,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gbef ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ah1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,langevin 7for himself and ,ms4 ,stefanik7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to establish a process for admitting essential scientists and technical experts into the ,united ,states to promote and protect the ,national ,security ,innovation ,base4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,security ,innovation ,pathway ,act4 #b4 ,admission of essential scientists and technical experts to promote and protect the ,national ,security ,innovation ,base 7a7 ,special immigrant status ,in accordance with the procedures established under subsection 7f77#a71 and subject to subsection 7c77#a71 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security may provide an alien described in subsection 7b7 7and the spouse and children of the alien if accompanying or following to join the alien7 with the status of a special immigrant under section #aja7;a77#bg7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77#bg771 if the alien-- 7#a7 submits a classification petition under section #bjd7;a77#a77;,g77i7 of such ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaed7;a77#a77;,g77i772 and 7#b7 is otherwise eligible to receive an immigrant visa and is otherwise admissible to the ,united ,states for permanent residence4 7b7 ,aliens described ,an alien is described in this subsection if-- 7#a7 the alien-- 7,a7 is employed by a ,united ,states employer and engaged in work to promote and protect the ,national ,security ,innovation ,base2 7,b7 is engaged in basic or applied research1 funded by the ,department of ,defense1 through a ,united ,states institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja772 or 7,c7 possesses scientific or technical expertise that will advance the development of critical technologies identified in the ,national ,defense ,strategy or the ,national ,defense ,science and ,technology ,strategy1 required by section #bah of the ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjai 7,public ,law #aae-bcb2 #acb ,stat4 #afgi72 and 7#b7 the ,secretary of ,defense issues a written statement to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security confirming that the admission of the alien is essential to advancing the research1 development1 testing1 or evaluation of critical technologies described in paragraph 7#a77;,c7 or otherwise serves national security interests4 7c7 ,numerical limitations 7#a7 ,in general ,the total number of principal aliens who may be provided special immigrant status under this section may not exceed-- 7,a7 #ajj in fiscal year #bjba2 7,b7 #bjj in fiscal year #bjbb2 7,c7 #cjj in fiscal year #bjbc2 7,d7 #djj in fiscal year #bjbd2 and 7,e7 #ejj in fiscal year #bjbe and each fiscal year thereafter4 7#b7 ,exclusion from numerical limitations ,aliens provided special immigrant status under this section shall not be counted against the numerical limitations under sections #bja7;d71 #bjb7;a71 and #bjc7;b77#d7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaea7;d71 #aaeb7;a71 and #aaec7;b7#d774 7d7 ,defense competition for scientists and technical experts ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall develop and implement a process to select1 on a competitive basis from among individuals described in section 7b71 individuals for recommendation to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security for special immigrant status described in subsection 7a74 7e7 ,authorities ,in carrying out this section1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall authorize appropriate personnel of the ,department of ,defense to use all personnel and management authorities available to the ,department1 including the personnel and management authorities provided to the science and technology reinvention laboratories1 the ,major ,range and ,test ,facility ,base 7as defined in #aif7;i7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code71 and the ,defense ,advanced ,research ,projects ,agency4 7f7 ,procedures and fees 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security and ,secretary of ,defense shall jointly establish policies and procedures implementing the provisions in this section1 which shall include procedures for-- 7,a7 processing of petitions for classification submitted under subsection 7a77#a7 and applications for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status1 as applicable2 and 7,b7 thorough processing of any required security clearances4 7#b7 ,fees 7,a7 ,national security innovation fee account ,there is established in the general fund of the ,treasury1 a separate account which shall be known as the ,national ,security ,innovation ,fee ,account4 7,b7 ,fee amount ,for each petition for classification submitted under subsection 7a77#a71 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall collect1 in addition to any required processing fee1 a fee of #b1jjj4 7,c7 ,use of fees ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 of each fee collected under subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7 #ge percent shall be deposited into the general fund of the ,treasury2 and 7ii7 #be percent shall be deposited as offsetting receipts into the ,national ,security ,innovation ,fee ,account for scholarships under the ,science1 ,mathematics1 and ,research for ,transformation 7,,smart7 ,defense ,education ,program described in section #baib;a of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7g7 ,implementation report required ,not later than #cfj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security and ,secretary of ,defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes-- 7#a7 a plan for implementing the authorities provided under this section2 and 7#b7 identification of any additional authorities that may be required to assist the ,secretaries in fully implementing section4 7h7 ,program evaluation and report 7#a7 ,evaluation ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall conduct an evaluation of the competitive program and special immigrant program described in subsections 7a7 through 7f74 7#b7 ,report ,not later than ,october #a1 #bjbe1 the ,comptroller ,general shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph 7#a74 7i7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services and the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services and the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,the term ,national ,security ,innovation ,base means the network of persons and organizations1 including ,federal agencies1 institutions of higher education1 federally funded research and development centers1 defense industrial base entities1 nonprofit organizations1 commercial entities1 and venture capital firms that are engaged in the military and non-military research1 development1 funding1 and production of innovative technologies that support the national security of the ,united ,states4