[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1279 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1279

To authorize the Secretary of State to issue up to 10,500 E-3 visas per 
          year to nationals of the Republic of Korea (South).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 2013

  Mr. Faleomavaega (for himself and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of State to issue up to 10,500 E-3 visas per 
          year to nationals of the Republic of Korea (South).

    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 ``United States-Korea Free Trade 
Agreement Fairness Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Although it was not formally a part of the United 
        States-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the E-3 visa category 
        was created for up to 10,500 Australian nationals per year in 
        the aftermath of the ratification of that agreement.
            (2) The Republic of Korea has been a critical treaty ally 
        and trading partner of the United States for the past 60 years.
            (3) Ever since the signing of the 1882 Treaty of Peace, 
        Amity, Commerce, and Navigation between the Kingdom of Chosun 
        (Korea) and the United States, the two countries have stood at 
        the forefront in the promotion of freedom, democracy, peace, 
        stability, and human rights.
            (4) With the unwavering commitment and support of the 
        United States, the Republic of Korea has undergone a remarkable 
        economic and political transformation, rising from poverty to 
        become the 11th largest economy in the world and a thriving, 
        multiparty democracy.
            (5) The alliance between the United States and the Republic 
        of Korea has been forged in blood and further advanced by 
        struggles against common adversaries in the Korean peninsula, 
        Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
            (6) The Republic of Korea ranked, as of December 2012, as 
        the 7th largest trading partner of the United States.
            (7) The United States and the Republic of Korea signed the 
        United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement on June 30, 2007, and 
        that agreement was entered into force on March 15, 2012.
            (8) There are deep cultural and personal ties between the 
        people of the United States and the people of the Republic of 
        Korea, as exemplified by the large flow of visitors and 
        exchanges each year, enhanced by adoption of the Visa Waiver 
        Program (VWP).
            (9) The almost 2,000,000 members of the Korean-American 
        community have made significant contributions to the 
        commercial, academic, professional, medical, scientific, 
        engineering, educational, military, artistic, musical, and 
        athletic development of the United States.
            (10) Immigration from the Republic of Korea has been an 
        important part of the history, identity, and culture of the 
        United States.
            (11) The Republic of Korea continues to be a vital 
        strategic ally, trade partner and friend to the United States.

SEC. 3. E-VISA REFORM.

    (a) Definition.--Section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii)) is amended by inserting 
``, or solely to perform services as an employee who meets the 
requirements under section 203(c)(2) if the alien is a national of the 
Republic of Korea'' after ``Australia''.
    (b) Numerical Limitation.--Section 214(g)(11)(B) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(11)(B)) is amended by inserting 
``for each of the nationalities identified under section 
101(a)(15)(E)(iii)'' before the period at the end.
                                 <all>