[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4169-S4173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 1035. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to 
reduce fraud and abuse in certain visa programs for aliens working 
temporarily in the United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1035

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``H-1B and 
     L-1 Visa Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. H-1B employer requirements.
Sec. 3. H-1B government authority and requirements.
Sec. 4. L-1 visa fraud and abuse protections.
Sec. 5. Whistleblower protections.
Sec. 6. Additional Department of Labor employees.

     SEC. 2. H-1B EMPLOYER REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Application of Nondisplacement and Good Faith 
     Recruitment Requirements to All H-1B Employers.--
       (1) Amendments.--Section 212(n) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(n)) is amended--

[[Page S4170]]

       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in subparagraph (E)

       (I) in clause (i), by striking ``(E)(i) In the case of an 
     application described in clause (ii), the'' and inserting 
     ``(E) The''; and
       (II) by striking clause (ii);

       (ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``In the case of'' 
     and all that follows through ``where--'' and inserting the 
     following: ``The employer will not place the nonimmigrant 
     with another employer if--''; and
       (iii) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``In the case of an 
     application described in subparagraph (E)(ii), subject'' and 
     inserting ``Subject'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``If an H-1B-dependent 
     employer'' and inserting ``If an employer that employs H-1B 
     nonimmigrants''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``The preceding 
     sentence shall apply to an employer regardless of whether or 
     not the employer is an H-1B-dependent employer.''; and
       (C) by striking paragraph (3).
       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
     shall apply to applications filed on or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (b) Nondisplacement Requirement.--
       (1) Extending time period for nondisplacement.--Section 
     212(n) of such Act, as amended by subsection (a), is further 
     amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``90 days'' each place 
     it appears and inserting ``180 days'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (F)(ii), by striking ``90 days'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``180 days''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)(C)(iii), by striking ``90 days'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``180 days''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1)--
       (A) shall apply to applications filed on or after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act; and
       (B) shall not apply to displacements for periods occurring 
     more than 90 days before such date.
       (c) Public Listing of Available Positions.--
       (1) Listing of available positions.--Section 212(n)(1)(C) 
     of such Act is amended--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``(i) has provided'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(ii)(I) has provided'';
       (B) by redesignating clause (ii) as subclause (II); and
       (C) by inserting before clause (ii), as redesignated, the 
     following:
       ``(i) has advertised the job availability on the list 
     described in paragraph (6), for at least 30 calendar days; 
     and''.
       (2) List maintained by the department of labor.--Section 
     212(n) of such Act, as amended by this section, is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6)(A) Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary of Labor shall 
     establish a list of available jobs, which shall be publicly 
     accessible without charge--
       ``(i) on a website maintained by the Department of Labor, 
     which website shall be searchable by--
       ``(I) the name, city, State, and zip code of the employer;
       ``(II) the date on which the job is expected to begin;
       ``(III) the title and description of the job; and
       ``(IV) the State and city (or county) at which the work 
     will be performed; and
       ``(ii) at each 1-stop center created under the Workforce 
     Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220).
       ``(B) Each available job advertised on the list shall 
     include--
       ``(i) the employer's full legal name;
       ``(ii) the address of the employer's principal place of 
     business;
       ``(iii) the employer's city, State and zip code;
       ``(iv) the employer's Federal Employer Identification 
     Number;
       ``(v) the phone number, including area code and extension, 
     as appropriate, of the hiring official or other designated 
     official of the employer;
       ``(vi) the e-mail address, if available, of the hiring 
     official or other designated official of the employer;
       ``(vii) the wage rate to be paid for the position and, if 
     the wage rate in the offer is expressed as a range, the 
     bottom of the wage range;
       ``(viii) whether the rate of pay is expressed on an annual, 
     monthly, biweekly, weekly, or hourly basis;
       ``(ix) a statement of the expected hours per week that the 
     job will require;
       ``(x) the date on which the job is expected to begin;
       ``(xi) the date on which the job is expected to end, if 
     applicable;
       ``(xii) the number of persons expected to be employed for 
     the job;
       ``(xiii) the job title;
       ``(xiv) the job description
