[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 136 (Friday, October 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S12321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself and Mr. Kennedy):
  S. 1713. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to 
extend for an additional 2 years the period for admission of an alien 
as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(S) of such Act, and to 
authorize appropriations for the refugee assistance program under 
chapter 2 of title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.


            s visa and refugee assistance authorization act

  Mr. ABRAHAM. I rise to introduce a bill, the ``S Visa and Refugee 
Assistance Authorization Act,'' to extend the authorization for two 
provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The bill is 
cosponsored by Senator Kennedy and is supported by the administration 
and the House immigration subcommittee. The legislation simply would 
extend for an additional two years the authorization of ``S'' temporary 
visas, which are used to allow individuals to stay in the United States 
to assist in criminal investigations. A sense of the Congress on the 
need to use these visas in more alien smuggling cases is also included. 
The bill also would extend for three years the authorization of refugee 
assistance. Such assistance is provided to localities and community-
based organizations to help refugees upon their arrival in the United 
States. My hope is that these noncontroversial provisions can be passed 
expeditiously. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1713

       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 ``S Visa and Refugee 
     Assistance Authorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       In light of the increasing problem of alien smuggling into 
     the United States, it is the sense of the Congress that the 
     Attorney General should use the provision of nonimmigrant 
     status under section 101(a)(15)(S) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act in a greater number of alien smuggling 
     investigations per year than has been done in the past.

     SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR ADMISSION OF ``S'' 
                   VISA NONIMMIGRANTS.

       Section 214(k)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1184(k)(2)) is amended by striking ``5'' and inserting 
     ``7''.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR REFUGEE 
                   ASSISTANCE.

       Section 414(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1524(a)) is amended by striking ``1998 and 1999'' and 
     inserting ``2000 through 2002''.
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