,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #adgd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ae1 #bjai ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 ,mr4 ,gardner1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 and ,mr4 ,blumenthal7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji to make #d1jjj visas available for the ,afghan ,special ,immigrant ,visa program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,special immigrant visas for ,afghan allies 7a7 ,in general ,section #fjb7;b77#b77;,a77ii7 of the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note7 is amended1 in the matter preceding subclause 7,i71 by inserting for the first time after submitting a petition4 7b7 ,numerical limitations ,section #fjb7;b77#c7 of the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking subparagraph 7,a7 and inserting the following3 7,a7 ,fiscal year #bjai 7i7 ,in general ,in addition to any unused balance under subparagraph 7,f71 for fiscal year #bjai1 not more than #d1jjj principal aliens may be granted special immigrant status under this subsection4 7ii7 ,period of employment ,for purposes of this subparagraph1 the period of employment referred to in paragraph 7#b77;,a77ii7 shall end not later than ,december #ca1 #bjba4 7iii7 ,application ,for purposes of this subparagraph1 not later than ,december #ca1 #bjba1 a principal alien seeking special immigrant status under this subsection shall submit an application to the ,chief of ,mission4 2 7#b7 by striking subparagraph 7,c7 and inserting the following3 7,c7 ,carry forward ,if the numerical limitation described in subparagraph 7,a77i7 is not reached for fiscal year #bjai1 the numerical limitation for each subsequent fiscal year shall be established at a number equal to the difference between-- 7i7 the numerical limitation described in subparagraph 7,a77i72 and 7ii7 the number of principal aliens granted special immigrant status under this subsection during each fiscal year beginning in fiscal year #bjai4 2 7#c7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 7,c712 and 7#d7 in subparagraph 7,f7-- 7,a7 in the subparagraph heading1 by striking #bjae1 #bjaf1 and #bjag and inserting #bjae through #bjbj2 7,b7 in clause 7i71 by striking ,december #ca1 #bjbj and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjba22 7,c7 in clause 7ii71 by striking ,december #ca1 #bjbj and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjba22 7,d7 by redesignating clauses 7i7 through 7iii7 as subclauses 7,i7 through 7,,iii71 respectively1 and indenting appropriately2 7,e7 in the matter preceding subclause 7,i71 as so redesignated1 in the second sentence1 by striking ,for purposes and inserting the following3 7ii7 ,requirements ,for purposes 2 7,f7 in the matter preceding clause 7ii71 as so designated-- 7i7 by striking exhausted11 and inserting exhausted12 7ii7 by striking #ah1ejj and inserting #bb1ejj2 and 7iii7 by striking ,in addition and inserting the following3 7i7 ,in general ,in addition 2 and 7,g7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 ,unused visas ,any unused balance under this subparagraph shall be added to the number under subparagraph 7,a77i7 for use in fiscal year #bjai4 4 7c7 ,conversion of petitions ,section #b of ,public ,law #aaj-bdb 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note7 is amended by striking subsection 7b7 and inserting the following3 7b7 ,duration ,the authority under subsection 7a7 shall expire on the date on which the numerical limitation specified under section #abdd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjjh 7,public ,law #aaj-aha2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaeg note7 is reached4 4 #c4 ,special immigrant visa program reporting requirement 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,inspector ,general of the ,department of ,state shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report that evaluates the obstacles to effective protection of ,afghan and ,iraqi allies through the special immigrant visa programs and makes recommendations for improvements in future programs4 7b7 ,matters ,to be included ,the report under subsection 7a7 shall include information relating to-- 7#a7 the hiring of locally employed staff and contractors2 7#b7 documenting the identity and employment of locally employed staff and contractors of the ,united ,states ,government1 including the possibility of establishing a central database of employees of the ,united ,states ,government and its contractors2 7#c7 the protection and safety of employees of locally employed staff and contractors2 7#d7 means of expediting processing at all stages of the process for applicants1 including consideration of reducing required forms2 7#e7 appropriate staffing levels for expedited processing domestically and abroad2 7#f7 the effect of uncertainty of visa availability on visa processing2 7#g7 the cost and availability of medical examinations2 and 7#h7 means to reduce delays in interagency processing and security checks4 7c7 ,consultation 7#a7 ,in general ,in preparing the report under subsection 7a71 the ,inspector ,general shall consult with-- 7,a7 the ,department of ,state1 ,bureau of ,consular ,affairs1 ,visa ,office2 7,b7 the ,department of ,state1 ,bureau of ,near ,eastern ,affairs and ,south and ,central ,asian ,affairs1 ,executive ,office2 7,c7 the ,united ,states embassy in ,kabul1 ,afghanistan1 ,consular ,section2 7,d7 the ,united ,states embassy in ,baghdad1 ,iraq1 ,consular ,section2 7,e7 the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services2 7,f7 the ,department of ,defense2 7,g7 the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation2 and 7,h7 nongovernmental organizations providing legal aid in the special immigrant visa application process4 7#b7 ,consultation with current and former employees ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,inspector ,general shall consult with current and former employees of the offices described in paragraph 7#a74 7d7 ,form ,the report under subsection 7a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7e7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4