       ``(xv) the city and State of the physical location at which 
     the work will be performed; and
       ``(xvi) a description of a process by which a United States 
     worker may submit an application to be considered for the 
     job.
       ``(C) The Secretary of Labor may charge a nominal filing 
     fee to employers who advertise available jobs on the list 
     established under this paragraph to cover expenses for 
     establishing and administering the requirements under this 
     paragraph.
       ``(D) The Secretary may promulgate rules, after notice and 
     a period for comment--
       ``(i) to carry out the requirements of this paragraph; and
       ``(ii) that require employers to provide other information 
     in order to advertise available jobs on the list.''.
       (3) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect for 
     applications filed at least 30 days after the creation of the 
     list described in paragraph (2).
       (d) H-1B Nonimmigrants Not Admitted for Jobs Advertised or 
     Offered Only to H-1B Nonimmigrants.--Section 212(n)(1) of 
     such Act, as amended by this section, is further amended--
       (1) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
       ``(H)(i) The employer has not advertised the available jobs 
     specified in the application in an advertisement that states 
     or indicates that--
       ``(I) the job or jobs are only available to persons who are 
     or who may become H-1B nonimmigrants; or
       ``(II) persons who are or who may become H-1B nonimmigrants 
     shall receive priority or a preference in the hiring process.
       ``(ii) The employer has not only recruited persons who are, 
     or who may become, H-1B nonimmigrants to fill the job or 
     jobs.''; and
       (2) in the undesignated paragraph at the end, by striking 
     ``The employer'' and inserting the following:
       ``(K) The employer''.
       (e) Prohibition of Outplacement.--
       (1) In general.--Section 212(n) of such Act, as amended by 
     this section, is further amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by amending subparagraph (F) to read 
     as follows:
       ``(F) The employer shall not place, outsource, lease, or 
     otherwise contract for the placement of an alien admitted or 
     provided status as an H-1B nonimmigrant with another 
     employer;'' and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (E).
       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
     shall apply to applications filed on or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (f) Limit on Percentage of H-1B Employees.--Section 
     212(n)(1) of such Act, as amended by this section, is further 
     amended by inserting after subparagraph (H), as added by 
     subsection (d)(1), the following:
       ``(I) If the employer employs not less than 50 employees in 
     the United States, not more than 50 percent of such employees 
     are H-1B nonimmigrants.''.
       (g) Wage Determination.--
       (1) Change in minimum wages.--Section 212(n)(1) of such 
     Act, as amended by this section, is further amended--
       (A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
       ``(A) The employer--
       ``(i) is offering and will offer, during the period of 
     authorized employment, to aliens admitted or provided status 
     as an H-1B nonimmigrant, wages, based on the best information 
     available at the time the application is filed, which are not 
     less than the highest of--
       ``(I) the locally determined prevailing wage level for the 
     occupational classification in the area of employment;
       ``(II) the median average wage for all workers in the 
     occupational classification in the area of employment; or
       ``(III) the median wage for skill level 2 in the 
     occupational classification found in the most recent 
     Occupational Employment Statistics survey; and
       ``(ii) will provide working conditions for such a 
     nonimmigrant that will not adversely affect the working 
     conditions of workers similarly employed.''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``the wage 
     determination methodology used under subparagraph (A)(i),'' 
     after ``shall contain''.
       (2) Provision of w-2 forms.--Section 212(n)(1) of such Act 
     is amended by inserting after subparagraph (I), as added by 
     subsection (f), the following:
       ``(J) If the employer, in such previous period as the 
     Secretary shall specify, employed 1 or more H-1B 
     nonimmigrants, the employer shall submit to the Secretary the 
     Internal Revenue Service Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement 
     filed by the employer with respect to such nonimmigrants for 
     such period.''.
       (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall apply to applications filed on or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (h) Immigration Documents.--Section 204 of such Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1154) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(l) Employer To Share All Immigration Paperwork Exchanged 
     With Federal Agencies.--Not later than 10 working days after 
     receiving a written request from a former, current, or future 
     employee or beneficiary, an employer shall provide the 
     employee or beneficiary with the original (or a certified 
     copy of the original) of all petitions, notices, and other 
     written communication exchanged between the employer and the 
     Department of Labor, the Department of Homeland Security, or 
     any other Federal agency that is related to an immigrant or 
     nonimmigrant petition filed by the employer for the employee 
     or beneficiary.''.

