[104th Congress Public Law 302]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ302.104]


[[Page 110 STAT. 3656]]

Public Law 104-302
104th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  To extend the authorized period of stay within the United States for 
          certain nurses. <<NOTE: Oct. 11, 1996 -  [S. 2197]>> 

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

SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1182 note.>>  EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZED PERIOD OF 
            STAY FOR CERTAIN NURSES.

    (a) Aliens Who Previously Entered the United States Pursuant to an 
H-1A Visa.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
        the authorized period of stay in the United States of any 
        nonimmigrant described in paragraph (2) is hereby extended 
        through September 30, 1997.
            (2) Nonimmigrant described.--A nonimmigrant described in 
        this paragraph is a nonimmigrant--
                    (A) who entered the United States as a nonimmigrant 
                described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(a) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act;
                    (B) who was within the United States on or after 
                September 1, 1995, and who is within the United States 
                on the date of the enactment of this Act; and
                    (C) whose period of authorized stay has expired or 
                would expire before September 30, 1997 but for the 
                provisions of this section.
            (3) Limitations.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
        to extend the validity of any visa issued to a nonimmigrant 
        described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(a) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act or to authorize the re-entry of any person 
        outside the United States on the date of the enactment of this 
        Act.

    (b) Change of Employment.--A nonimmigrant whose authorized period of 
stay is extended by operation of this section shall not be eligible to 
change employers in accordance with section 214.2(h)(2)(i)(D) of title 
8, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the day before the date 
of the enactment of this Act).
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall issue regulations to 
carry out the provisions of this section.
    (d) Interim Treatment.--A nonimmigrant whose authorized period of 
stay is extended by operation of this section, and the spouse and child 
of such nonimmigrant, shall be considered as having continued to 
maintain lawful status as a nonimmigrant through September 30, 1997.

[[Page 110 STAT. 3657]]

SEC. 2. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.

    Effective on September 30, 1996, <<NOTE: Effective date.>> subtitle 
A of title III of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
Responsibility Act of 1996 is amended--
            (1) in section 306(c)(1), <<NOTE: 8 USC 1252 note.>>  by 
        striking ``to all final'' and all that follows through ``Act 
        and''and inserting ``as provided under section 309, except 
        that'';
            (2) in section 309(c)(1), <<NOTE: 8 USC 1101 note.>>  by 
        striking ``as of'' and inserting ``before''; and
            (3) in section 309(c)(4), by striking ``described in 
        paragraph (1)''.

    Approved October 11, 1996.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2197:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996):
            Oct. 3, considered and passed Senate.
            Oct. 4, considered and passed House.

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