,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fiib ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #i1 #bjbf,mr4 ,stanton 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,mr4 ,liccardo1 and ,mr4 ,gooden7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to establish in ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services of the ,department of ,homeland ,security an ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program ,advisory ,committee4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program ,advisory ,committee ,authorization ,act4 #b4 ,,eb-#e regional center program advisory committee ,subtitle ,e of title ,,iv of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #dfc4 ,,eb-#e regional center program advisory committee 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish within ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services an ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program ,advisory ,committee4 ,the ,advisory ,committee shall be terminated upon adjudication of all benefits filed under section #bjc7;b77#e7 and #baf;,a of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act from time to time or any other public law implementing the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program4 7b7 ,duties 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,committee shall advise1 consult with1 report to1 and make recommendations to the ,director of ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services regarding the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program4 7#b7 ,recommendations 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,committee shall develop recommendations for improvements to the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program within ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services4 7,b7 ,recommendations of subcommittees ,recommendations agreed upon by the subcommittees established under subsection 7d7 for any year shall be approved by a majority of the ,advisory ,committee before the ,advisory ,committee submits to the ,director the annual report under paragraph 7#d7 for that year4 ,the ,advisory ,committee shall not make any petition or case-specific recommendations to the program under section #bjc7;b77#e7 and section #baf;,a of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act4 7#c7 ,periodic reports ,the ,advisory ,committee shall annually1 or when deemed necessary by a majority of the ,advisory ,committee members1 submit to the ,director-- 7,a7 reports on matters identified by the ,director2 or 7,b7 reports on other matters identified by a majority of the members of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#d7 ,annual report ,the ,advisory ,committee shall submit to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security and ,director an annual report providing information on the activities1 findings1 and recommendations of the ,advisory ,committee1 including its subcommittees1 for the preceding fiscal year4 ,not later than six months after the date that the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security and the ,director receives an annual report for a year1 the ,director shall publish a public version of the report describing the activities of the ,advisory ,committee and such related matters as would be informative to the public during that year4 7#e7 ,congressional notification ,for each fiscal quarter beginning after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,director shall provide to the ,committees on the ,judiciary1 and the ,committees on ,appropriations a briefing on the activities of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#f7 ,conformity with the ,,eb-#e ,reform and ,integrity ,act of #bjbb ,nothing in this section may be construed to violate or be inconsistent with section #ajg of the ,,eb-#e ,reform and ,integrity ,act of #bjbb4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,appointment 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall appoint the members of the ,advisory ,committee consisting of representatives of ,federal1 ,state1 local and ,tribal ,governments and ,,eb-#e regional centers in good standing representing projects from diverse geographies and diverse project types4 7,b7 ,composition ,the membership of the ,advisory ,committee shall consist of not more than #ce members1 each of whom represent a category referred to in subparagraph 7,c77i74 ,the member shall be considered the appointed regional center or governmental agency1 and the member shall appoint1 subject to ,secretary approval1 the individual that represents such regional center or governmental agency4 7,c7 ,representation 7i7 ,in general ,regional centers members shall be appointed only from regional centers in good standing and operating under the ,,eb-#e ,reform and ,integrity ,act of #bjbb1 notwithstanding any lapse or termination of the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program1 and each regional center member shall represent a regional center that has submitted petitions to sponsor no fewer than two projects in the same regional center category pursuant to clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,representation categories ,regional center members shall include at least two from each of the following categories3 7,i7 ,regional ,center--,high unemployment area4 7,,ii7 ,regional ,center--,rural4 