H.R. 739House117th Congress (2021-2023)Passed House

For the relief of Median El-Moustrah.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 10:06 PM UTC

The bill provides Median El‑Moustrah with a path to lawful permanent residence in the United States. It overrides certain sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act to let him obtain an immigrant visa or adjust status, even if he has prior removal or inadmissibility grounds, as long as he files an application within two years. The law also requires the Department of Homeland Security to cancel any existing removal order against him. The provisions apply only to him and limit immigration benefits for his immediate relatives.

Key Provisions

Allows Median El‑Moustrah to apply for an immigrant visa or adjust status to permanent resident, despite existing immigration restrictions
Treats him as lawfully present if he enters before the filing deadline and is otherwise eligible for adjustment of status
Waives all grounds for removal or denial of admission and directs DHS to rescind any existing removal or inadmissibility orders against him
Requires the application and fee to be submitted within two years of the law’s enactment
Reduces the overall immigrant visa allocation for his country of birth by one visa for the fiscal year
Bars his natural parents, brothers, and sisters from receiving any immigration preference based on their relationship to him

Legislative Activity

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14 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

June 8, 2022

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 2, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Judiciary Committee

February 2, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee

March 22, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Discharged.

Judiciary Committee

September 29, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Judiciary Committee

September 29, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Judiciary Committee

September 29, 2021

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-340, Part I.

Judiciary Committee

June 3, 2022

HouseCommittee

Committee on the Budget discharged.

Budget Committee

June 3, 2022

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Private Calendar, Calendar No. 4.

June 3, 2022

HouseFloor

Called up from the Private Calendar for consideration.

June 7, 2022 • 2:05 PM

HouseFloor

Considered from the Private Calendar. (consideration: CR H5238-5239)

June 7, 2022 • 2:05 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.

June 7, 2022 • 2:05 PM

HouseFloor

On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H5238-5239)

June 7, 2022 • 2:05 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

June 7, 2022 • 2:05 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

June 8, 2022

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 739 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-10 · Oct 25, 2022

Madam Speaker, I rise, along with Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship to thank Anthony Valdez for his service to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Anthony…

Madam Speaker, I rise, along with Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship to thank Anthony Valdez for his service to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Anthony received his bachelor's degree and a master's in public policy from the University of Maryland. He first joined the Judiciary Committee as an intern with our Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. After nearly a year interning while in college, and a further fellowship with the committee, Anthony joined us permanently as Staff Assistant to the full committee in January 2020. That August, Anthony was named Professional Staff Member and Legislative Aide for the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

As Staff Assistant, Anthony supported the full committee's senior staff and me directly. As part of my administrative team, Anthony played a leading role in our committee's seamless transition to remote and hybrid work at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is remembered as a committed advocate and mentor by the many interns and incoming junior staff that he helped shepherd through our committee. Anthony was also a vital member in the Committee's oversight of the Trump Administration, which included pouring through critical evidence, assisting in Member preparation, and staffing high-profile congressional hearings. Regardless of the hour, Anthony answered the call of duty and became a trusted member of the Committee's impeachment and senate trial teams.

Finally, Anthony was promoted again to serve as Professional Staff and Legislative Aide to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. For two years Anthony served as clerk for all Immigration subcommittee business and his work was essential to the success of much of the subcommittee's activities. Substantively, Anthony was the point person on private bills and was instrumental in the passage of five private bills this Congress, H.R. 187, H.R. 680, H.R. 681, H.R. 739, and H.R. 785. He worked with counsel to prepare myself and Ms. Lofgren for the annual refugee consultation and helped us fight to raise the refugee admissions goal and increase processing. Anthony also contributed significantly to our markup of H.R. 3648, the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment Act of 2022 or the EAGLE Act of 2022.

For nearly four years, I have been fortunate to count Anthony among my team. I, and the American people, have greatly benefited from his passion for public service, his fine character, and his commitment to excellence. Through extraordinarily demanding times, Anthony was dependable and contributed substantially with diligence and good humor. We will greatly miss Anthony as he heads off to the University of Virginia School of Law, but we look forward to following his next steps in public service and the law.

We thank Anthony Valdez for his service to the Committee and wish him the best of luck with this new chapter.

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued June 8, 2022

VIII

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 739

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 8 (legislative day, June 7), 2022

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

AN ACT

For the relief of Median El-Moustrah.

Permanent resident status for Median El-Moustrah

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Median El-Moustrah shall be eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa under section 204 of such Act or for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.

(b)

Adjustment of status

If Median El-Moustrah enters the United States before the filing deadline specified in subsection (c), he shall be considered to have entered and remained lawfully and shall, if otherwise eligible, be eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c)

Waiver of grounds for removal or denial of admission

(1)

In general

Notwithstanding sections 212(a) and 237(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Median El-Moustrah may not be removed from the United States, denied admission to the United States, or considered ineligible for lawful permanent residence in the United States by reason of any ground for removal or denial of admission that is reflected in the records of the Department of Homeland Security or the Visa Office of the Department of State on the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2)

Rescission of outstanding order of removal

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall rescind any outstanding order of removal or deportation, or any finding of inadmissibility or deportability, that has been entered against Median El-Moustrah by reason of any ground described in paragraph (1).

(d)

Deadline for application and payment of fees

Subsections (a) and (b) shall apply only if the application for issuance of an immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status is filed with appropriate fees within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(e)

Reduction of immigrant visa number

Upon the granting of an immigrant visa or permanent residence to Median El-Moustrah, the Secretary of State shall instruct the proper officer to reduce by 1, during the current or next following fiscal year, the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of the alien’s birth under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act or, if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of the alien’s birth under section 202(e) of such Act.

(f)

Denial of preferential immigration treatment for certain relatives

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.

Determination of Budgetary Effects

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

Passed the House of Representatives June 7, 2022.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.