[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2655 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)]
In the Senate of the United States,
November 19, 2004.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R.
2655) entitled ``An Act to amend and extend the Irish Peace Process
Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998.'', do pass with the
following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT AND EXTENSION OF IRISH PEACE PROCESS CULTURAL AND
TRAINING PROGRAM.
(a) Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act.--
(1) Program participant requirements.--Section 2(a) of the
Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998
(8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(5) Program participant requirements.--An alien entering
the United States as a participant in the program shall satisfy
the following requirements:
``(A) The alien shall be a citizen of the United
Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.
``(B) The alien shall be between 21 and 35 years of
age on the date of departure for the United States.
``(C) The alien shall have resided continuously in
a designated county for not less than 18 months before
such date.
``(D) The alien shall have been continuously
unemployed for not less than 12 months before such
date.
``(E) The alien may not have a degree from an
institution of higher education.''.
(2) Extension of program.--Section 2 of the Irish Peace
Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 (8 U.S.C.
1101 note) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``the third
program year and for the 4 subsequent years,'' and
inserting ``each program year,''; and
(B) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
``(d) Sunset.--
``(1) Effective October 1, 2008, the Irish Peace Process
Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 is repealed.
``(2) Effective October 1, 2008, section 101(a)(15)(Q) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(Q))
is amended--
``(A) by striking `or' at the end of clause (i);
``(B) by striking `(i)' after `(Q)'; and
``(C) by striking clause (ii).''.
(3) Cost-sharing.--Section 2 of the Irish Peace Process
Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note),
as amended by paragraph (2), is further amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as
subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (b), the
following new subsection:
``(c) Cost-sharing.--The Secretary of State shall verify that the
United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland continue to pay a reasonable
share of the costs of the administration of the cultural and training
programs carried out pursuant to this Act.''.
(4) Technical amendments.--The Irish Peace Process Cultural
and Training Program Act of 1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is
amended--
(A) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place
such term appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland
Security''; and
(B) by striking ``Immigration and Naturalization
Service'' each place such term appears and inserting
``Department of Homeland Security''.
(b) Immigration and Nationality Act.--
(1) Requirements for nonimmigrant status.--Section
101(a)(15)(Q) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(Q)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place
such term appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland
Security''; and
(B) in clause (ii)(I)--
(i) by striking ``35 years of age or
younger having a residence'' and inserting
``citizen of the United Kingdom or the Republic
of Ireland, 21 to 35 years of age, unemployed
for not less than 12 months, and having a
residence for not less than 18 months''; and
(ii) by striking ``36 months)'' and
inserting ``24 months)''.
(2) Foreign residence requirement.--Section 212 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182) is amended--
(A) by redesignating the subsection (p) as added by
section 1505(f) of Public Law 106-386 (114 Stat. 1526)
as subsection (s); and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(t)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no person admitted
under section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I), or acquiring such status after
admission, shall be eligible to apply for nonimmigrant status, an
immigrant visa, or permanent residence under this Act until it is
established that such person has resided and been physically present in
the person's country of nationality or last residence for an aggregate
of at least 2 years following departure from the United States.
``(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security may waive the requirement
of such 2-year foreign residence abroad if the Secretary determines
that--
``(A) departure from the United States would impose
exceptional hardship upon the alien's spouse or child (if such
spouse or child is a citizen of the United States or an alien
lawfully admitted for permanent residence); or
``(B) the admission of the alien is in the public interest
or the national interest of the United States.''.
Attest:
Secretary.
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2655
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AMENDMENT