[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1902-S1903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 796. A bill for the relief of Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian; 
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to reintroduce private relief 
legislation in the 116th Congress on behalf of Ruben Mkoian and Asmik 
Karapetian. The Mkoian family has been living in Fresno, California, 
for over 20 years. I continue to believe this family deserves Congress' 
special consideration for such an extraordinary form of relief as a 
private bill.
  The Mkoian family is originally from Armenia. They decided to leave 
Armenia for the United States in the early 1990s, following several 
incidents in which the family experienced harassment, vandalism and 
threats to their well-being.
  In Armenia, Ruben worked as a police sergeant on vehicle licensing. 
At one point, he was offered a bribe to register stolen vehicles, which 
he refused and reported to his superior, the police chief. He later 
learned that a co-worker had registered the vehicles at the request of 
the same chief.
  After Ruben reported the bribe offer to illegally register vehicles 
and said he'd call the police, his family store was vandalized and he 
received threatening phone calls telling him to keep quiet. A bottle of 
gasoline was thrown into his family's residence, burning it to the 
ground. In April 1992, several men entered the family store and 
assaulted Ruben, hospitalizing him for 22 days.
  Ruben, Asmik, and their son Arthur, who was 3 years old at the time, 
left Armenia and entered the United States on visitor visas. They 
applied for political asylum that same year on the

[[Page S1903]]

grounds that they would be subject to physical attacks if returned to 
Armenia. It took 16 years for their case to be finalized, with the 
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denying their asylum case in January 
2008.
  At this time, Ruben and Asmik have exhausted every option to obtain 
immigration relief in the United States. It would be a terrible shame 
to remove this family from the United States and to separate them from 
their son Arsen, who is 20 years old and a U.S. citizen. The Mkoians 
have worked hard to build a place for their family in California and 
are an integral part of their community.
  The family attends St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church in Fresno. They 
do charity work to send medical equipment to Armenia. Ruben works as a 
driver for Uber. He previously worked as a manager at a car wash in 
Fresno and as a truck driver for a California trucking company that 
described him as ``trustworthy,'' ``knowledgeable,'' and an asset to 
the company. Asmik has worked as a medical assistant the past 6 years 
at the Fresno Shield Medical Center.
  Reflecting their contributions to their community, Representatives 
George Radanovich (R-CA) and Jim Costa (D-CA) strongly supported this 
family's ability to remain in the United States. When I first 
introduced a private bill for the Mkoian family, I received more than 
200 letters of support and dozens of calls of support from friends and 
community members, attesting to the positive impact that this family 
has had in Fresno, California.
  I believe that this case warrants our compassion. I respectfully ask 
my colleagues to support this private legislation on behalf of the 
Mkoian family.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 796

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

     SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR RUBEN MKOIAN AND 
                   ASMIK KARAPETIAN.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of 
     section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1151), Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian shall each be 
     eligible for the issuance of an immigrant visa or for 
     adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted 
     for permanent residence upon filing an application for 
     issuance of an immigrant visa under section 204 of such Act 
     (8 U.S.C. 1154) or for adjustment of status to lawful 
     permanent resident.
       (b) Adjustment of Status.--If Ruben Mkoian or Asmik 
     Karapetian enters the United States before the filing 
     deadline specified in subsection (c), Ruben Mkoian or Asmik 
     Karapetian, as appropriate, shall be considered to have 
     entered and remained lawfully in the United States and shall 
     be eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and 
     (b) shall apply only if the application for the issuance of 
     an immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status 
     is filed with appropriate fees not later than two years after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon granting an 
     immigrant visa or permanent resident status to Ruben Mkoian 
     and Asmik Karapetian, the Secretary of State shall instruct 
     the proper officer to reduce by two, during the current or 
     next following fiscal year--
       (1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made 
     available to natives of the country of birth of Ruben Mkoian 
     and Asmik Karapetian under section 203(a) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
       (2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that 
     are made available to natives of the country of birth of 
     Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian under section 202(e) of 
     such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(e)).
       (e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the 
     purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 
     2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest 
     statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' 
     for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
     Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, 
     provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
     vote on passage.
                                 ______