[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10181-S10182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ACCREDITATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING PROGRAMS

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3658, which was introduced 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3658) to require the accreditation of English 
     language training programs, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SALAZAR. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three 
times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, with 
no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the 
measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 3658) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 3658

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

     SECTION 1. ACCREDITATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Section 101(a) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (15)(F)(i), by striking ``a language'' and 
     inserting ``an accredited language''; and

[[Page S10182]]

       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(52) The term `accredited language training program' 
     means a language training program that is accredited by an 
     accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of 
     Education.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     amendments made by subsection (a) shall--
       (A) take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act; and
       (B) apply with respect to applications for a nonimmigrant 
     visa under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i)) that are filed 
     on or after the effective date described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Temporary exception.--
       (A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended by 
     subsection (a), during the 3-year period beginning on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, an alien seeking to enter 
     the United States to pursue a course of study at a language 
     training program that has been certified by the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security and has not been accredited or denied 
     accreditation by an entity described in section 101(a)(52) of 
     such Act may be granted a nonimmigrant visa under such 
     section 101(a)(15)(F)(i).
       (B) Additional requirement.--An alien may not be granted a 
     nonimmigrant visa under subparagraph (A) if the sponsoring 
     institution of the language training program to which the 
     alien seeks to enroll does not--
       (i) submit an application for the accreditation of such 
     program to a regional or national accrediting agency 
     recognized by the Secretary of Education within 1 year after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act; and
       (ii) comply with the applicable accrediting requirements of 
     such agency.

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