[[Page S4171]]

     SEC. 3. H-1B GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY AND REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Safeguards Against Fraud and Misrepresentation in 
     Application Review Process.--Section 212(n)(1)(K) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act, as redesignated by section 
     2(d)(2), is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``and through the Department of Labor's 
     website, without charge.'' after ``D.C.'';
       (2) by inserting ``, clear indicators of fraud, 
     misrepresentation of material fact,'' after ``completeness'';
       (3) by striking ``or obviously inaccurate'' and inserting 
     ``, presents clear indicators of fraud or misrepresentation 
     of material fact, or is obviously inaccurate'';
       (4) by striking ``within 7 days of'' and inserting ``not 
     later than 14 days after''; and
       (5) by adding at the end the following: ``If the 
     Secretary's review of an application identifies clear 
     indicators of fraud or misrepresentation of material fact, 
     the Secretary may conduct an investigation and hearing under 
     paragraph (2).
       (b) Investigations by Department of Labor.--Section 
     212(n)(2) of such Act is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) by striking ``12 months'' and inserting ``24 months''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``The Secretary shall conduct'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``Upon the receipt of such a 
     complaint, the Secretary may initiate an investigation to 
     determine if such a failure or misrepresentation has 
     occurred.'';
       (2) in subparagraph (C)(i)--
       (A) by striking ``a condition of paragraph (1)(B), (1)(E), 
     or (1)(F)'' and inserting ``a condition under subparagraph 
     (B), (C)(i), (E), (F), (H), (I), or (J) of paragraph (1)''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``(1)(C)'' and inserting ``(1)(C)(ii)'';
       (3) in subparagraph (G)--
       (A) in clause (i), by striking ``if the Secretary'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``with regard to the employer's 
     compliance with the requirements of this subsection.'';
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``and whose identity'' and 
     all that follows through ``failure or failures.'' and 
     inserting ``the Secretary of Labor may conduct an 
     investigation into the employer's compliance with the 
     requirements of this subsection.'';
       (C) in clause (iii), by striking the last sentence;
       (D) by striking clauses (iv) and (v);
       (E) by redesignating clauses (vi), (vii), and (viii) as 
     clauses (iv), (v), and (vi), respectively;
       (F) in clause (iv), as redesignated, by striking ``meet a 
     condition described in clause (ii), unless the Secretary of 
     Labor receives the information not later than 12 months'' and 
     inserting ``comply with the requirements under this 
     subsection, unless the Secretary of Labor receives the 
     information not later than 24 months'';
       (G) by amending clause (v), as redesignated, to read as 
     follows:
       ``(v) The Secretary of Labor shall provide notice to an 
     employer of the intent to conduct an investigation. The 
     notice shall be provided in such a manner, and shall contain 
     sufficient detail, to permit the employer to respond to the 
     allegations before an investigation is commenced. The 
     Secretary is not required to comply with this clause if the 
     Secretary determines that such compliance would interfere 
     with an effort by the Secretary to investigate or secure 
     compliance by the employer with the requirements of this 
     subsection. A determination by the Secretary under this 
     clause shall not be subject to judicial review.''.
       (H) in clause (vi), as redesignated, by striking ``An 
     investigation'' and all that follows through ``the 
     determination.'' and inserting ``If the Secretary of Labor, 
     after an investigation under clause (i) or (ii), determines 
     that a reasonable basis exists to make a finding that the 
