[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 53 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3849-S3850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN:
  S. 828. A bill for the relief of Corina Dechalup; to the Committee on 
the Judiciary.


                          private relief bill

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a private bill 
for the relief of Corina Dechalup of France. My bill would grant 
permanent resident status to Corina, affording her the legal security 
she needs to rebuild her life in this country.

  Corina Dechalup first arrived in the United States from France in 
February 1990. She was admitted under the visa waiver pilot program 
after her then-fiancee Marin Turcinovic of Croatia was injured. 
Admitted on an H-1 visa in January 1990, Marin was hit by a car in 
Fairview, New Jersey in February 1990. Both of his legs were shattered. 
His spinal cord was severed, leaving him paralyzed below the neck. He 
will probably never walk again. Both Marin and Corina have been in the 
United States since their initial entries.

[[Page S3850]]

  Corina and Marin married in February 1996, six years after his 
accident. Corina is an essential part of Marin's life. She has been 
with Marin throughout his ordeal and has been instrumental in 
coordinating his medical care. She has directly provided care for 
Marin, and he could never have reached the degree of recovery he now 
enjoys without her support.
  Marin requires 24-hour medical care for his survival. An insurance 
settlement from litigation filed after the accident provides Marin with 
lifetime medical and rehabilitative care. Marin and Corina currently 
live in a specially modified house located in the Beverly community of 
Chicago. According to Marin's lawyers, the insurance settlement that 
provides for Marin's lifetime shelter and medical care would not cover 
him at another location.
  Marin was granted permanent resident status on September 30, 1998, 
pursuant to former section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. 
Though he can now file a petition requesting permanent resident status 
for Corina, she will still face a four to five year wait. Because she 
entered the U.S. under the visa waiver pilot program, she was subject 
to an order of deportation, without the right to an administrative 
hearing, once she overstayed her 90-day authorized admission in 
February 1990. Since 1994, she has received a stay of deportation in 
one year increments. She cannot currently travel to see her family in 
France, and she has no assurance that her stay will be renewed from one 
year to the next.
  Before arriving in the U.S., Corina, a university graduate, worked as 
a tour guide for a Yugoslavian tourist agency. Although her days are 
primarily devoted to Marin, she has the skills and desire to find part-
time employment and would like to obtain authorization to work.
  Mr. President, nine years ago, fate tragically changed forever the 
lives of Corina Dechalup of France and her husband Marin Turcinovic of 
Croatia. A terrible accident in the United States left Marin 
permanently injured, making his return home impossible. Fortunately for 
Marin, he had the love and support of Corina, who left her home and her 
family to devote her life to him. Given the tremendous adversity that 
she faces on a day-to-day basis, I believe it appropriate for Congress 
to grant her permanent resident status. Such status would clear up much 
of the uncertainty that currently clouds her future, and would allow 
Corina and her husband to rebuild their lives in our country with 
confidence.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that this bill be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 828

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

     SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENCE.

       Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of 
     the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), 
     Corina Dechalup shall be held and considered to have been 
     lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent 
     residence as of the date of the enactment of this Act upon 
     payment of the required visa fees.

     SEC. 2. REDUCTION OF NUMBER OF AVAILABLE VISAS.

       Upon the granting of permanent residence to Corina 
     Dechalup, as provided in this Act, the Secretary of State 
     shall instruct the proper officer to reduce by the 
     appropriate number during the current fiscal year the total 
     number of immigrant visas available to natives of the country 
     of the aliens' birth under section 203(a) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)).
                                 ______