[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2809 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2809

 To increase the total number of nonimmigrant visas that may be issued 
  to nurses under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of the Immigration and 
  Nationality Act in each fiscal year, to increase the number of such 
   visas that may be allocated for employment in States with larger 
     populations, and to exempt locally-owned hospitals in health 
  professional shortage areas from certain requirements applicable to 
      employment of physicians and nurses admitted under section 
                    101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of such Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2001

  Mr. Reyes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To increase the total number of nonimmigrant visas that may be issued 
  to nurses under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(c) of the Immigration and 
  Nationality Act in each fiscal year, to increase the number of such 
   visas that may be allocated for employment in States with larger 
     populations, and to exempt locally-owned hospitals in health 
  professional shortage areas from certain requirements applicable to 
      employment of physicians and nurses admitted under section 
                    101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of such Act.

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

SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL H-1C VISAS FOR NURSES.

    Section 212(m)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(m)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``500.'' and inserting ``1,000.''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``50'' and inserting 
        ``150''.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN H-1B PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCALLY-
              OWNED HOSPITALS IN HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS.

    (a) Exemption From Numerical Limitations on Grants of H-1B 
Status.--Section 214(g)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1184(g)(5)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(C) a hospital owned by a unit of local government and 
        located in a health professional shortage area (as defined in 
        section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e)), 
        if the alien is employed (or is offered employment) as a 
        physician, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse.''.
    (b) Exemption From Fees.--Section 214(c)(9)(A) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)(9)(A)) is amended by striking 
``or a governmental research organization)'' and inserting ``a 
governmental research organization, or a hospital described in 
subsection (g)(5)(C) with respect to the employment of an alien 
described in such subsection)''.
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