     employer has failed to comply with the requirements under 
     this subsection, the Secretary shall provide interested 
     parties with notice of such determination and an opportunity 
     for a hearing in accordance with section 556 of title 5, 
     United States Code, not later than 120 days after the date of 
     such determination.''; and
       (I) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(vii) If the Secretary of Labor, after a hearing, finds a 
     reasonable basis to believe that the employer has violated 
     the requirements under this subsection, the Secretary may 
     impose a penalty under subparagraph (C).''; and
       (4) by striking subparagraph (H).
       (c) Information Sharing Between Department of Labor and 
     Department of Homeland Security.--Section 212(n)(2) of such 
     Act, as amended by this section, is further amended by 
     inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
       ``(H) The Director of United States Citizenship and 
     Immigration Services shall provide the Secretary of Labor 
     with any information contained in the materials submitted by 
     H-1B employers as part of the adjudication process that 
     indicates that the employer is not complying with H-1B visa 
     program requirements. The Secretary may initiate and conduct 
     an investigation and hearing under this paragraph after 
     receiving information of noncompliance under this 
     subparagraph.''.
       (d) Audits.--Section 212(n)(2)(A) of such Act, as amended 
     by this section, is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following: ``The Secretary may conduct surveys of the degree 
     to which employers comply with the requirements under this 
     subsection and may conduct annual compliance audits of 
     employers that employ H-1B nonimmigrants. The Secretary shall 
     conduct annual compliance audits of not less than 1 percent 
     of the employers that employ H-1B nonimmigrants during the 
     applicable calendar year. The Secretary shall conduct annual 
     compliance audits of each employer with more than 100 
     employees who work in the United States if more than 15 
     percent of such employees are H-1B nonimmigrants.''.
       (e) Penalties.--Section 212(n)(2)(C) of such Act, as 
     amended by this section, is further amended--
       (1) in clause (i)(I), by striking ``$1,000'' and inserting 
     ``$2,000'';
       (2) in clause (ii)(I), by striking ``$5,000'' and inserting 
     ``$10,000''; and
       (3) in clause (vi)(III), by striking ``$1,000'' and 
     inserting ``$2,000''.
       (f) Information Provided to H-1B Nonimmigrants Upon Visa 
     Issuance.--Section 212(n) of such Act, as amended by this 
     section, is further amended by inserting after paragraph (2) 
     the following:
       ``(3)(A) Upon issuing an H-1B visa to an applicant outside 
     the United States, the issuing office shall provide the 
     applicant with--
       ``(i) a brochure outlining the employer's obligations and 
     the employee's rights under Federal law, including labor and 
     wage protections;
       ``(ii) the contact information for Federal agencies that 
     can offer more information or assistance in clarifying 
     employer obligations and workers' rights; and
       ``(iii) a copy of the employer's H-1B application for the 
     position that the H-1B nonimmigrant has been issued the visa 
     to fill.
       ``(B) Upon the issuance of an H-1B visa to an alien inside 
     the United States, the officer of the Department of Homeland 
     Security shall provide the applicant with--
       ``(i) a brochure outlining the employer's obligations and 
     the employee's rights under Federal law, including labor and 
     wage protections;
       ``(ii) the contact information for Federal agencies that 
     can offer more information or assistance in clarifying 
     employer's obligations and workers' rights; and
       ``(iii) a copy of the employer's H-1B application for the 
     position that the H-1B nonimmigrant has been issued the visa 
     to fill.''.

