,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dhfg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,august #a1 #bjbe,mr4
 ,thanedar 7for himself and ,mr4        
,lawler7 introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
the ,judiciary  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide  
lawful permanent resident status and    
authorized dual intent for certain      
doctoral degree holders4  #a4 ,short    
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,putting ,highest ,degrees ,first ,act  
of #bjbe or the ,p,h,ds ,first ,act4    
#b4 ,exemption from numerical           
limitations on permanent residents for  
certain doctoral degree holders  7a7 ,in
 general ,section #bja7;b77#a7 of the   
,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h  
,u4,s4,c4 #aaea7;b77#a77 is amended by  
adding at the end the following3  7,f7  
,aliens who-- 7i7 have earned a doctoral
 degree in a field of study 7or the     
terminal highest degree awarded in a    
field of study for which a doctoral     
degree or its equivalent is not         

available7 while physically present in  
the ,united ,states from a ,united      
,states institution of higher education 
7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the  
,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a777 accredited by a   
nationally recognized accrediting agency
 or association recognized by the       
,secretary of ,education pursuant to    
part ,h of title ,,iv of the ,higher    
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajii;a et seq472  7ii7 have an offer of
 employment from1 or are employed by1 a 
,united ,states employer in a field     
related to such degree at a rate of pay 
that is higher than the median wage     
level for the occupational              
classification in the area of           
employment1 as determined by the        
,secretary of ,labor2 and  7iii7 are    
admissible pursuant to an approved labor
 certification under section            
#bab7;a77#e77;,a77i74  4  7b7 ,procedure
 for ,granting ,immigration ,status     
,section #bjd7;a77#a77;,f7 of the       

,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h  
,u4,s4,c4 #aaed7;a77#a77;,f77 is amended
 by striking #bjc7;b77#b7 and all that  
follows through ,attorney ,general and  
inserting #bjc7;b77#b71 #bjc7;b77#c71 or
 #bja7;b77#a77;,f7 may file a petition  
with the ,secretary of ,homeland        
,security4  7c7 ,dual ,intent for ,f    
,nonimmigrants ,seeking doctoral degrees
 at ,united ,states ,institutions of    
,higher ,education ,notwithstanding     
sections #aja7;a77#ae77;,f77i7 and      
#bad7;b7 of the ,immigration and        
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a77#ae77;,f77i71 #aahd7;b771 an  
alien who is a bona fide student        
admitted to a program in a field for a  
doctoral degree or the terminal highest 
degree awarded in a field of study for  
which a doctoral degree or its          
equivalent is not available at a ,united
 ,states institution of higher education
 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the 
,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a777 accredited by a   

nationally recognized accrediting agency
 or association recognized by the       
,secretary of ,education pursuant to    
part ,h of title ,,iv of the ,higher    
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajii;a et seq47 may obtain a student   
visa or extend or change nonimmigrant   
status to pursue such degree even if    
such alien intends to seek lawful       
permanent resident status in the ,united
 ,states4