,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #efj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bh1 #bjba ,mr4 ,sablan introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 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 amend section #f of the ,joint ,resolution entitled ,a ,joint ,resolution to approve the ,covenant ,to ,establish a ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands in ,political ,union with the ,united ,states of ,america1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,northern ,mariana ,islands ,legal ,residents ,relief ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,long-term legal residents of the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands 7a7 ,in general ,section #f7;e77#f7 of the ,joint ,resolution entitled ,a ,joint ,resolution to approve the ,covenant ,to ,establish a ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands in ,political ,union with the ,united ,states of ,america1 and for other purposes1 approved ,march #bd1 #aigf 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf2 ,public ,law #id-bda71 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,a7 in clause 7ii7-- 7i7 in subclause 7,i71 by inserting 7aa7 before shall establish a process2 7ii7 by striking 2 and and inserting or during the #ahj-;day period beginning on the date that is #ij days after the date of the enactment of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands ,legal ,residents ,relief ,act of #bjba22 7iii7 by adding the following3 7bb7 ,waiver of application deadline ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security may accept an application for ,,cnmi ,resident ,status submitted after the application deadline if-- 7,,aa7 the applicant is eligible for ,,cnmi ,resident ,status2 and 7,,bb7 the applicant timely filed an application for ,,cnmi ,resident ,status and made a good faith effort to comply with the application requirements as determined by the ,secretary4 2 7iv7 in subclause 7,,ii71 by striking the period and inserting 82 and02 and 7v7 by adding at the end the following3 7,,iii7 in the case of an alien who has nonimmigrant status on the date on which the alien applies for ,,cnmi ,resident ,status1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall extend such nonimmigrant status and work authorization1 if applicable1 through the end of the #ahj-;day period described in subclause 7,i77aa7 or the date of adjudication of the alien's application for ,,cnmi ,resident ,status1 whichever is later4 2 and 7,b7 in clause 7iii71 by inserting after the period at the end the following3 ,an alien granted status under this paragraph shall be deemed a qualified alien under section #dca of the ,personal ,responsibility and ,work ,opportunity ,reconciliation ,act of #aiif 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #afda7 for purposes of receiving relief or assistance available in connection with-- 7,i7 a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency under section #dja or #eja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj or #eaia72 or 7,,ii7 a presidentially declared national emergency under section #bja of the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq474 2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking on ,june #be1 #bjai1 or on ,december #ca1 #bjah1 and inserting on ,december #ca1 #bjbj1 ,june #be1 #bjai1 or ,december #ca1 #bjah12 7,b7 in clause 7iii71 by inserting except in the case of an alien who meets the requirements of subclause 7,,iii7 or 7,,vi7 of clause 7v71 before resided continuously and lawfully2 and 7,c7 in clause 7v7-- 7i7 in subclause 7,,iii71 by striking subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 and inserting subclause 7,i71 7,,ii71 7,,iv71 7,v71 7,,vi71 7,,vii71 or 7,,viii72 7ii7 in subclause 7,,iv71 by striking 2 or and inserting a semicolon2 7iii7 in subclause 7,v71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7,,vi7 was admitted to the ,commonwealth as a ,commonwealth ,only ,transitional ,worker during fiscal year #bjae1 and during every subsequent fiscal year beginning before the date of the enactment of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands ,u4,s4 ,workforce ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-bah72 7,,vii7 resided in the ,northern ,mariana ,islands as an investor under ,commonwealth immigration law1 and is presently a resident classified as a ,,cnmi-only nonimmigrant under section #aja7;a77#ae77;,e77ii7 of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77#ae77;,e77ii772 or 7,,viii7 resided in the ,northern ,mariana ,islands as a guestworker under ,commonwealth immigration law for at least #e years prior to ,may #h1 #bjjh1 and is presently a resident classified as a ,commonwealth ,only ,transitional ,worker4 2 7#c7 in subparagraph 7,c77ii71 by striking #ahj-period and inserting #ahj-;day period2 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7,f7 ,adjustment of status for cnmi residents ,an alien with ,,cnmi ,resident ,status may adjust his or her status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence #e years after the date of enactment of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands ,legal ,residents ,relief ,act of #bjba or #e years after the date on which ,,cnmi ,resident ,status is granted1 whichever is later4 4 7b7 ,technical amendments ,section #f7;b77#a7 of ,public ,law #id-bda 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf7;b77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,a7 by striking 7#h ,,usc #aaja7;a77#ae77;,h77 and inserting 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77#ae77;,h772 and 7,b7 by striking 7#h ,,usc #aahd7;g77 and inserting 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aahd7;g772 and 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71 by striking contact and inserting contract4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this ,act4 #c4 ,temporary labor certification 7a7 ,in general ,section #f7;d77#b7 of ,public ,law #id-bda 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf7;d77#b77 is amended in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking an annual and inserting a biennial4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,additional time for receipt of visa ,section #f7;d77#c77;,d77iii7 of ,public ,law #id-bda 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf7;d77#c77;,d77iii77 is amended in subclause 7,i77bb7 by striking #aj days and inserting #ij days4 #e4 ,amendments to the requirement to remain outside the ,united ,states 7a7 ,in general ,section #f7;d77#g7 of ,public ,law #id-bda 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf7;d77#g77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by inserting and 7,c7 after subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,b7 in clause 7ii7-- 7i7 by inserting at any time after the expiration of the first renewal period after #cj days2 and 7ii7 by inserting third after submission of a2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,deferral ,in general4--,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security may defer the requirement to remain outside of the ,united ,states during or in connection to-- 7i7 a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency under section #dja or #eja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj or #eaia72 or 7ii7 a presidentially declared national emergency under section #bja of the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq474 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of ,public ,law #aae-bah4 #f4 ,qualified alien 7a7 ,in general ,section #f7;d7 of ,public ,law #id-bda 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjf7;d77 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 ,qualified alien ,an alien granted status under this subsection shall be deemed a qualified alien under section #dca of the ,personal ,responsibility and ,work ,opportunity ,reconciliation ,act of #aiif 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #afda7 for purposes of receiving relief or assistance available in connection with-- 7,a7 a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency under section #dja or #eja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj or #eaia72 or 7,b7 a presidentially declared national emergency under section #bja of the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq474 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this ,act4