Union Calendar No. 128 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 549 

[Report No. 116–168] 

To designate Venezuela under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality 

Act to permit nationals of Venezuela to be eligible for temporary protected status under such section, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 15, 2019 

Mr. SOTO (for himself and Mr. DIAZ-BALART) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JULY 23, 2019 

Additional sponsors: Mrs. MURPHY, Ms. SHALALA, Ms. WASSERMAN

SCHULTZ, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. HASTINGS, Miss GONZA ́LEZCOLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SIRES, Mr. CRIST, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 

BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. HAALAND, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. TRONE, Mr. EVANS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. WILD, 

Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. DEAN, 

Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. 

MCCOLLUM, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. SUOZZI

JULY 23, 2019 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 15, 2019] 


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•HR 549 RH

A BILL 

To designate Venezuela under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit nationals of Venezuela 

to be eligible for temporary protected status under such 

section, and for other purposes. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
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•HR 549 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuela TPS Act of 

5 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION FOR PURPOSES OF GRANTING TEM7 PORARY PROTECTED STATUS. 

8 (a) DESIGNATION.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 244 of 

10 the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

11 1254a), Venezuela shall be treated as if it had been 

12 designated under subsection (b)(1)(C) of that section, 

13 subject to the provisions of this section. 

14 (2) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe15 riod of the designation referred to in paragraph (1) 

16 shall be for the 18-month period beginning on the date 

17 of the enactment of this Act. 

18 (b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—As a result of the designation 

19 made under subsection (a), an alien who is a national of 

20 Venezuela is deemed to satisfy the requirements under para21 graph (1) of section 244(c) of the Immigration and Nation22 ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(c)), subject to paragraph (3) of 

23 such section, if the alien— 


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•HR 549 RH

1 (1) has been continuously physically present in 

2 the United States since the date of the enactment of 

3 this Act; 

4 (2) is admissible as an immigrant, except as oth5 erwise provided in paragraph (2)(A) of such section, 

6 and is not ineligible for temporary protected status 

7 under paragraph (2)(B) of such section; and 

8 (3) registers for temporary protected status in a 

9 manner established by the Secretary of Homeland Se10 curity. 

11 (c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 

13 Security shall give prior consent to travel abroad, in 

14 accordance with section 244(f)(3) of the Immigration 

15 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)), to an 

16 alien who is granted temporary protected status pur17 suant to the designation made under subsection (a) if 

18 the alien establishes to the satisfaction of the Sec19 retary of Homeland Security that emergency and ex20 tenuating circumstances beyond the control of the 

21 alien require the alien to depart for a brief, tem22 porary trip abroad. 

23 (2) TREATMENT UPON RETURN.—An alien re24 turning to the United States in accordance with an 

25 authorization described in paragraph (1) shall be 


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•HR 549 RH

1 treated as any other returning alien provided tem2 porary protected status under section 244 of the Im3 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a). 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 128 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 549 

[Report No. 116–168] 

A BILL 

To designate Venezuela under section 244 of the 

other purposes. protected status under such section, and for tionals of Venezuela to be eligible for temporary Immigration and Nationality Act to permit naJULY 23, 2019 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS