[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

117 STAT. 1944]]

Public Law 108-156
108th Congress

An Act


 
To extend and expand the basic pilot program for [NOTE: Dec. 3,
2003 -  [S. 1685]] employment eligibility verification, and for other
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of [NOTE: Basic Pilot Program
Extension and Expansion Act of 2003.] Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. [NOTE: 8 USC 1101 note.] SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Basic Pilot Program Extension and
Expansion Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PROGRAMS.

Section 401(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note) is amended by striking
``6-year period'' and inserting ``11-year period''.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF THE BASIC PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) In [NOTE: Deadline.] General.--Section 401(c)(1) of the
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8
U.S.C. 1324a note) is amended by inserting after ``United States'' the
following: ``, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall expand the
operation of the program to all 50 States not later than December 1,
2004''.

(b) Report.--Section 405 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The'' and inserting:

``(a) In General.--The'', and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

``(b) Report [NOTE: Deadline.] on Expansion.--Not later than June
1, 2004, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the
Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the
Senate a report--
``(1) evaluating whether the problems identified by the
report submitted under subsection (a) have been substantially
resolved; and
``(2) describing what actions the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall take before undertaking the expansion of the
basic pilot program to all 50 States in accordance with section
401(c)(1), in order to resolve any outstanding problems raised
in the report filed under subsection (a).''.

(c) Conforming Amendments.--Section 402(c) of the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C.
1324a note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``or entity elect-
ing--'' and all that follows through ``(ii) the citizen
attestation

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117 STAT. 1945

pilot program'' and inserting ``or entity electing the citizen
attestation pilot program'';
(2) by striking paragraph (3); and
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).

(d) Additional [NOTE: 8 USC 1360 note.] Technical and Conforming
Amendments.--Title IV of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note) is amended by striking
``Attorney General'' each place that term appears and inserting
``Secretary of Homeland Security''.

SEC. 4. PILOT IMMIGRATION PROGRAM.

(a) Processing Priority Under Pilot Immigration Program for Regional
Centers To Promote Economic Growth.--Section 610 of the Departments of
Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 1993 (8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place such term
appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:

``(d) In processing petitions under section 204(a)(1)(H) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(H)) for
classification under section 203(b)(5) of such Act (8 U.S.C.
1153(b)(5)), the Secretary of Homeland Security may give priority to
petitions filed by aliens seeking admission under the pilot program
described in this section. Notwithstanding section 203(e) of such Act (8
U.S.C. 1153(e)), immigrant visas made available under such section
203(b)(5) may be issued to such aliens in an order that takes into
account any priority accorded under the preceding sentence.''.
(b) Extension.--Section 610(b) of the Departments of Commerce,
Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act, 1993 (8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended by striking ``10 years'' and
inserting ``15 years''.

SEC. 5. [NOTE: 8 USC 1153 note.] GAO STUDY.

(a) In [NOTE: Deadline. Reports.] General.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act, the General Accounting Office
shall report to Congress on the immigrant investor program created under
section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1153(b)(5)).

(b) Contents.--The report described in subsection (a) shall include
information regarding--
(1) the number of immigrant investors that have received
visas under the immigrant investor program in each year since
the inception of the program;
(2) the country of origin of the immigrant investors;
(3) the localities where the immigrant investors are
settling and whether those investors generally remain in the
localities where they initially settle;
(4) the number of immigrant investors that have sought to
become citizens of the United States;

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(5) the types of commercial enterprises that the immigrant
investors have established; and
(6) the types and number of jobs created by the immigrant
investors.

Approved December 3, 2003.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1685 (H.R. 2359):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108-304, Pts. 1 and 2 accompanying H.R. 2359 (Comm.
on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
Nov. 12, considered and passed Senate.
Nov. 19, considered and passed House.