[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4700-S4701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           KNOWLEDGEABLE INNOVATORS AND WORTHY INVESTORS ACT

  Mr. LEE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 2245 
and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2245) to include New Zealand in the list of 
     foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission 
     into the United States as E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrants if United 
     States nationals are treated similarly by the Government of 
     New Zealand.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceed to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2245) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2245

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Knowledgeable Innovators and 
     Worthy Investors Act'' or the ``KIWI Act''.

     SEC. 2. NONIMMIGRANT TRADERS AND INVESTORS.

       For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii) of section 
     101(a)(15)(E) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(E)), New Zealand shall be considered to be 
     a foreign state described in such section if the Government 
     of New Zealand provides similar nonimmigrant status to 
     nationals of the United States.

  Mr. LEE. Madam President, it is an honor to be involved in the 
passage of this important legislation. The Knowledgeable Innovators and 
Worthy Investors Act, or KIWI Act, is a bipartisan bill that 
legislatively extends E-1 and E-2 visas to citizens of New Zealand. It 
does not increase the number of available visas.
  Granting access to these visas to New Zealand would increase both 
investment and trade into the United States and strengthen our 
relationship with New Zealand.
  New Zealand is, of course, a country that is critical to our 
relationships. We have a critical strategic military and economic 
partner in the Asia-Pacific region with New Zealand, and this 
legislation will further strengthen America's presence in the Asia-
Pacific region.
  E-1 and E-2 visas allow qualified foreign nationals to engage in 
substantial trade or to develop and direct the operations of an 
enterprise in which the individual is heavily invested.
  The United States will benefit from increased investment in trade 
with New Zealand. New Zealand's citizens and businesses currently make 
substantial investments in the United States. These businesses have 
created more than 10,000 jobs. In 2017, $10.5 billion in trade passed 
between the United States and New Zealand.
  Allowing New Zealanders to apply for E-1 and E-2 visas will affirm 
reciprocity and strengthen the United States' relationship with New 
Zealand. Again, this is a country that is a critical ally and a partner 
in the Asia-Pacific region, and it will also increase the United 
States' presence in that region.
  New Zealand is the only Five-Eyes country whose citizens are 
currently ineligible to apply for these visas, while American citizens 
are currently eligible for reciprocal visas in New Zealand. So I am 
grateful and honored to be involved in moving this legislation.

[[Page S4701]]

I am grateful to my colleagues for consenting to this. I am grateful to 
have worked on this with my distinguished colleague, the Senator from 
Hawaii, who worked hard with me to put together this bipartisan piece 
of legislation that we have been fortunate enough to pass through the 
Senate today.
  Thank you.
  I see that my colleague from Hawaii is here.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I want to thank my colleague, the 
Senator from Utah, Mr. Lee, for working with me on the act that we just 
passed.

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