[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 139 (Friday, October 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMENDING THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2152, and 
the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2152) to amend the immigration and nationality 
     act to extend for an additional 5 years the special immigrant 
     religious worker program.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this House bill is identical to S. 1580, 
the Religious Workers Act of 2003, of which I am a proud cosponsor. The 
bill extends for 5 years provisions of our immigration law that provide 
for special immigrant visas for religious workers sponsored by 
religious organizations in the United States. These visas allow 
religious denominations or organizations in the United States to bring 
in foreign nationals to perform religious work here. This modest 
program--which provides for up to 5,000 religious immigrant visas a 
year--was created in the Immigration Act of 1990, and has been extended 
ever since.
  These religious workers contribute significantly not just to their 
religious communities, but to the community as a whole. They work in 
hospitals, nursing homes, and homeless shelters. They help immigrants 
and refugees adjust to the United States. In other words, they perform 
vital tasks that all too often go undone.
  I have worked on this issue over the years, and cosponsored bills in 
1997 and 2000 that would have made this program permanent. I still 
believe that it should be permanent but fully support a 5-year 
extension as the next best thing. Time is now of the essence as we have 
entered Fiscal Year 2004 and allowed this program to lapse.
  The House passed this bill last month by voice vote. I urge the 
Senate to follow suit by approving this extension and sending it to the 
President without further delay.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any 
statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 2152) was read the third time and passed.

                          ____________________