,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bjia ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #aa1 #bjai ,mr4 ,paul introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to reduce the backlog of foreign nationals seeking employment-based visas1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short titles ,this ,act may be cited as the ,backlog ,elimination1 ,legal ,immigration1 and ,employment ,visa ,enhancement ,act or the ,,believe ,act4 #b4 ,allocation of employment-based visas 7a7 ,worldwide level ,section #bja7;d77#a77;,a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaea7;d77#a77;,a77 is amended by striking #adj1jjj and inserting #bgj1jjj4 7b7 ,elimination of per-,country limitation for employment-,based immigrants ,section #bjb7;a77#b7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaeb7;a77#b77 is amended to read as follows3 7#b7 ,per country levels for family-sponsored immigrants ,subject to paragraphs 7#c71 7#d71 and 7#e71 the total number of immigrant visas made available to natives of any single foreign state or dependent area under section #bjc7;a7 in any fiscal year may not exceed #g percent 7in the case of a single foreign state7 or #b percent 7in the case of a dependent area7 of the total number of such visas made available under such subsection in that fiscal year4 4 7c7 ,preference allocations for employment-,based immigrants ,section #bjc7;b7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaec7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking #bh4f percent and inserting #bi4fc percent2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b77;,a71 by striking #bh4f percent and inserting #bi4fc percent2 7#c7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a71 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking #bh4f percent and inserting #bi4fc percent2 7#d7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking #g4a percent and inserting #c4g percent2 and 7#e7 in paragraph 7#e77;,a71 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking #g4a percent and inserting #g4da percent4 7d7 ,treatment of family members ,section #bjc7;d7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaec7;d77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,visas issued to a spouse or child of an immigrant described in subsection 7b7 shall not be counted against the worldwide level of such visas set forth in section #bja7;d77#a7 or the per country level set forth in section #bjb7;a77#b744 #c4 ,health care workers 7a7 ,exemption from numerical limitations ,section #bja7;b77#a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaea7;b77#a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7,f7 ,aliens who are members of an occupation that the ,secretary of ,labor has designated under ,group ,i of ,schedule ,a pursuant to section #fef4ae of title #bj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 and are coming to the ,united ,states to work in such occupation1 and the spouses and children 7as defined in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 7,d71 or 7,e7 of section #aja7;b77#a77 of such aliens4 ,aliens described in this subparagraph may apply for an immigrant visa 4 7b7 ,petition ,section #bjd7;a77#a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaed7;a77#a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7,m7 ,any employer desiring and intending to employ within the ,united ,states an alien entitled to classification under section #bja7;b77#a77;,f7 may file a petition with the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security for such classification4 4 #d4 ,dependents of nonimmigrants 7a7 ,exemption from numerical limitations for certain college graduates ,section #bja7;b77#a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act1 as amended by section #c7;a71 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7,g7 ,aliens who-- 7i7 are not inadmissible under section #bab7;a7 or deportable under section #bcg7;a72 7ii7 have lived in the ,united ,states an aggregate period of not less than #aj years2 7iii7 were admitted as a dependent of a nonimmigrant under subparagraph 7,e71 7,h71 or 7,l7 of section #aja7;a77#ae72 and 7iv7 graduated from an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #ajb7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb7;a777 in the ,united ,states4 4 7b7 ,petition ,section #bjd7;a77#a7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act1 as amended by section #c7;b71 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7,n7 ,any employer desiring and intending to employ within the ,united ,states an alien entitled to classification under section #bja7;b77#a77;,g7 may file a petition with the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security for such classification4 4 7c7 ,authorization of employment for children and spouses of nonimmigrants ,section #bad of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aahd7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7s7 ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall authorize an alien spouse admitted under subparagraph 7,e71 7,h71 or 7,l7 of section #aja7;a77#ae71 who is accompanying or following to join a principal alien admitted under any such subparagraph1 to engage in employment in the ,united ,states1 and shall provide such spouse with an employment authorized endorsement or other appropriate work permit4 7t7 ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall authorize an alien child admitted under subparagraph 7,e71 7,h71 or 7,l7 of section #aja7;a77#ae71 who is accompanying or following to join a principal alien admitted under any such subparagraph1 to engage in employment in the ,united ,states1 and shall provide such child with an employment authorized endorsement or other appropriate work permit if-- 7#a7 the child is at least #af years of age2 7#b7 the child1 or the child's legal representative1 requests such work authorization2 and 7#c7 any employment in which the child may engage complies with the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bja et seq474 4 7d7 ,adjustment of status early filing for nonimmigrants with approved immigrant petitions ,section #bde of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #abee7 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending subsection 7a7 to read as follows3 7a7 ,status as person admitted for permanent residence on application and eligibility for immigrant visa ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 in the discretion of the ,secretary and under such regulations as the ,secretary may prescribe1 may adjust the status of an alien who was inspected and admitted or paroled into the ,united ,states or the status of any other alien with an approved petition for classification as a ,,vawa self-petitioner if-- 7#a7 the alien makes an application for such adjustment2 7#b7 the alien is eligible to receive an immigrant visa and is admissible to the ,united ,states for permanent residence2 and 7#c7 an immigrant visa is immediately available to the alien at the time the alien's application is adjudicated4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7n7 ,adjustment of status application after an approved immigrant petition 7#a7 ,application ,an alien who has an approved immigrant petition may file an adjustment of status application under subsection 7a71 which1 if the alien is otherwise eligible1 shall remain pending until a visa number becomes available4 7#b7 ,status ,an admissible alien who has properly filed an adjustment of status application under subsection 7a7 shall1 throughout the pendency of such application-- 7,a7 have a lawful status and be considered lawfully present for purposes of section #bab2 and 7,b7 following a biometric background check1 be eligible for employment and travel authorization incident to such status4 7#c7 ,biometric background check ,any biometric background check performed with respect to an alien during the #a-year period immediately preceding the alien's submission of an application for an adjustment of status under subsection 7a7 shall be sufficient for meeting the biometric background check requirement under paragraph 7#b77;,b74 4