#aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hjhi ,,an ,,act ,to amend the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act to expand premium processing for certain immigration benefits1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,emergency ,stopgap ,,uscis ,stabilization ,act4 #b4 ,expansion of premium processing 7a7 ,in general ,section #bhf7u7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #acef7u77 is amended to read as follows3 7u7 ,premium fee for certain immigration benefit types 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security is authorized to establish and collect a premium fee for the immigration benefit types described in paragraph 7#b74 ,such fee shall be paid in addition to any other fees authorized by law1 deposited as offsetting receipts in the ,immigration ,examinations ,fee ,account established under subsection 7m71 and used for the purposes described in paragraph 7#d74 7#b7 ,immigration benefit types ,subject to reasonable conditions or limitations1 the ,secretary shall establish a premium fee under paragraph 7#a7 in connection with-- 7,a7 employment-based nonimmigrant petitions and associated applications for dependents of the beneficiaries of such petitions2 7,b7 employment-based immigrant petitions filed by or on behalf of aliens described in paragraph 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c7 of section #bjc7;b72 7,c7 applications to change or extend nonimmigrant status2 7,d7 applications for employment authorization2 and 7,e7 any other immigration benefit type that the ,secretary deems appropriate for premium processing4 7#c7 ,amount of fee 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,c71 with respect to an immigration benefit type designated for premium processing by the ,secretary on or before ,august #a1 #bjbj1 the premium fee shall be #b1ejj1 except that the premium fee for a petition for classification of a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph 7,h77ii77b7 or 7,r7 of section #aja7;a77#ae7 shall be #a1ejj4 7,b7 ,other immigration benefit types ,with respect to an immigration benefit type designated for premium processing but not described in subparagraph 7,a71 the initial premium fee shall be established by regulation1 which shall include a detailed methodology supporting the proposed premium fee amount4 7,c7 ,biennial adjustment ,the ,secretary may adjust a premium fee under subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 on a biennial basis by the percentage 7if any7 by which the ,consumer ,price ,index for ,all ,urban ,consumers for the month of ,june preceding the date on which such adjustment takes effect exceeds the ,consumer ,price ,index for ,all ,urban ,consumers for the same month of the second preceding calendar year4 ,the provisions of section #eec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall not apply to an adjustment authorized under this subparagraph4 7#d7 ,use of fee ,fees collected under this subsection may only be used by ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services to-- 7,a7 provide the services described in paragraph 7#e7 to premium processing requestors2 7,b7 make infrastructure improvements in adjudications processes and the provision of information and services to immigration and naturalization benefit requestors2 7,c7 respond to adjudication demands1 including by reducing the number of pending immigration and naturalization benefit requests2 and 7,d7 otherwise offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services4 7#e7 ,premium processing services ,the ,secretary-- 7,a7 may suspend the availability of premium processing for designated immigration benefit requests only if circumstances prevent the completion of processing of a significant number of such requests within the required period2 and 7,b7 shall ensure that premium processing requestors have direct and reliable access to current case status information as well as the ability to communicate with the premium processing units at each service center or office that provides premium processing services4 4 7b7 ,expansion to new benefit requests 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding the requirement to set a fee by regulation under section #bhf7u77#c77;,b7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #acef7u77#c77;,b771 as amended by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security may set a fee under that section without regard to the provisions of section #eec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 if such fee is consistent with the following3 7,a7 ,for a petition for classification under section #bjc7;b77#a77;,c7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaec7;b77#a77;,c771 or a petition for classification under section #bjc7;b77#b7 involving a waiver under section #bjc7;b77#b77;,b7 of such ,act1 the fee is set at an amount not greater than #b1ejj and the required processing timeframe is not greater than #de days4 7,b7 ,for an application under section #bdh of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #abeh7 to change status to a classification described in subparagraph 7,f71 7,j71 or 7,m7 of section #aja7;a77#ae7 of such ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77#ae771 the fee is set at an amount not greater than #a1gej and the required processing timeframe is not greater than #cj days4 7,c7 ,for an application under section #bdh of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #abeh7 to change status to be classified as a dependent of a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph 7,e71 7,h71 7,l71 7,o71 7,p71 or 7,r7 of section #aja7;a77#ae7 of such ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77#ae771 or to extend such classification1 the fee is set at an amount not greater than #a1gej and the required processing timeframe is not greater than #cj days4 7,d7 ,for an application for employment authorization1 the fee is set at an amount not greater than #a1ejj and the required processing timeframe is not greater than #cj days4 7#b7 ,clarification ,the required processing timeframe for each of the applications and petitions described in paragraph 7#a7 shall not commence until the date that all prerequisites for adjudication are received by the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security4 7c7 ,other benefit requests ,in implementing the amendments made by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall develop and implement processes to ensure that the availability of premium processing1 or its expansion to additional immigration benefit requests1 does not result in an increase in processing times for immigration benefit requests not designated for premium processing or an increase in regular processing of immigration benefit requests so designated4 #c4 ,reporting requirements 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall provide to the appropriate ,committees a #e-year plan1 including projected cost estimates1 procurement strategies1 and a project schedule with milestones1 to accomplish each of the following3 7#a7 ,establish electronic filing procedures for all applications and petitions for immigration benefits4 7#b7 ,accept electronic payment of fees at all filing locations4 7#c7 ,issue correspondence1 including decisions1 requests for evidence1 and notices of intent to deny1 to immigration benefit requestors electronically4 7#d7 ,improve processing times for all immigration and naturalization benefit requests4 7b7 ,semi-annual briefings ,not later than #ahj days after submission of the plan described in paragraph 7#a71 and on a semi-annual basis thereafter1 the ,secretary shall advise the appropriate ,committees on the implementation status of such plan4 7c7 ,appropriate ,committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate ,committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate4 #d4 ,determination of ,budgetary ,effects ,the budgetary effects of this ,act1 for the purpose of complying with the ,statutory ,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj1 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ,budgetary ,effects of ,,paygo ,legislation for this ,act1 submitted for printing in the ,congressional ,record by the ,chairman of the ,house ,budget ,committee1 provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,august #bb1 #bjbj4;,clerk4