[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8683 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8683

  To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional 
                      Practical Training program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2026

 Mrs. Foushee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional 
                      Practical Training program.

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

SECTION 1. CODIFY OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM.

    (a) Course of Study.--Section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i)) is amended by 
inserting after ``course of study'' the second times it appears ``, 
including practical training and employment authorization described 
under section 214(m)(3),''.
    (b) Practical Training and Employment Authorization.--Section 
214(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(m)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3)(A) With respect to an alien who obtains the status of 
        a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i), a full course of 
        study may include practical training and employment 
        authorization for a period of up to 24 months if such 
        employment is related to the field of study undertaken by the 
        nonimmigrant.
                    ``(B) With respect to an alien who obtains the 
                status of a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) 
                and is pursuing or has completed a full course of study 
                in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics 
                field, a full course of study may include practical 
                training and employment authorization for a period of 
                up to 48 months if such employment is related to the 
                field of study undertaken by the nonimmigrant.
                    ``(C) The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
                establish terms and conditions necessary for the 
                practical training and employment authorization 
                period.''.
    (c) Nursing.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall take such 
actions as may be necessary to make nursing a science, technology, 
engineering, or mathematics field for the purpose of section 
214(m)(3)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1184(m)(3)(B)).
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