Pending Immigration-Related Legislation, Sept. 14, 1999

SENATE – PASSED LEGISLATION
Bill No.	Title/Description	History of Legislation
S.1217	COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE BILL A bill making appropriations for the Department of Commerce, Justice, State and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000. (Includes a repeal of Section 110.)	Passed Senate (amended) on 7/22/99.
S.886	STATE DEPT. AUTHORIZATION BILL A bill to authorize appropriations for the Department of State for fiscal years 2000 and 2001. (Includes a repeal of Section 110.)	Introduced by Helms (R-NC); passed Senate 98-1; 6/22/99. [See related bills S404, S745, S1199, SConRes41, SRes96, HR1211, S679, S1129 and SConRes39.]
SENATE – RECENTLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATION
Bill No.	Title/Description	History of Legislation
S.1563	INS REORGANIZATION A bill to establish the Immigration Affairs Agency within the DOJ, and for other purposes.	Introduced by Abraham (R-MI), Kennedy (D-MA) and 1 other; referred to Judiciary Committee; 8/5/99.
S.1552	JUDICIAL JURISDICTION ("LATE AMNESTY") A bill to eliminate the limitation on judicial jurisdiction imposed by section 377 of IIRAIRA, and for other purposes.	Introduced by Reid (D-NV); referred to Judiciary Committee; 8/5/99.
SENATE – BILLS OF INTEREST
Bill No.	Title/Description	History of Legislation
S.1440	H-1B BILL A bill to promote economic growth and opportunity by increasing the level of visas available for highly specialized scientists and engineers and by eliminating the earnings penalty on senior citizens who continue to work after reaching retirement age.	Introduced by Gramm (R-TX) and 4 others; referred to Finance Committee; 7/27/99. [See related bill H.R.2698.]
S.1375	ANTI-ATROCITY DEPORTATION A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to provide that aliens who commit acts of torture abroad are inadmissible and removable and to establish within the criminal division of the Department of Justice an Office of Special Investigations having responsibilities under that Act with respect to all alien participants in acts of genocide and torture abroad.	Introduced by Leahy (D-VT) and one other; referred to Judiciary Committee; 7/15/99.
S.1249	BENEFITS A bill to deny federal public benefits to individuals who participated in Nazi persecution.	Introduced by Torricelli (D-NJ); referred to Judiciary Committee; 6/21/99. [See related bill H.R.1788.]
S.1242	VISA WAIVER PROGRAM A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to make permanent the visa waiver program for certain visitors to the United States.	Introduced by Akaka (D-HI) and 4 others; referred to Judiciary Committee; 6/18/99.

S.1227	IMMIGRANT HEALTH BENEFITS A bill to amend title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide states with the option to allow legal immigrant pregnant women and children to be eligible for medical assistance, and for other purposes.	Introduced by Chafee (R-RI) and 7 others; referred to Finance Committee; 6/16/99. [See related bill S.792.]
S.890	NATURALIZATION A bill to facilitate the naturalization of aliens who served with special guerilla units or irregular forces in Laos.	Introduced by Wellstone (D-MN) and 6 others; referred to Judiciary Committee; 4/27/99. [See related bill H.R.371.]
S.871	VETERANS RELIEF A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to ensure that veterans of the U.S. armed forces are eligible for discretionary relief from detention, deportation, exclusion, and removal.	Introduced by Leahy (D-VT); referred to Judiciary Committee; 4/22/99. [See related bill H.R.2287.]
S.792	IMMIGRANT BENEFITS A bill to amend title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide states with the option to allow legal immigrant pregnant women, children, and blind or disabled medically needy individuals to be eligible for medical assistance under the Medicaid program.	Introduced by Daschle (D-SD) and 15 others; referred to Finance Committee; April 14, 1999. [See related bills H.R.1399 and S.1227.]
S.745	SECTION 110 A bill to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the requirements for implementation of an entry-exit control system.	Introduced by Abraham (R-MI) and 27 others; referred to Judiciary Committee; 3/25/99. [See related bills H.R.1650 and S.886.]
S.677	FOREIGN STUDENTS A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to provide a limited waiver of a requirement for reimbursement of local educational agencies for the costs of foreign students’ education in certain cases.	Introduced by Lugar (R-IN); referred to Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99. [Related bill H.R.183.]
S.656	LIBERIAN RELIEF A bill to provide for the adjustment of status of certain nationals of Liberia to that of lawful permanent residence.	Introduced by Reed (D-RI); referred to Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99.
S.484	AMERASIAN REFUGEES A bill to provide for the granting of refugee status in the U.S. to nationals of certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam War POW/MIAs or American Korean War POW/MIAs may be present, if those nationals assist in the return to the U.S. of those POW/MIAs alive.	Introduced by Campbell (R-CO) and 23 others; referred to Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99. [See related bill H.R.1926.]
S.455	NURSES A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act with respect to the requirements for the admission of nonimmigrant nurses who will practice in health professional shortage areas.	Introduced by Durbin (D-IL) and 2 others; referred Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99.
S.318	AMERASIANS To amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to facilitate the immigration to the U.S. of certain aliens born in the Philippines or Japan who were fathered by U.S. citizens.	Introduced by Inouye (D-HI); referred to Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99. [See related bill H.R.1128.]
S.245	VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN A bill to reauthorize the federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes. Would provide additional relief for battered immigrant spouses and children.	Introduced by Hatch (R-UT); referred to Judiciary Committee; 1/19/99. [See related bill S.51.]
S.173	IIRAIRA A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to revise amendments made by IIRAIRA.	Introduced by Moynihan (D-NY); referred to Immigration Subcommittee; 3/24/99.
S.51	VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN A bill to reauthorize the federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes.	Introduced by Biden (D-DE) and 43 others; referred to Judiciary Committee; 1/19/99. [See related bills S.245 and H.R.422.]

