[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 86 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF IRAQI AND AFGHANI TRANSLATORS AND 
   INTERPRETERS WHO MAY BE ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES AS SPECIAL 
                               IMMIGRANTS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a 
message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 1104) to 
increase the number of Iraqi and Afghani translators and interpreters 
who may be admitted to the United States as special immigrants.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the House of Representatives:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR CERTAIN ALIENS 
                   SERVING AS TRANSLATORS OR INTERPRETERS WITH 
                   FEDERAL AGENCIES.

       (a) Increase in Numbers Admitted.--Section 1059 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (8 
     U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1)--
       (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``as a translator'' 
     and inserting ``, or under Chief of Mission authority, as a 
     translator or interpreter'';
       (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``the Chief of 
     Mission or'' after ``recommendation from''; and
       (C) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``the Chief of 
     Mission or'' after ``as determined by''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``section during any 
     fiscal year shall not exceed 50.'' and inserting the 
     following: ``section--
       ``(A) during each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008, shall 
     not exceed 500; and
       ``(B) during any other fiscal year shall not exceed 50.''.
       (b) Aliens Exempt From Employment-Based Numerical 
     Limitations.--Section 1059(c)(2) of such Act is amended--
       (1) by amending the paragraph designation and heading to 
     read as follows:
       ``(2) Aliens exempt from employment-based numerical 
     limitations.--''; and
       (2) by inserting ``and shall not be counted against the 
     numerical limitations under sections 201(d), 202(a), and 
     203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1151(d), 1152(a), and 1153(b)(4))'' before the period at the 
     end.
       (c) Adjustment of Status; Naturalization.--Section 1059 of 
     such Act is further amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       ``(d) Adjustment of Status.--Notwithstanding paragraphs 
     (2), (7) and (8) of section 245(c) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255(c)), the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may adjust the status of an alien to that of a 
     lawful permanent resident under section 245(a) of such Act if 
     the alien--
       ``(1) was paroled or admitted as a nonimmigrant into the 
     United States; and
       ``(2) is otherwise eligible for special immigrant status 
     under this section and under the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act.
       ``(e) Naturalization.--
       ``(1) In general.--An absence from the United States 
     described in paragraph (2) shall not be considered to break 
     any period for which continuous residence in the United 
     States is required for naturalization under title III of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.).
       ``(2) Absence described.--An absence described in this 
     paragraph is an absence from the United States due to a 
     person's employment by the Chief of Mission or United States 
     Armed Forces, under contract with the Chief of Mission or 
     United States Armed Forces, or by a firm or corporation under 
     contract with the Chief of Mission or United States Armed 
     Forces, if--
       ``(A) such employment involved working with the Chief of 
     Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator or 
     interpreter; and
       ``(B) the person spent at least a portion of the time 
     outside of the United States working directly with the Chief 
     of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator or 
     interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan.''.

       Amend the title so as to read ``An Act to increase the 
     number of Iraqi and Afghani translators and interpreters who 
     may be admitted to the United States as special immigrants, 
     and for other purposes.''.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consented that the Senate concur in the 
House amendments, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, and 
any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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