#aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#caeg  ,,an ,,act  ,to require the      
,secretary of ,labor to conduct a study 
of the factors affecting employment     
opportunities for immigrants and        
refugees with professional credentials  
obtained in foreign countries4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,bridging the ,gap for ,new         
,americans ,act4  #b4 ,definitions ,in  
this ,act3 7#a7 ,applicable immigrants  
and refugees ,the term applicable       
immigrants and refugees-- 7,a7 means    
individuals who-- 7i7 7,i7 are not      
citizens or nationals of the ,united    
,states2 and  7,,ii7 are lawfully       
present in the ,united ,states and      
authorized to be employed in the ,united
 ,states2 or  7ii7 are naturalized      
citizens of the ,united ,states who were
 born outside of the ,united ,states and
 its outlying possessions2 and  7,b7    
includes individuals described in       
section #fjb7;b77#b7 of the ,afghan     
,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji 7title

 ,,vi of division ,f of ,public ,law    
#aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note74  7#b7 
,other terms ,except as otherwise       
defined in this section1 terms used in  
this ,act have the definitions given    
such terms under section #aja7;a7 of the
 ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h 
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a774  #c4 ,study on    
factors affecting employment            
opportunities for immigrants and        
refugees with professional credentials  
obtained in foreign countries  7a7      
,study required  7#a7 ,in general ,the  
,secretary of ,labor1 in coordination   
with the ,secretary of ,state1 the      
,secretary of ,education1 the ,secretary
 of ,health and ,human ,services1 the   
,secretary of ,commerce1 the ,secretary 
of ,homeland ,security1 the             
,administrator of the ,internal ,revenue
 ,service1 and the ,commissioner of the 
,social ,security ,administration1 shall
 conduct a study of the factors         
affecting employment opportunities in   
the ,united ,states for applicable      

immigrants and refugees who have        
professional credentials that were      
obtained in a country other than the    
,united ,states4  7#b7 ,work with other 
entities ,the ,secretary of ,labor shall
 seek to work with relevant nonprofit   
organizations and ,state agencies to use
 the existing data and resources of such
 entities to conduct the study required 
under paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,limitations
 on disclosure ,any information provided
 to the ,secretary of ,labor in         
connection with the study required under
 paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 may only be used 
for the purposes of1 and to the extent  
necessary to ensure the efficient       
operation of1 such study2 and  7,b7 may 
not be disclosed to any other person or 
entity except as provided under this    
subsection4  7b7 ,inclusions ,the study 
required under subsection 7a77#a7 shall 
include-- 7#a7 an analysis of the       
employment history of applicable        
immigrants and refugees admitted to the 
,united ,states during the #e-year      

period immediately preceding the date of
 the enactment of this ,act1 which shall
 include1 to the extent practicable--   
7,a7 a comparison of the employment     
applicable immigrants and refugees held 
before immigrating to the ,united       
,states with the employment they        
obtained in the ,united ,states1 if any1
 since their arrival2 and  7,b7 the     
occupational and professional           
credentials and academic degrees held by
 applicable immigrants and refugees     
before immigrating to the ,united       
,states2  7#b7 an assessment of any     
barriers that prevent applicable        
immigrants and refugees from using      
occupational experience obtained outside
 the ,united ,states to obtain          
employment in the ,united ,states2  7#c7
 an analysis of available public and    
private resources assisting applicable  
immigrants and refugees who have        
professional experience and             
qualifications obtained outside of the  
,united ,states to obtain               

skill-appropriate employment in the     
,united ,states2 and  7#d7 policy       
recommendations for better enabling     
applicable immigrants and refugees who  
have professional experience and        
qualifications obtained outside of the  
,united ,states to obtain               
skill-appropriate employment in the     
,united ,states4  7c7 ,report ,not later
 than #ah months after the date of the  
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,labor shall-- 7#a7 submit a report  
to ,congress that describes the results 
of the study conducted pursuant to      
subsection 7a72 and  7#b7 make such     
report publicly available on the website
 of the ,department of ,labor4  ,passed 
the ,senate ,june #bc1 #bjbb4,secretary