[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2878 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2878

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to temporary 
 admission of nonimmigrant aliens to the United States for the purpose 
        of receiving medical treatment, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2011

  Mr. Cohen (for himself and Mr. Issa) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to temporary 
 admission of nonimmigrant aliens to the United States for the purpose 
        of receiving medical treatment, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Compassionate Visa for Medical 
Treatment Act''.

SEC. 2. NONIMMIGRANT CLASSES FOR ALIENS SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT AND 
              IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS.

    Section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(B)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(B)'' and inserting ``(B)(i)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(ii) an alien having a residence in a foreign country which the 
alien has no intention of abandoning who seeks to enter the United 
States temporarily and solely for the purpose of receiving medical 
treatment (including participation in a research study) for a disease 
or condition that, if left untreated, threatens to undermine the 
alien's survival or day-to-day functioning with an increased likelihood 
of a progression from a less severe to a more severe disease or 
condition; or
    ``(iii) a son, daughter, spouse, or parent of an alien described in 
clause (ii) if accompanying or following to join such alien;''.

SEC. 3. CONDITIONS ON NONIMMIGRANTS RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN THE 
              UNITED STATES AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

    Section 212(q) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(q)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(q)'' and inserting ``(q)(1)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) For each principal alien admitted under clause (ii) of 
section 101(a)(15)(B), not more than two family members may be admitted 
under clause (iii) of such section.
    ``(3) The initial period of authorized admission for a nonimmigrant 
described in clause (ii) or (iii) of section 101(a)(15)(B) may not 
exceed 6 months. Such initial period may be extended in increments of 
up to 1 year by the Secretary of Homeland Security based on documented 
need for the principal alien described in section 101(a)(15)(B)(ii) to 
continue to receive medical treatment in the United States.
    ``(4) In the case of a parent admitted as a nonimmigrant under 
clause (iii) of section 101(a)(15)(B) in order to accompany or follow 
to join a child admitted under clause (ii) of such section, if the 
parent's initial period of authorized admission is extended under 
paragraph (3), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall authorize the 
parent to engage in employment in the United States during the 
remainder of the parent's period of authorized admission as such a 
nonimmigrant, and shall provide the parent with an `employment 
authorized' endorsement or other appropriate document signifying 
authorization of employment.''.

SEC. 4. CONSTRUCTION.

    The amendments made by this Act shall not be construed to permit an 
alien admitted to the United States under the provisions of such 
amendments to adjust status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for 
permanent residence.
                                 <all>