,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #die  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #a1 #bjba,mr4
 ,thune introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a ,,bill
  ,to prioritize the allocation of      
,h-#b;,b visas for ,states with low     
unemployment rates4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,prioritizing ,help to ,businesses ,act4
  #b4 ,prioritizing the allocation of   
,h-#b;,b visas for ,states with low     
unemployment rates ,section             
#bad7;g77#aj7 of the ,immigration and   
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aahd7;g77#aj77 is amended to read as   
follows3  7#aj7 7,a7 ,except as provided
 in subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71 the    
numerical limitation under paragraph    
7#a77;,b7 shall not apply to ,h-#b;,b   
visas issued to aliens for positions    
that are certified for employment       
pursuant to subpart ,a of part #fee of  
title #bj1 ,code of ,federal            

,regulations1 to perform service or     
labor in a ,state that had a seasonally 
adjusted unemployment rate of #c4e      
percent or lower in at least #c of the  
#f most recent monthly reports issued by
 the ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics      
during the previous fiscal half year    
corresponding to each allotment period  
of ,h-#b;,b visas pursuant to subpart ,a
 of part #fee of title #bj1 ,code of    
,federal ,regulations4  7,b7 ,the number
 of aliens exempted from the numerical  
limitation pursuant to subparagraph 7,a7
 in any ,state during any fiscal year   
may not exceed the lesser of-- 7i7 #abe 
percent of the number of visas issued to
 aliens working in such ,state during   
the most recently concluded fiscal year2
 or  7ii7 #b1ejj4  7,c7 ,if more        
,h-#b;,b visa applications are received 
in a fiscal year on behalf of aliens    
desiring to work in a ,state described  
in subparagraph 7,a7 than the limit set 
forth in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7        
eligible applicants1 in a number equal  

to such limit1 shall be selected1 by    
lottery1 from such applications for the 
exemption under subparagraph 7,a72 and  
7ii7 the remaining applicants shall be  
subject to the numerical limitation     
under paragraph 7#a77;,b74  4