[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 107 (Thursday, June 23, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3148-S3149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BRIDGING THE GAP FOR NEW AMERICANS ACT
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee be discharged from further
consideration of S. 3157, 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 senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 3157) to require the Secretary of Labor to
conduct a study of the factors affecting employment
opportunities for immigrants and refugees with professional
credentials obtained in foreign countries.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I further ask that the bill be considered
read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 3157) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed as follows:
S. 3157
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 ``Bridging the Gap for New
Americans Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Applicable immigrants and refugees.--The term
``applicable immigrants and refugees''--
(A) means individuals who--
(i)(I) are not citizens or nationals of the United States;
and
(II) are lawfully present in the United States and
authorized to be employed in the United States; or
(ii) are naturalized citizens of the United States who were
born outside of the United States and its outlying
possessions; and
(B) includes individuals described in section 602(b)(2) of
the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (title VI of
division F of Public Law 111-8; 8 U.S.C. 1101 note).
(2) Other terms.--Except as otherwise defined in this
section, terms used in this Act have the definitions given
such terms under section 101(a) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).
SEC. 3. STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WITH PROFESSIONAL
CREDENTIALS OBTAINED IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
(a) Study Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor, in coordination
with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of
Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service, and the
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, shall
conduct a study of the factors affecting employment
opportunities in the United States for
[[Page S3149]]
applicable immigrants and refugees who have professional
credentials that were obtained in a country other than the
United States.
(2) Work with other entities.--The Secretary of Labor shall
seek to work with relevant nonprofit organizations and State
agencies to use the existing data and resources of such
entities to conduct the study required under paragraph (1).
(3) Limitations on disclosure.--Any information provided to
the Secretary of Labor in connection with the study required
under paragraph (1)--
(A) may only be used for the purposes of, and to the extent
necessary to ensure the efficient operation of, such study;
and
(B) may not be disclosed to any other person or entity
except as provided under this subsection.
(b) Inclusions.--The study required under subsection (a)(1)
shall include--
(1) an analysis of the employment history of applicable
immigrants and refugees admitted to the United States during
the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of the
enactment of this Act, which shall include, to the extent
practicable--
(A) a comparison of the employment applicable immigrants
and refugees held before immigrating to the United States
with the employment they obtained in the United States, if
any, since their arrival; and
(B) the occupational and professional credentials and
academic degrees held by applicable immigrants and refugees
before immigrating to the United States;
(2) an assessment of any barriers that prevent applicable
immigrants and refugees from using occupational experience
obtained outside the United States to obtain employment in
the United States;
(3) an analysis of available public and private resources
assisting applicable immigrants and refugees who have
professional experience and qualifications obtained outside
of the United States to obtain skill-appropriate employment
in the United States; and
(4) policy recommendations for better enabling applicable
immigrants and refugees who have professional experience and
qualifications obtained outside of the United States to
obtain skill-appropriate employment in the United States.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall--
(1) submit a report to Congress that describes the results
of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a); and
(2) make such report publicly available on the website of
the Department of Labor.
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