     SEC. 4. L-1 VISA FRAUD AND ABUSE PROTECTIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 214(c)(2) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)(2)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security'';
       (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``In the case of an 
     alien spouse admitted under section 101(a)(15)(L), who'' and 
     inserting ``Except as provided in subparagraph (H), if an 
     alien spouse admitted under section 101(a)(15)(L)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G)(i) If the beneficiary of a petition under this 
     subsection is coming to the United States to open, or be 
     employed in, a new facility, the petition may be approved for 
     up to 12 months only if the employer operating the new 
     facility has--
       ``(I) a business plan;
       ``(II) sufficient physical premises to carry out the 
     proposed business activities; and
       ``(III) the financial ability to commence doing business 
     immediately upon the approval of the petition.
       ``(ii) An extension of the approval period under clause (i) 
     may not be granted until the importing employer submits an 
     application to the Secretary of Homeland Security that 
     contains--
       ``(I) evidence that the importing employer meets the 
     requirements of this subsection;
       ``(II) evidence that the beneficiary meets the requirements 
     under section 101(a)(15)(L);
       ``(III) a statement summarizing the original petition;
       ``(IV) evidence that the importing employer has fully 
     complied with the business plan submitted under clause 
     (i)(I);
       ``(V) evidence of the truthfulness of any representations 
     made in connection with the filing of the original petition;
       ``(VI) evidence that the importing employer, during the 
     preceding 12 months, has been doing business at the new 
     facility through regular, systematic, and continuous 
     provision of goods or services, or has otherwise been taking 
     commercially reasonable steps to establish the new facility 
     as a commercial enterprise;
       ``(VII) a statement of the duties the beneficiary has 
     performed at the new facility during the preceding 12 months 
     and the duties the beneficiary will perform at the new 
     facility during the extension period approved under this 
     clause;
       ``(VIII) a statement describing the staffing at the new 
     facility, including the number of employees and the types of 
     positions held by such employees;
       ``(IX) evidence of wages paid to employees;
       ``(X) evidence of the financial status of the new facility; 
     and
       ``(XI) any other evidence or data prescribed by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(iii) Notwithstanding subclauses (I) through (VI) of 
     clause (ii), and subject to the maximum period of authorized 
     admission set forth in subparagraph (D), the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security may approve a petition subsequently filed 
     on behalf of the beneficiary to continue employment at the 
     facility described in this subsection for a period beyond the 
     initially granted 12-month period if the importing employer 
     demonstrates that the failure to satisfy any of the 
     requirements described in those subclauses was directly

