[House Report 116-598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress   }                                             {   Report
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                             {  116-598

======================================================================



 
                  FOR THE RELIEF OF MEDIAN EL-MOUSTRAH

                                _______
                                

November 18, 2020.--Referred to the Private Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

    Mr. Nadler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 7572]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R. 7572) for the relief of Median El-Moustrah, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     1
Background and Need for the Legislation..........................     2
Hearings.........................................................     3
Committee Consideration..........................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     3
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     3
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................     4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................     4
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     5
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     5
Advisory on Earmarks.............................................     5
Section-by-Section Analysis......................................     5

                          Purpose and Summary

    H.R. 7572, ``For the relief of Median El-Moustrah,'' would 
provide the beneficiary of this private bill, Mr. El-Moustrah, 
with an opportunity to obtain lawful permanent resident status 
in the United States.

                Background and Need for the Legislation


                       A. IMMIGRATION BACKGROUND

    Median El-Moustrah was born in Lebanon and has lived in the 
United States for nearly 30 years. In 1993, he was granted 
conditional permanent residence based on his marriage to Ms. 
Patricia Stack, a U.S. citizen. Shortly after obtaining such 
status, the couple began having marital problems, separated, 
and divorced. Mr. El-Moustrah's petition to remove the 
conditions on his permanent residence was denied and he was 
placed in removal proceedings. He was ordered removed in 2011, 
after an immigration judge determined that he failed to 
overcome the statutory presumption that his marriage was not 
bona fide. On June 4, 2007, Mr. El-Moustrah married his current 
spouse, Ayda Mehri, a U.S. citizen, and became stepfather to 
her three U.S. citizen children, who are now grown. Mr. El-
Moustrah is part-owner of a gas station, which serves as the 
primary source of income for his household.
    On April 26, 2018, Mr. El-Moustrah was scheduled for 
removal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but 
removal was suspended at the direction of the ICE Field Medical 
Coordinator. In November 2019, Mr. El-Moustrah was detained by 
ICE, but was released in March 2020 due to his elevated risk of 
serious complications resulting from exposure to COVID-19. 
Since January 2013, Mr. El-Moustrah has been granted successive 
stays of removal, most recently on August 11, 2020, for a 
period of six months.

                         B. MEDICAL CONDITIONS

    Mr. El-Moustrah suffers from chronic liver disease 
(decompensated cirrhosis) due to Hepatitis B, as well numerous 
other conditions, including esophageal tears, hypertension, 
hyperglycemia, and Type 2 diabetes. He requires regular 
testing, monitoring, and treatment for complications from these 
conditions and will eventually require a liver transplant. He 
also suffers from significant deafness in his left ear and has 
a cochlear implant in his right ear to restore lost hearing. 
Mr. El-Moustrah has private medical insurance in the United 
States that allows him to afford his various medical 
treatments. Medical experts confirm that Mr. El-Moustrah should 
not fly or depart the United States due to his conditions. The 
Chief of Gastroenterology at the Lebanese American University 
confirms that a liver transplant is not available in Lebanon, 
and that Mr. El-Moustrah's life would be in jeopardy if he is 
removed to Lebanon.

   C. HOUSE PRECEDENT FOR CONSIDERATION OF PRIVATE IMMIGRATION BILLS

    In the modern era, Congress has passed numerous private 
bills for similarly situated individuals, including in cases 
where the beneficiary, or the U.S. citizen spouse or child of a 
beneficiary, suffered from a serious illness and could not 
receive proper treatment in the beneficiary's home country.
    For example, in the 106th Congress, the House passed a 
private bill for Marina Khalina and her son Albert Kifakov, the 
latter of whom had cerebral palsy and would require lifelong 
medical treatment that was unavailable in their home country of 
Russia.\1\ Also in the 106th Congress, the House passed a 
private bill for the relief of Jacqueline Salinas--who was 
paralyzed from the waist down--and her children, one of whom 
was afflicted with bone cancer.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\See H.R. Rep. No. 106-956 (2000); See also S. 150, 106th Cong. 
(1999).
    \2\See H.R. Rep. No. 106-962 (2000); See also S. 1513, 106th Cong. 
(1999).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In the 104th Congress, the House passed a private bill for 
Oscar Salas-Velazquez, whose U.S. citizen child and wife were 
carriers of an antigen that predisposes them to developing 
Reiter's syndrome--a severe, disabling, incurable arthritic 
disease which can be triggered by an intestinal infection from 
organisms widespread in Mexico.\3\ Requiring Mr. Salas-
Velazquez's wife and child to join him in Mexico would very 
likely result in the development of Reiter's syndrome.\4\ In 
the 106th Congress, the House also passed a private bill for 
Saeed Rezai, whose U.S. citizen wife was stricken with multiple 
sclerosis.\5\ Medical professionals indicated that her 
condition would likely deteriorate rapidly from the severe 
stress resulting from her husband's removal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\See H.R. Rep. No. 104-810 (1996); See also H.R. 1031, 104th 
Cong. (1995).
    \4\Id.
    \5\See H.R. Rep. No. 106-905 (2000); See also H.R. 5266, 106th 
Cong. (2000).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Similarly, Mr. El-Moustrah and his U.S. citizen wife would 
suffer extreme hardship if he were forced to return to his home 
country of Lebanon, where he will not have access to the level 
of care he receives in the United States to treat his various 
conditions. Further, without a liver transplant--which he 
ultimately requires, and which is unavailable in Lebanon--Mr. 
El-Moustrah's conditions will worsen leading to his death. As 
such, the Committee has determined that H.R. 7572 meets the 
medical condition precedent.

