[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE RELIGIOUS WORKERS ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                 HATCH (AND KENNEDY) AMENDMENT NO. 1247

  Mr. JEFFORDS (for Mr. Hatch, for himself and Mr. Kennedy) proposed an 
amendment to the bill (S. 1198) to amend the Immigration and 
Nationality Act to provide permanent authority for entry into the 
United States of certain religious workers; as follows;

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SECTION 3. WAIVER OF NONIMMIGRANT VISA FEES FOR CERTAIN 
                   CHARITABLE PURPOSES.

       Section 281 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1351) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new sentence: ``Subject to such criteria as the Secretary of 
     State may prescribe, including the duration of stay of the 
     alien and the financial burden upon the charitable 
     organization, the Secretary of State shall waive or reduce 
     the fee for application and issuance of a non-immigrant visa 
     for any alien coming to the United States primarily for, or 
     in activities related to, a charitable purpose involving 
     health or nursing care, the provision of food or housing, job 
     training, or any other similar direct service or assistance 
     to poor or otherwise needy individuals in the United 
     States.''.

                          ____________________