HOUSE – PASSED LEGISLATION
Bill No.	Title/Description	History of Legislation
H.R.2670	CJS APPROPRIATIONS BILL A bill making appropriations for the Department of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000.	Introduced by Rogers (R-KY); passed House 217-210 on 8/5/99. [See related bills S.1217 and H.Res.273.]
H.R.441	NURSES A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act with respect to the requirements for the admission of nonimmigrant nurses who will practice in health professional shortage areas.	Introduced by Rush (D-IL) and Hyde (R-IL); passed House under suspension of the rules. Reported to Senate from Judiciary Committee on 6/24/99. [See related bill H.R.414.]
HOUSE – RECENTLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATION
Bill No.	Title/Description	History of Legislation
H.R.2741	ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS A bill to adjust the immigration status of certain Colombian and Peruvian nationals who are in the U.S.	Introduced by Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and 8 others; referred to Immigration & Claims Subcommittee; 8/24/99.
H.R.2722	NACARA A bill to amend NACARA to provide to certain nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti an opportunity to apply for adjustment of status under that act.	Introduced by Smith, C. (R-NJ) and 27 others; referred to Immigration & Claims Subcommittee; 8/24/99.
H.R.2721	VOTING A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to preclude the removal of an alien who unlawfully voted solely due to a misunderstanding of his or her eligibility to vote or citizenship status.	Introduced by Mink (D-HI); referred to Immigration & Claims Subcommittee; 8/24/99.
H.R.2698	INCREASING VISAS A bill to promote economic growth and opportunity by increasing the level of visas available for highly specialized scientists and engineers and by eliminating the earnings penalty on senior citizens who continue to work after reaching retirement age.	Introduced by Dreier (R-CA) and 3 others; referred to Immigration & Claims Subcommittee; 8/25/99. [See related bill S.1440.]
H.R.2687	5-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM A bill to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to establish a five-year pilot program under which certain aliens completing a postsecondary degree in mathematics, science, engineering, or computer science are permitted to change nonimmigrant classification in order to remain in the U.S. for a 5-year period for the purpose of working in one of those fields.	Introduced by Lofgren (D-CA) and 14 others; referred to Immigration & Claims Subcommittee; 8/11/99.
H.R.2680	INS REORGANIZATION A bill to replace the Immigration & Naturalization Service with the National Immigration Bureau, to separate the immigration enforcement and adjudication functions performed by officers and employees of the bureau reporting to the director, to amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to restore eligibility for adjustment of status under section 245(i) of that act and to restructure the use of fees collected for providing adjudication and naturalization services, and for other purposes.	Introduced by Jackson-Lee (D-TX) and 4 others; referred to Judiciary Committee; 8/3/99.