[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4708 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4708

 To streamline the issuance of nonimmigrant temporary work visas, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 18, 2023

 Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas (for himself, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Ciscomani, 
Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. 
  Lawler, Mr. Duarte, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Soto, Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. 
    Thanedar, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Moylan, and Mr. Bacon) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the 
 Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To streamline the issuance of nonimmigrant temporary work visas, 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 ``H-2 Improvements to Relieve 
Employers Act'' or the ``HIRE Act''.

SEC. 2. STREAMLINE PROCESS FOR H-2A AND H-2B FOR EMPLOYERS.

    (a) H-2A.--Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1188) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) Duration.--
            ``(1) Certification.--A certification issued under this 
        section shall be in effect for a period of 3 years.
            ``(2) Petition.--A petition filed under this section shall 
        be valid for a period of 3 years.''.
    (b) H-2B.--Section 214(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1184(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(12)(A) A petition filed on behalf of an alien to 
        temporarily perform labor or services in the United States 
        under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) shall be valid for a period 
        of 3 years.
            ``(B) A certification issued for the temporary employment 
        of aliens performing labor or services under section 
        101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) shall be in effect for a period of 3 
        years.''.

SEC. 3. STREAMLINE PROCESS FOR H-2A/H-2B RETURNING WORKERS.

    (a) H-2A.--Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1188), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``(k) Waiver of Interview.--An in-person interview may be waived 
with respect to an alien who is seeking to renew status under section 
101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) not more than 4 years after the expiration of such 
status.''.
    (b) H-2B.--Section 214(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1184(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) An in-person interview may be waived with respect to 
        an alien who is seeking to renew status under section 
        101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) not more than 4 years after the expiration 
        of such status.''.

SEC. 4. ENHANCE JOB TRANSPARENCY.

    The Secretary of Labor, at the request of an employer, shall 
publish, on the website of the Department of Labor, information on the 
amount of seasons during which such employer expects to have seasonal 
employment available, not to exceed 3 seasons.
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