[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 131 (Monday, September 27, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S7559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ACCREDITATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be
discharged from further consideration S. 1338 and the Senate proceed to
its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk
will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1338) to require the accreditation of English language
training programs, and for other purposes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S7559, September 27, 2010, in the first column, under
the heading ACCREDITATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE, the following
appears: A bill (S. 1338) to require the accreditation of English
language, and for other purposes.
The Record has been corrected to read: A bill (S. 1338) to
require the accreditation of English language training programs,
and for other purposes.
========================= END NOTE =========================
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. CASEY. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no
intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the
Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill, (S. 1338) was read ordered to be engrossed for a third
reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 1338
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
(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.
____________________