[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E566-E567]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 EXTENDING CERTAIN IMMIGRATION PROGRAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
this bill reauthorizing two very important programs, the Non-Minister 
Religious Worker Program and the Program for Doctors Serving in 
Underserved Areas Program. I urge my colleagues to support this 
important bill that reauthorizes these much needed and much utilized 
programs.

[[Page E567]]

  ``The Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker Visa Program.'' 
The participants under this program have come under closer scrutiny as 
investigations have determined that the participants were engaging in 
fraud. The religious worker visa program allows U.S. religious 
denominations to fill critical religious worker positions for which 
there are no qualified candidates in the U.S. with qualified religious 
workers abroad. The program provides for two types of visas. The one is 
a special immigrant visa, which allows qualified religious workers to 
immigrate to the U.S. permanently and later become citizens if they so 
choose and meet the qualification. The other is the non-immigrant visa, 
which allows qualified religious workers to enter temporarily and 
perform services in the U.S. for a proscribed period. Both of these 
visas may be granted to both ministers and non-minister religious 
workers.
  This bill extends the program but does not provide for it to be in 
place permanently. I think that this bill is much needed and I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  The second program extended under this bill is the special program 
for doctors serving underserved communities. The Immigration and 
Nationality Act allows for foreign doctors to train in the United 
States under the ``J-1'' visa program, otherwise known as non-
immigrants in the ``Exchange Visitor Program.'' This Exchange Visitor 
Program seeks to promote peaceful relations and mutual understanding 
with other countries through educational and cultural exchange 
programs. Accordingly, many exchange visitors, including doctors in 
training, are subject to a requirement that they must return to their 
home country to share with their countrymen the knowledge, experience, 
and impressions gained during their stay in the United States. Unless 
USCIS approves a waiver of this requirement in those cases, the 
exchange visitors must depart from the United States and live in their 
home country for two years before they are allowed to apply for an 
immigrant visa, permanent residence, or a new nonimmigrant status.
  A waiver of the two year foreign residency requirement is available 
for doctors who have trained in the United States under the J-1 visa if 
a state or an interested federal agency sponsors the physician exchange 
visitor to work in a health manpower shortage area within the state for 
3 years as a non-immigrant in H-1B status (temporary worker in 
specialty occupation). The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
determines which areas have a health manpower shortage.
  This bill would extend this waiver to ensure that areas in the United 
States with a shortage of doctors have an option to hire a doctor with 
a J-1 visa for three years where there is no other doctor available to 
fill the job.
  As the immigrant doctors are getting a benefit so too should 
underserved Americans. In the underlying bill, I am pleased that my 
language was included. Specifically my language ensured that the 
underserved would indeed be served. My language provided:

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) Federal programs waiving the 2-year foreign residence 
     requirement under section 212(e) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(e)) for physicians are 
     generally designed to promote the delivery of critically 
     needed medical services to people in the United States 
     lacking adequate access to physician care; and
       (2) when determining the qualification of a location for 
     designation as a health professional shortage area, the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services should consider the 
     needs of vulnerable populations in low-income and 
     impoverished communities, communities with high infant 
     mortality rates, and communities exhibiting other signs of a 
     lack of necessary physician services.

  This language was included in the bill. I will continue to work with 
Congresswoman Lofgren and the Immigration Subcommittee to ensure that 
this happens.

                          ____________________