2. 2-YEAR EXTENSION OF VISA WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 217(f) of the Immigration and 
Naturalization Act is amended by striking ``September 30, 1997.'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 1999.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. 6-MONTH EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR DESIGNATION OF EFFECTIVE DATE 
              FOR PAPERWORK CHANGES IN EMPLOYER SANCTIONS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 412(e)(1) of the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 
110 Stat. 3009-668) is amended by striking ``12'' and inserting ``18''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
                                 <all>