                                Hearings

    The Committee on the Judiciary held no hearings on H.R. 
7572.

                        Committee Consideration

    On September 9, 2020, the Committee met in open session and 
ordered the bill, H.R. 7572, favorably reported without 
amendment, by a voice vote, a quorum being present.

                            Committee Votes

    In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that there 
were no recorded votes during the Committee's consideration of 
H.R. 7572.

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the 
findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on 
oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the 
descriptive portions of this report.

               New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable because this legislation does 
not provide new budgetary authority or increased tax 
expenditures.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee sets forth, with 
respect to the bill, H.R. 7572, the following estimate and 
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 22, 2020.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for these four bills:
           H.R. 631, For the relief of Arpita Kurdekar, 
        Girish Kurdekar, and Vandana Kurdekar;
           H.R. 4225, For the relief of Maria Isabel 
        Bueso Barrera, Alberto Bueso Mendoza, and Karla Maria 
        Barrera De Bueso;
           H.R. 7146, For the relief of Victoria 
        Galindo Lopez; and
           H.R. 7572, For the relief of Median El-
        Moustrah.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David 
Rafferty.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
Enclosure.

cc:
        Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
        Ranking Member

        
        

    On September 9, 2020, the House Committee on the Judiciary 
ordered reported four bills that would allow the people named 
in each bill to become lawful permanent residents:
           H.R. 631, For the relief of Arpita Kurdekar, 
        Girish Kurdekar, and Vandana Kurdekar;
           H.R. 4225, For the relief of Maria Isabel 
        Bueso Barrera, Alberto Bueso Mendoza, and Karla Maria 
        Barrera De Bueso;
           H.R. 7146, For the relief of Victoria 
        Galindo Lopez; and
           H.R. 7572, For the relief of Median El-
        Moustrah.
    Enacting each of those four bills could increase direct 
spending and reduce revenues because lawful permanent residents 
are eligible for certain federal benefits, such as Medicaid and 
premium tax credits for health insurance purchased through the 
marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, if they 
otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for those benefits. 
CBO estimates that those effects would not be significant 
because of the small number of people who would be affected by 
each bill.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Rafferty. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    No provision of H.R. 7572 establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the federal government known to be duplicative of 
another federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

                    Performance Goals and Objectives

    The Committee states that pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H.R. 
7572 would provide Median El-Moustrah with an opportunity to 
obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

                          Advisory on Earmarks

    In accordance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, H.R. 7572 does not contain any 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

    The following discussion describes the bill as reported by 
the Committee.
    Sec. 1. Permanent resident status for Median El-Moustrah. 
Subsection (a) provides that Median El-Moustrah shall be 
eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of 
status to lawful permanent residence upon filing the 
appropriate application.
    Subsection (b) provides that if Median El-Moustrah enters 
the United States before the filing deadline specified in 
subsection (d), he shall be considered to have entered and 
remained lawfully and shall be eligible for adjustment of 
status as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
    Subsection (c)(1) provides that Median El-Moustrah may not 
be removed from the United States, denied admission, or 
considered ineligible for lawful permanent residence by reason 
of any ground for removal or inadmissibility that is reflected 
in the records of the Department of Homeland Security or the 
Department of State as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
    Subsection (c)(2) provides that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall rescind any outstanding orders of removal or 
deportation, or any finding of inadmissibility or 
deportability, that has been entered against Median El-
Moustrah.
    Subsection (d) requires Median El-Moustrah to apply for an 
immigrant visa or adjustment of status within 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
    Subsection (e) provides that upon granting an immigrant 
visa or permanent residence to Median El-Moustrah, the 
Secretary of State shall reduce by one, the total number of 
immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the 
country of his birth.
    Subsection (f) provides that the natural parents, brothers, 
and sisters of Median El-Moustrah shall not, by virtue of such 
relationship, be accorded any right, privilege, or status under 
the Immigration and Nationality Act.