7,,iii7 ,regional ,center--,infrastructure4 7,,iv7 ,regional ,center--,census ,region ,northeast4 7,v7 ,regional ,center--,census ,region ,south4 7,,vi7 ,regional ,center--,census ,region ,midwest4 7,,vii7 ,regional ,center--,census ,region ,west4 7iii7 ,additional representation ,representatives shall1 in addition1 include at least one from each of the following categories3 7,i7 ,mayor--,city1 large2 ,territory inside ,urbanized ,area and inside a ,principal ,city with population of #bej1jjj or more4 7,,ii7 ,mayor--,city1 midsize2 ,territory inside ,urbanized ,area and inside a ,principal ,city with population less than #bej1jjj and greater than or equal to #ajj1jjj4 7,,iii7 ,mayor--,city1 small2 ,territory inside ,urbanized ,area and inside a ,principal ,city with population less than #ajj1jjj4 7,,iv7 ,county ,economic ,development ,officer--,urbanized ,area4 7,v7 ,county ,economic ,development ,officer--,urban ,place ,outside of ,urbanized ,area4 7,,vi7 ,county ,economic ,development ,officer--,rural ,place4 7,,vii7 ,state ,economic ,development ,officer4 7,,viii7 ,department of ,state1 ex officio4 7,,ix7 ,department of ,commerce1 ex officio4 7,x7 ,trade association representing no fewer than #ej ,,eb-#e regional centers4 7,,xi7 ,other relevant fields identified by the ,director4 7iv7 ,prohibition ,the ,advisory ,committee shall include at least two members from each category under clause 7ii7 but not exceed three members from any one category4 7#b7 ,term of office 7,a7 ,terms ,the term of each member of the ,advisory ,committee shall be two years1 but a member may continue to serve1 notwithstanding any term limit1 until a successor is appointed4 ,in the event that an individual representing the member is no longer associated with the member1 the member shall appoint1 subject to ,secretary of ,homeland ,security approval1 a new individual to serve the remaining term of such member4 7,b7 ,removal ,the ,director may review the participation of a member of the ,advisory ,committee and remove such member for cause at any time1 after notifying the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security4 7,c7 ,reappointment ,a member of the ,advisory ,committee may be reappointed for a maximum of #f consecutive terms4 7#c7 ,prohibition on compensation ,the members of the ,advisory ,committee may not receive pay or benefits from the ,united ,states ,government by reason of their service on the ,advisory ,committee1 other than pay and benefits for ,federal employees serving on the ,advisory ,committee that are incident to their ,federal employment4 7#d7 ,meetings 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall require the ,advisory ,committee to meet at least quarterly1 and may convene additional meetings as necessary4 7,b7 ,public meetings ,at least one of the meetings referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 shall be open to the public4 7,c7 ,attendance ,the ,advisory ,committee shall maintain a record of the persons present at each meeting4 7#e7 ,chairperson ,the ,advisory ,committee shall select1 from among the members of the ,advisory ,committee-- 7,a7 a member to serve1 for a term of #d years1 as chairperson of the ,advisory ,committee2 and 7,b7 a member to serve as chairperson of each subcommittee of the ,advisory ,committee established under subsection 7d74 7d7 ,subcommittees 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director and the ,advisory ,committee shall establish subcommittees within the ,advisory ,committee to address ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program issues1 including the following3 7,a7 ,administration1 including-- 7i7 agency staffing2 7ii7 petition processing times2 7iii7 improved communication between the ,agency and ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center stakeholders2 7iv7 fraud prevention2 and 7v7 compliance with securities laws4 7,b7 ,impact1 including-- 7i7 job creation and job retention2 and 7ii7 capital investment4 7,c7 ,policy1 subject to applicable requirements under law1 including-- 7i7 legislative interpretation and specific policies and guidelines of ,u4,s4 ,citizenship and ,immigration ,services relevant to the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program2 7ii7 policymaking procedures outside of formal legislative or regulatory rule-making processes2 7iii7 regulations2 7iv7 financial structuring of investments2 and 7v7 source of funds issues4 7,d7 ,other such issues relevant to the ,,eb-#e ,regional ,center ,program and requested by members of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#b7 ,additional subcommittees ,in addition to the subcommittees established pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 the ,advisory ,committee chairperson1 in coordination with the ,director1 shall establish within the ,advisory ,committee such additional subcommittees that the majority of the ,advisory ,committee determine to be necessary4 7#c7 ,meetings and reporting ,each subcommittee shall meet at least quarterly1 and at least once in-person annually1 and submit to the ,advisory ,committee for inclusion in the annual report required under subsection 7b77#d7 information1 including activities1 findings1 and recommendations1 regarding subject matter considered by the subcommittee4 7#d7 ,subject matter experts ,the chair of the ,advisory ,committee shall appoint members to subcommittees4 4