[[Page S4172]]

     caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of 
     the importing employer.
       ``(iv) For purposes of determining the eligibility of an 
     alien for classification under section 101(a)(15)(L), the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall work cooperatively with 
     the Secretary of State to verify a company or facility's 
     existence in the United States and abroad.''.
       (b) Restriction on Blanket Petitions.--Section 214(c)(2)(A) 
     of such Act is amended to read as follows:
       ``(2)(A) The Secretary of Homeland Security may not permit 
     the use of blanket petitions to import aliens as 
     nonimmigrants under section 101(a)(15)(L).''.
       (c) Prohibition on Outplacement.--Section 214(c)(2) of such 
     Act, as amended by this section, is further amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(H) An employer who imports 1 or more aliens as 
     nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(L) shall not 
     place, outsource, lease, or otherwise contract for the 
     placement of an alien admitted or provided status as an L-1 
     nonimmigrant with another employer.''.
       (d) Investigations and Audits by Department of Homeland 
     Security.--
       (1) Department of homeland security investigations.--
     Section 214(c)(2) of such Act, as amended by this section, is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(I)(i) The Secretary of Homeland Security may initiate an 
     investigation of any employer that employs nonimmigrants 
     described in section 101(a)(15)(L) with regard to the 
     employer's compliance with the requirements of this 
     subsection.
       ``(ii) If the Secretary of Homeland Security receives 
     specific credible information from a source who is likely to 
     have knowledge of an employer's practices, employment 
     conditions, or compliance with the requirements under this 
     subsection, the Secretary may conduct an investigation into 
     the employer's compliance with the requirements of this 
     subsection. The Secretary may withhold the identity of the 
     source from the employer, and the source's identity shall not 
     be subject to disclosure under section 552 of title 5.
       ``(iii) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish 
     a procedure for any person desiring to provide to the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security information described in 
     clause (ii) that may be used, in whole or in part, as the 
     basis for the commencement of an investigation described in 
     such clause, to provide the information in writing on a form 
     developed and provided by the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     and completed by or on behalf of the person.
       ``(iv) No investigation described in clause (ii) (or 
     hearing described in clause (vi) based on such investigation) 
     may be conducted with respect to information about a failure 
     to comply with the requirements under this subsection, unless 
     the Secretary of Homeland Security receives the information 
     not later than 24 months after the date of the alleged 
     failure.
       ``(v) Before commencing an investigation of an employer 
     under clause (i) or (ii), the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     shall provide notice to the employer of the intent to conduct 
     such investigation. The notice shall be provided in such a 
     manner, and shall contain sufficient detail, to permit the 
     employer to respond to the allegations before an 
     investigation is commenced. The Secretary is not required to 
     comply with this clause if the Secretary determines that to 
     do so would interfere with an effort by the Secretary to 
     investigate or secure compliance by the employer with the 
     requirements of this subsection. There shall be no judicial 
     review of a determination by the Secretary under this clause.
       ``(vi) If the Secretary of Homeland Security, after an 
     investigation under clause (i) or (ii), determines that a 
     reasonable basis exists to make a finding that the employer 
     has failed to comply with the requirements under this 
     subsection, the Secretary shall provide interested parties 
     with notice of such determination and an opportunity for a 
     hearing in accordance with section 556 of title 5, United 
     States Code, not later than 120 days after the date of such 
     determination. If such a hearing is requested, the Secretary 
     shall make a finding concerning the matter by not later than 
     120 days after the date of the hearing.
       ``(vii) If the Secretary of Homeland Security, after a 
     hearing, finds a reasonable basis to believe that the 
     employer has violated the requirements under this subsection, 
     the Secretary may impose a penalty under section 
     214(c)(2)(J).''.
       (2) Audits.--Section 214(c)(2)(I) of such Act, as added by 
     paragraph (1), is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(viii) The Secretary of Homeland Security may conduct 
     surveys of the degree to which employers comply with the 
     requirements under this section and may conduct annual 
     compliance audits of employers that employ H-1B 
     nonimmigrants. The Secretary shall conduct annual compliance 
     audits of not less than 1 percent of the employers that 
     employ nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(L) 
     during the applicable calendar year. The Secretary shall 
     conduct annual compliance audits of each employer with more 
     than 100 employees who work in the United States if more than 
     15 percent of such employees are nonimmigrants described in 
     section 101(a)(15)(L).''.
       (3) Reporting requirement.--Section 214(c)(8) of such Act 
     is amended by inserting ``(L),'' after ``(H),''.
       (e) Penalties.--Section 214(c)(2) of such Act, as amended 
     by this section, is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(J)(i) If the Secretary of Homeland Security finds, after 
     notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a failure by an 
     employer to meet a condition under subparagraph (F), (G), 
     (H), (I), or (K) or a misrepresentation of material fact in a 
     petition to employ 1 or more aliens as nonimmigrants 
     described in section 101(a)(15)(L)--
       ``(I) the Secretary of Homeland Security may impose such 
     other administrative remedies (including civil monetary 
     penalties in an amount not to exceed $2,000 per violation) as 
     the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
       ``(II) the Secretary of Homeland Security may not, during a 
     period of at least 1 year, approve a petition for that 
     employer to employ 1 or more aliens as such nonimmigrants.
       ``(ii) If the Secretary of Homeland Security finds, after 
     notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure by 
     an employer to meet a condition under subparagraph (F), (G), 
     (H), (I), or (K) or a misrepresentation of material fact in a 
     petition to employ 1 or more aliens as nonimmigrants 
     described in section 101(a)(15)(L)--
       ``(I) the Secretary of Homeland Security may impose such 
     other administrative remedies (including civil monetary 
     penalties in an amount not to exceed $10,000 per violation) 
     as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
       ``(II) the Secretary of Homeland Security may not, during a 
     period of at least 2 years, approve a petition filed for that 
     employer to employ 1 or more aliens as such nonimmigrants.
       ``(iii) If the Secretary of Homeland Security finds, after 
     notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a willful failure by 
     an employer to meet a condition under subparagraph (L)(i)--
       ``(I) the Secretary of Homeland Security may impose such 
     other administrative remedies (including civil monetary 
     penalties in an amount not to exceed $10,000 per violation) 
     as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
       ``(II) the employer shall be liable to employees harmed for 
     lost wages and benefits.''.
       (f) Wage Determination.--
       (1) Change in minimum wages.--Section 214(c)(2) of such 
     Act, as amended by this section, is further amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(K)(i) An employer that employs a nonimmigrant described 
     in section 101(a)(15)(L) shall--
       ``(I) offer such nonimmigrant, during the period of 
     authorized employment, wages, based on the best information 
     available at the time the application is filed, which are not 
     less than the highest of--

