,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aghf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #a1      
#bjbc,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself and    
,mr4 ,wicker7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to amend the ,afghan ,allies   
,protection ,act of #bjji to authorize  
additional special immigrant visas1 to  
require a strategy for efficient        
processing1 and to establish designated 
senior special immigrant visa           
coordinating officials1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,afghan ,allies     
,protection ,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,sense  
of ,congress ,it is the sense of        
,congress that-- 7#a7 section #abdh7;h7 
of the ,refugee ,crisis in ,iraq ,act of
 #bjjg 7,public ,law #aaj-aha2 #h       
,u4,s4,c4 #aaeg note7 requires the      
,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 the  
,secretary of ,state1 and the ,secretary
 of ,defense to designate senior        

coordinating officials1 with sufficient 
expertise1 authority1 and resources1 to 
carry out duties relating to the        
issuance of special immigrant visas     
under that ,act and the ,afghan ,allies 
,protection ,act of #bjji 7,public ,law 
#aaa-h2 ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note72  7#b7 the
 ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 the 
,secretary of ,state1 and the ,secretary
 of ,defense should take all necessary  
steps to designate such senior          
coordinating officials2  7#c7 all       
criteria relating to the requirements   
for special immigrant visa applicants   
under the ,refugee ,crisis in ,iraq ,act
 of #bjjg 7,public ,law #aaj-aha2 #h    
,u4,s4,c4 #aaeg note7 and the ,afghan   
,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji       
7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja
 note7 should be implemented on the date
 of the enactment of this ,act2  7#d7 in
 the case of any individual with respect
 to whom the ,chief of ,mission has     
erroneously denied a request for        
approval to apply for a special         

immigrant visa under the ,refugee       
,crisis in ,iraq ,act of #bjjg 7,public 
,law #aaj-aha2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaeg note7 
or the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act 
of #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h       
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note71 the ,chief of    
,mission should reopen such requests sua
 sponte1 including for any individual   
who has-- 7,a7 not appealed2  7,b7      
submitted an appeal2 or  7,c7 had an    
appeal denied2 and  7#e7 each applicant 
for a special immigrant visa under the  
,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of     
#bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4
 #aaja note7 should be provided the     
opportunity to submit not more than one 
appeal for each written denial1 which   
would allow the applicant the           
opportunity to understand and respond to
 the denial4  #c4 ,authorizing          
additional ,afghan special immigrant    
visas ,section #fjb7;b77#c77;,f7 of the 
,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of     
#bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4
 #aaja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in       

paragraph 7#c77;,f7-- 7,a7 in the       
subparagraph heading1 by striking       
,fiscal years #bjae through #bjbb and   
inserting ,fiscal years #bjae through   
#bjbi2  7,b7 in the matter preceding    
clause 7i71 by striking #ch1ejj and     
inserting #eh1ejj2  7,c7 in clause 7i71 
by striking ,december #ca1 #bjbd and    
inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbi2 and     
7,d7 in clause 7ii71 by striking        
,december #ca1 #bjbd and inserting      
,december #ca1 #bjbi2 and  7#b7 in      
paragraph 7#ac71 in the matter preceding
 subparagraph 7,a71 by striking ,january
 #ca1 #bjbe and inserting ,january #ca1 
#bjcj4  #d4 ,exemption for ,afghans     
injured or killed in the course of      
employment ,section #fjb7;b77#b77;,a7 of
 the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act of
 #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h         
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 
in paragraph 7#b77;,a7-- 7,a7 by        
amending clause 7ii7 to read as follows3
  7ii7 7,i7 was or is employed in       
,afghanistan on or after ,october #g1   

#bjja1 for not less than #a year-- 7aa7 
by1 or on behalf of1 the ,united ,states
 ,government2 or  7bb7 by the           
,international ,security ,assistance    
,force 7or any successor name for such  
,force7 in a capacity that required the 
alien-- 7,,aa7 while traveling off-base 
with ,united ,states military personnel 
stationed at the ,international         
,security ,assistance ,force 7or any    
successor name for such ,force71 to     
serve as an interpreter or translator   
for such ,united ,states military       
personnel2 or 7,,bb7 to perform         
activities for the ,united ,states      
military personnel stationed at         
,international ,security ,assistance    
,force 7or any successor name for such  
,force72 or  7,,ii7 in the case of an   
alien who was wounded or seriously      
injured in connection with employment   
described in subclause 7,i71 was        
employed for any period until the date  
on which such wound or injury occurred1 
if the wound or injury prevented the    

