,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #deie  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #af1
 #bjbj,mr4 ,merkley introduced the      
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on the      
,judiciary  ,a ,,bill  ,to temporarily  
extend the period of validity of ,j-#a  
visas issued to employees and           
contractors of the ,united ,states      
,agency for ,global ,media and its      
broadcasting networks4  #a4 ,automatic  
extension of ,j-#a visas for ,u4,s4     
,agency for ,global ,media employees and
 contractors  7a7 ,in general ,except as
 provided in subsection 7b7 and         
notwithstanding any other provision of  
law1 any nonimmigrant visa issued to an 
alien described in section              
#aja7;a77#ae77;,j7 of the ,immigration  
and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4     
#aaja7;a77#ae77;,j77 7commonly known as 
a ,j-#a visa7 that expired during the   
#b-month period immediately preceding   
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 

or is scheduled to expire during the    
#ij-;day period beginning on such date  
of enactment shall automatically be     
extended until the date that is #ij days
 after such date of enactment if the    
alien to whom such visa was issued has a
 valid contract or employment agreement 
with the ,united ,states ,agency for    
,global ,media or any of its            
broadcasting networks that1 absent such 
visa expiration1 would remain in effect 
during such extension period4  7b7      
,exemption ,notwithstanding subsection  
7a71 the ,secretary of ,homeland        
,security may deny the extension of a   
,j-#a visa under such subsection1 on a  
case-by-case basis1 if the ,secretary-- 
7#a7 determines that the alien to whom  
such visa was issued would pose a risk  
to the national security of the ,united 
,states if such visa were to be         
extended2 and  7#b7 provides a briefing 
to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations
 of the ,senate1 the ,committee on the  
,judiciary of the ,senate1 the          

,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the  
,house of ,representatives1 and the     
,committee on the ,judiciary of the     
,house of ,representatives to explain   
the reasons for any such determination4 
7c7 ,congressional briefing ,not later  
than #cj days after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,chief      
,executive ,officer of the ,united      
,states ,agency for ,global ,media1     
accompanied by other appropriate senior 
leaders1 shall provide a briefing to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of      
,representatives that-- 7#a7 provides a 
case-by-case assessment of how the      
,united ,states ,agency for ,global     
,media and its broadcasting networks    
have facilitated the employment of      
foreign journalists with ,j-#a visas1   
including future plans to retain such   
journalists2  7#b7 describes any threats
 to national security that any of these 
journalists may pose2 and  7#c7         

identifies any circumstances involving  
the misuse of hiring authority with     
respect to such journalists4