[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1580 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 303
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1580
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the special
immigrant religious worker program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 3, 2003
Mr. Hatch (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. DeWine, and Mr. Leahy)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
October 2, 2003
Reported by Mr. Hatch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the special
immigrant religious worker program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Religious Workers Act of
2003''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. PERMANENT EXTENSION OF SPECIAL IMMIGRANT RELIGIOUS
WORKER PROGRAM.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Section 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)(ii)) is
amended by striking ``2003'' each place that term appears and inserting
``2008''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on October 1, 2003.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT RELIGIOUS WORKER PROGRAM.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Religious
Workers Act of 2003''.
(b) Extension of Special Immigrant Religious Worker Program.--
(1) In general.--Section 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)(ii))
is amended by striking ``2003'' each place that term appears
and inserting ``2008''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect on October 1, 2003.
SEC. 2. 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. 3. GAO STUDY.
(a) In 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;
(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.
Calendar No. 303
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1580
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the special
immigrant religious worker program.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 2, 2003
Reported with an amendment