alien from continuing such employment2  
2 and  7,b7 in clause 7iii71 by striking
 clause 7ii7 and inserting clause       
7ii77,i72  7#b7 in paragraph            
7#ac77;,a77i71 by striking subclause    
7,i7 or 7,,ii77bb7 of paragraph         
7#b77;,a77ii7 and inserting item 7aa7 or
 7bb77,,bb7 of paragraph                
7#b77;,a77ii77,i72  7#c7 in paragraph   
7#ad77;,c71 by striking paragraph       
7#b77;,a77ii7 and inserting paragraph   
7#b77;,a77ii77,i72 and  7#d7 in         
paragraph 7#ae71 by striking paragraph  
7#b77;,a77ii7 and inserting paragraph   
7#b77;,a77ii77,i74  #e4 ,strategy for   
the efficient processing of all ,afghan 
special immigrant visa applications and 
appeals ,section #fjb of the ,afghan    
,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji       
7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja
 note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection  
7a71 in the matter preceding paragraph  
7#a71 by striking ,in this section and  
inserting ,except as otherwise          
explicitly provided1 in this section2   

and  7#b7 in subsection 7b71 by adding  
at the end the following3  7#af7        
,department of ,state strategy for      
efficient processing of applications and
 appeals  7,a7 ,in general ,not later   
than #ahj days after the date of the    
enactment of this paragraph1 the        
,secretary of ,state1 in consultation   
with the ,secretary of ,homeland        
,security1 the ,secretary of ,defense1  
the head of any other relevant ,federal 
agency1 the appropriate committees of   
,congress1 and civil society            
organizations 7including legal          
advocates71 shall develop a strategy to 
address applications pending at all     
steps of the special immigrant visa     
process under this section4  7,b7       
,elements ,the strategy required by     
subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the     
following3 7i7 ,a review of current     
staffing levels and needs across all    
interagency offices and officials       
engaged in the special immigrant visa   
process under this section4  7ii7 ,an   

analysis of the expected ,chief of      
,mission approvals and denials of       
applications in the pipeline in order to
 project the expected number of visas   
necessary to provide special immigrant  
status to all approved applicants under 
this ,act during the several years after
 the date of the enactment of this      
paragraph4  7iii7 ,a plan for collecting
 and disaggregating data on-- 7,i7      
individuals who have applied for special
 immigrant visas under this section2 and
  7,,ii7 individuals who have been      
issued visas under this section4  7iv7  
,an assessment as to whether adequate   
guidelines exist for reconsidering or   
reopening applications for special      
immigrant visas under this section in   
appropriate circumstances and consistent
 with applicable laws4  7v7 ,an         
assessment of the procedures throughout 
the special immigrant visa application  
process1 including at the ,portsmouth   
,consular ,center1 and the effectiveness
 of communication between the           

,portsmouth ,consular ,center and       
applicants1 including an identification 
of any area in which improvements to the
 efficiency of such procedures and      
communication may be made4  7,c7 ,form  
,the strategy required by subparagraph  
7,a7 shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may include an classified      
annex4  7,d7 ,appropriate committees of 
,congress defined ,in this paragraph1   
the term appropriate committees of      
,congress means-- 7i7 the ,committee on 
,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on  
the ,judiciary1 the ,committee on       
,homeland ,security and ,government     
,affairs1 and the ,committee on ,armed  
,services of the ,senate2 and  7ii7 the 
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the    
,committee on the ,judiciary1 the       
,committee on ,homeland ,security1 and  
the ,committee on ,armed ,services of   
the ,house of ,representatives4  4  #f4 
,senior coordinating officials ,section 
#fjb7;b77#b77;,d77ii7 of the ,afghan    
,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji       

7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4      
#aaja7 is amended by adding at the end  
the following3  7,,iii7 ,senior special 
immigrant visa coordinating officials   
7aa7 ,in general ,the head of each      
,federal agency that employs a national 
of ,afghanistan who may be eligible for 
a special immigrant visa under this     
section1 and the head of each ,federal  
agency that is integral to the          
processing of such visas 7including the 
,department of ,state1 the ,department  
of ,defense1 the ,department of         
,homeland ,security1 and the ,department
 of ,health and ,human ,services71 shall
 designate a senior coordinating        
official to oversee the efficiency and  
integrity of the processing of visas for
 such nationals of ,afghanistan4  7bb7  
,qualifications ,an official designated 
under item 7aa7 shall be of a sufficient
 seniority to allow for interagency     
coordination and responsiveness among   
the relevant ,federal agencies4  7cc7   
,responsibilities and clearances ,such  