       ``(aa) the locally determined prevailing wage level for the 
     occupational classification in the area of employment;
       ``(bb) the median average wage for all workers in the 
     occupational classification in the area of employment; or
       ``(cc) the median wage for skill level 2 in the 
     occupational classification found in the most recent 
     Occupational Employment Statistics survey; and

       ``(II) provide working conditions for such nonimmigrant 
     that will not adversely affect the working conditions of 
     workers similarly employed.
       ``(ii) If an employer, in such previous period specified by 
     the Secretary of Homeland Security, employed 1 or more L-1 
     nonimmigrants, the employer shall provide to the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security the Internal Revenue Service Form W-2 Wage 
     and Tax Statement filed by the employer with respect to such 
     nonimmigrants for such period.
       ``(iii) It is a failure to meet a condition under this 
     subparagraph for an employer, who has filed a petition to 
     import 1 or more aliens as nonimmigrants described in section 
     101(a)(15)(L), to--
       ``(I) require such a nonimmigrant to pay a penalty for 
     ceasing employment with the employer before a date mutually 
     agreed to by the nonimmigrant and the employer; or
       ``(II) fail to offer to such a nonimmigrant, during the 
     nonimmigrant's period of authorized employment, on the same 
     basis, and in accordance with the same criteria, as the 
     employer offers to United States workers, benefits and 
     eligibility for benefits, including--

       ``(aa) the opportunity to participate in health, life, 
     disability, and other insurance plans;
       ``(bb) the opportunity to participate in retirement and 
     savings plans; and
       ``(cc) cash bonuses and noncash compensation, such as stock 
     options (whether or not based on performance)).

       ``(iv) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall determine 
     whether a required payment under clause (iii)(I) is a penalty 
     (and not liquidated damages) pursuant to relevant State 
     law.''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall apply to applications filed on or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 5. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS.

       (a) H-1B Whistleblower Protections.--Section 
     212(n)(2)(C)(iv) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1182(n)(2)(C)(iv)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``take, fail to take, or threaten to take 
     or fail to take, a personnel action, or'' before ``to 
     intimidate''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following: ``An employer that 
     violates this clause shall be liable to the employees harmed 
     by such violation for lost wages and benefits.''.

[[Page S4173]]

       (b) L-1 Whistleblower Protections.--Section 214(c)(2) of 
     such Act, as amended by section 4, is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(L)(i) It is a violation of this subparagraph for an 
     employer who has filed a petition to import 1 or more aliens 
     as nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(L) to take, 
     fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to take, a 
     personnel action, or to intimidate, threaten, restrain, 
     coerce, blacklist, discharge, or discriminate in any other 
     manner against an employee because the employee--
       ``(I) has disclosed information that the employee 
     reasonably believes evidences a violation of this subsection, 
     or any rule or regulation pertaining to this subsection; or
       ``(II) cooperates or seeks to cooperate with the 
     requirements of this subsection, or any rule or regulation 
     pertaining to this subsection.
       ``(ii) An employer that violates this subparagraph shall be 
     liable to the employees harmed by such violation for lost 
     wages and benefits.
       ``(iii) In this subparagraph, the term `employee' 
     includes--
       ``(I) a current employee;
       ``(II) a former employee; and
       ``(III) an applicant for employment.''.

     SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT OF LABOR EMPLOYEES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor is authorized to 
     hire 200 additional employees to administer, oversee, 
     investigate, and enforce programs involving H-1B nonimmigrant 
     workers.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
     this section.
                                 ______