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Summary of Amendments Submitted to the Rules Committee on
H.R. 3231 - Barbara Jordan Immigration Reform and Accountability Act of 2002

 

(in alphabetical order)

Wednesday, April 24, 2002 (2:30 p.m.)

 

Baldwin/Jackson-Lee/Hostettler #5
Requires that the Office of Children’s Affairs, within the Office of Immigration Affairs, develop a plan, to be brought before Congress on how to ensure that unaccompanied alien children are appointed independent legal counsel, consistent with current law.

Bilirakis #10
Amends Section 641 of P.L. 104-208 to require the “names, ages, and other appropriate information concerning any spouse or child” to be contained on foreign student visas. Establishes a nine-month moratorium on the issuance of student visas, with exceptions, to allow the INS time to fully implement the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System. Requires the inclusion of a machine-readable photograph and biometric identifier on student visas and that these be cross-checked with all appropriate databases for each applicant. Prohibits an alien from entering the U.S. unless the photograph and biometric identifier contained on the documents matches the appropriate and facial biometric characteristics of the alien.

Flake #3
Authorizes the Directors of both the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Immigration Enforcement to establish a managerial rotation program.

Gutierrez #9
Amends Section 4 of the bill by having the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services conduct a study of the benefits to the U.S. of adjusting the immigration status of persons without immigration status in the U.S., and the costs of failing to do so. Gives the Director the flexibility to develop and execute the study and emphasizes the importance of evaluating the economic impact on businesses and all sectors of the economy throughout the U.S.

Hastings (FL) #4
Adjusts the immigration status of certain eligible Haitian aliens by granting them permanent resident status in the U.S. and includes provisions for permanent resident status when the alien is the spouse or child of an alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident.

Issa #2
Requires that all employees at the new Office of the Associate Attorney General for Immigration Affairs and the two new bureaus (Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Immigration Enforcement) be considered “excepted service” or at-will employees.

Jackson-Lee #13
Requires the General Accounting Office to conduct a study that examines whether the Bureau of Immigration Services can sustain itself as an agency if it operates with funds derived from fees, and if there is no authorized appropriations language included in the bill. LATE

Kolbe #1
Substitute. Establishes the Bureau for Immigration Enforcement for: inspections and admissions at air, land and sea ports of entry; border management and control between ports of entry; apprehension, prosecution, and removal of illegal residents and workers; identification and prosecution of document fraud; and identification, deterrence, and prosecution of alien smuggling gangs. Establishes an Undersecretary of State for Citizenship, Immigration, and Refugee Admissions: for adjudication of all immigrant petitions and issuance of visas at home and abroad; naturalization and determination of citizenship; determination of refugee status abroad and asylum claims at home; and determination of labor needs. Delegates all immigration-related worksite functions to the Department of Labor, such as, enforcement, regulation and investigation of employer compliance with hiring of foreign workers, and assessment of penalties if employers knowingly hire an illegal worker.

Lofgren/Cannon #11
Provides for a demonstration project relating to disciplinary action.

Lofgren/Cannon #12
Allows for expedited and simplified procurement of products or services. Provides that this authority lasts until 2004 and a report is required not later than one year after the end of FY2004 concerning the use of these authorities.

Lofgren/Cannon/Issa/Berman/Jackson-Lee #14
Allows the Attorney General to enter into contracts in order to promote efficiency in management of the immigration agency. Provides that the authority is effective for a two-year period. LATE

Roybal-Allard #7
Requires the Office of Immigration Statistics to maintain statistics on denials of applications and petitions, and the reasons for those denials.

Sensenbrenner #8
Manager’s Amendment. Permits the Attorney General to “buy out” certain employees to help carry out the strategic restructuring plan. Permits the Attorney General to conduct a demonstration project for five years for the purpose of changing policies or procedures regarding methods for disciplining employees that would result in improved personnel management including discipline for both employee malfeasance and nonfeasance. Simplifies procedures for the procurement of information technology and permits the Attorney General to use streamlined acquisition authorities. Requires the directors of the two immigration bureaus to design and implement a managerial rotation program so that managers have experience in all the major functions of their respective bureau and have worked in a field office and service center or border patrol sector. Strikes section 11(e) of the bill.

Velazquez #6
Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to implement innovative pilot initiatives to eliminate the immigration application backlog and prevent the backlog from recurring. Encourage initiatives, such as, increasing or transferring personnel to areas with the greatest backlog, streamlining regulations and paperwork, and providing incentives for efficient and high quality work.

* Summaries derived from information submitted by the amendment sponsors.