[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2302 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 775
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2302
To improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 7, 2004
Mr. Conrad (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Murray, Mr.
Cochran, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Schumer,
Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Kohl, and Ms.
Cantwell) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
October 7, 2004
Reported by Mr. Hatch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. WAIVER OF FOREIGN COUNTRY RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT
WITH RESPECT TO INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL
GRADUATES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Extension of Deadline.--Section 220(c) of the
Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 (8 U.S.C.
1182 note) (as amended by section 11018 of Public Law 107-273) is
amended by striking ``2004.'' and inserting ``2009.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Designation of Health Professional Shortage Areas by
State Agencies.--Section 214(l)(1)(D) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(l)(1)(D)) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by striking ``professionals,'' and inserting
``professionals or in other shortage locations specified by a
State department of public health (or its equivalent),'';
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by striking ``in a geographic area designated
by the Secretary.'' and inserting ``in such a geographic area
or other shortage location.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Exemption From H-1B Numerical Limitations.--Section
214(l)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1184(l)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The
numerical limitations contained in subsection (g)(1)(A) shall not apply
to any alien whose status is changed under the preceding sentence, if
the alien obtained a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement
upon a request by an interested State agency.''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. MODIFICATION OF VISA REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GRADUATES.
(a) Extension of Deadline.--
(1) In general.--Section 220(c) of the Immigration and
Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 (8 U.S.C. 1182
note) (as amended by section 11018 of Public Law 107-273) is
amended by striking ``2004.'' and inserting ``2006.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect as if enacted on May 31, 2004.
(b) Exemption From H-1B Numerical Limitations.--Section
214(l)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1184(l)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The
numerical limitations contained in subsection (g)(1)(A) shall not apply
to any alien whose status is changed under the preceding sentence, if
the alien obtained a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement
upon a request by an interested Federal agency or an interested State
agency.''.
(c) Limitation on Medical Practice Areas.--Section 214(l)(1)(D) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(l)(1)(D)) is amended
by striking ``agrees to practice medicine'' and inserting ``agrees to
practice primary care or specialty medicine''.
(d) Exemptions.--Section 214(l)(1)(D) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(l)(1)(D)) is further amended--
(1) by striking ``except that,'' and all that follows and
inserting ``except that--''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) in the case of a request by the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the alien shall not be required to
practice medicine in a geographic area designated by
the Secretary;
``(ii) in the case of a request by an interested
State agency, the head of such State agency determines
that the alien is to practice medicine under such
agreement in a facility that serves patients who reside
in one or more geographic areas so designated by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (without regard
to whether such facility is located within such a
designated geographic area), and the grant of such
waiver would not cause the number of the waivers
granted on behalf of aliens for such State for a fiscal
year (within the limitation in subparagraph (B)) in
accordance with the conditions of this clause to exceed
5; and
``(iii) in the case of a request by an interested
Federal agency or by an interested State agency for a
waiver for an alien who agrees to practice specialty
medicine in a facility located in a geographic area so
designated by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, the request shall demonstrate, based on
criteria established by such agency, that there is a
shortage of health care professionals able to provide
services in the appropriate medical specialty to the
patients who will be served by the alien.''.
Calendar No. 775
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2302
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 7, 2004
Reported with an amendment