an official shall be given the          
responsibilities and clearances         
described in items 7aa717bb71 and 7cc7  
of subclause 7,,ii74  4  #g4 ,authority 
for reimbursement of medical            
examinations in cases of economic       
hardship ,section #fjb of the ,afghan   
,allies ,protection ,act of #bjji       
7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja
 note7 is amended-- 7#a7 by             
redesignating subsection 7c7 as         
subsection 7d72 and  7#b7 by inserting  
after subsection 7b7 the following3  7c7
 ,medical examinations  7#a7            
,reimbursement ,subject to the amounts  
provided in advance in appropriations   
,acts1 the ,secretary of ,state shall1  
on receipt of a petition for            
reimbursement1 reimburse an alien       
described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or
 7,c7 of subsection 7b77#b7 for the     
costs incurred by the alien for any     
medical examination required under the  
immigration laws 7as defined in section 
#aja7;a7 of the ,immigration and        

,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a7774  7#b7 ,petition ,not later 
than the date on which an alien receives
 ,chief of ,mission approval pursuant to
 subsection 7b71 the alien shall submit 
to a consular officer of the ,united    
,states in the foreign country in which 
the alien is located a petition for     
reimbursement for any medical           
examination required under the          
immigration laws4  7#c7 ,consular       
officer determination  7,a7 ,in general 
,not later than #g business days after  
the date on which a petition under      
paragraph 7#b7 is submitted1 a consular 
officer of the ,united ,states shall    
provide to the alien who submitted the  
petition a written notice of approval or
 denial of the petition4  7,b7          
,explanation of denial ,a written notice
 of denial under subparagraph 7,a7 shall
 be accompanied by an explanation for   
the denial and instructions for         
appealing the denial4  7#d7 ,appeals    
process ,the ,secretary of ,state shall 

establish a process by which an alien   
may appeal the denial of a petition     
under this subsection4  7#e7 ,cap on    
reimbursement ,a reimbursement approved 
under this subsection may not exceed the
 fair market value of medical           
examinations1 as determined by the      
,secretary of ,state1 in the applicable 
foreign country4  7#f7 ,payment before  
examination ,the ,secretary of ,state1  
on a case-by-case basis1 may approve and
 disburse payment for a medical         
examination in advance of the medical   
examination4  4  #h4 ,authorization of  
virtual interviews ,section #fjb7;b77#d7
 of the ,afghan ,allies ,protection ,act
 of #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-h2 #h      
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja #ba note7 is amended by 
adding at the end the following3  7,d7  
,virtual interviews ,notwithstanding    
section #bbb7;e7 of the ,immigration and
 ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4        
#abjb7;e771 an application for an       
immigrant visa under this section may be
 signed by the applicant through a      

virtual video meeting before a consular 
officer and verified by the oath of the 
applicant administered by the consular  
officer during a virtual video meeting4 
4  #i4 ,annual report on efficiency     
improvements to application processing  
for certain ,iraqi and ,afghan          
translators and interpreters  7a7 ,in   
general ,not later than #abj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary 
of ,state and the ,secretary of         
,homeland ,security1 in consultation    
with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall  
publish on the internet website of the  
,department of ,state a report that     
describes the efficiency improvements   
made with respect to the processes by   
which applications for special immigrant
 visas under section #ajei of the       
,national ,defense ,authorization ,act  
for ,fiscal ,year #bjjf 7,public ,law   
#aji-afc2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note7 are  
processed4  7b7 ,elements ,each report  
required by subsection 7a7 shall include

 the following3 7#a7 ,for each month of 
the preceding fiscal year1 the number of
 aliens who have applied for special    
immigrant visas under section #ajei of  
the ,national ,defense ,authorization   
,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjjf 7,public   
,law #aji-afc2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note74
  7#b7 ,the number of visas issued to   
principal and derivative applicants     
under such section during the preceding 
fiscal year4  7#c7 ,the number of visas 
that remained authorized and available  
at the end of the preceding fiscal year4
  7#d7 ,in the case of a failure to     
process an application for such a visa  
that has been pending for more than one 
year1 the reasons for such failure4     
7#e7 ,the total number of applications  
for such visas that are pending as of   
the date of the report due to-- 7,a7    
failure to receive approval through the 
normal course of the process of         
adjudicating applications2 and  7,b7 an 
insufficient number of visas available4 
7#f7 ,the number of1 and reasons for1   

denials or rejections of such           
applications4  7c7 ,initial report ,in  
addition to the elements under          
subsection 7b71 the initial report      
submitted under subsection 7a7 shall    
include the number of visas converted   
under ,section #b of ,public ,law       
#aaj-bdb 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja note74