39–007 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 113–445 

FOR THE RELIEF OF CORINA DE CHALUP TURCINOVIC 

MAY 13, 2014.—Referred to the Private Calendar 

Mr. GOODLATTE, from the Committee on the Judiciary, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 306] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 306) for the relief of Corina de Chalup Turcinovic, having 

considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment 

and recommends that the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 1 

Background and Need for the Legislation ............................................................. 1 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 3 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures ...................................................... 4 

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .......................................................... 4 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 4 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 5 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 5 

Advisory on Earmarks ............................................................................................. 5 

Section-by-Section Analysis .................................................................................... 5 

Purpose and Summary 

The bill grants permanent resident status to Corina de Chalup 

Turcinovic. 

Background and Need for the Legislation 

Corina Turcinovic was born in France in 1964. She entered the 

United States through the visa waiver program in 1990 after receiving news that her then-fiance ́, Marin Turcinovic, had been 


dlhill on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HEARING
2 

1See, e.g., Priv. L. No. 106–4 (H.R. Rep. No. 106–364) & Priv. L. No. 106–12 (H.R. Rep. No. 

106–892). 

struck in New Jersey by a car driven by a drunk driver. Marin’s 

spinal cord was severely damaged in the accident. He was left with 

total quadriplegia when his doctors failed to correctly diagnose the 

extent of his injuries, including broken vertebrae in his neck. 

Marin would later win a large settlement in a medical malpractice 

suit. His injuries left him completely dependent on Corina for care. 

He was dependent on a ventilator to breathe and he required 24- 

hour medical care. 

Two months after her entry into the country, Corina filed an application for an extension of her temporary stay. INS denied the 

application because extensions of stay were not allowed under the 

visa waiver program. However, INS granted her a stay of deportation on humanitarian grounds to allow Corina to stay in the U.S. 

to care for Marin in their home. Such stays of deportation were renewed on an annual basis for the next 10 years. 

In 1996, Marin and Corina were married. In 1998, Marin became 

a lawful permanent resident. He then filed a petition for permanent residence for Corina. It was approved and she was placed on 

the waiting list for green cards for spouses of permanent residents. 

In 2003, Marin filed for naturalization (which, once granted, 

would allow Corina as the spouse of a citizen to immediately apply 

for adjustment of status to conditional permanent residence). While 

a medical certification of disability made clear that Marin could not 

physically appear at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(‘‘USCIS’’) office, Marin nonetheless received a fingerprint appointment notice about 2 weeks later. Marin’s attorney contacted USCIS 

and the agency responded that an officer would visit Marin at his 

home to further process his application. However, Marin then received notice that his naturalization application had been denied 

due to abandonment because of his failure to appear for 

fingerprinting. Marin’s attorney again contacted USCIS and filed a 

motion to reopen Marin’s application. The motion was granted on 

March 8, 2004. However, Marin received another fingerprint appointment notice and died shortly later. 

H.R. 306 grants Ms. Turcinovic permanent residence. 

The case certainly seems unique in that an alien who had come 

to the U.S. legally was allowed by the Federal Government to stay 

here for many years to care for her legal immigrant spouse. While 

that care is no longer needed following the death of Marin, Corina 

would suffer hardship in having to return to France after all these 

years in the U.S. 

In a broader sense, there is precedent for the private bill. First, 

Corina would have already been a conditional permanent resident 

by the time of her husband’s death if not for USCIS error. Congress 

has enacted private bills in cases of aliens who would have received 

permanent residence but for a mistake by the Federal immigration 

agency.1 Second, Congress has enacted private bills where alien 

spouses of American citizens lost the right to receive permanent 

residence because of the death of the American citizens before the 

approval of the petitions for conditional permanent residence (usuVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:56 May 13, 2014 Jkt 039007 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR445.XXX HR445

dlhill on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HEARING
3 

2See, e.g., Priv. L No. 107–5 (H.R. Rep. No. 107–579), Priv. L. No. 106–3 (H.R. Rep. No. 106– 

178), Priv. L. No. 106–23 (H.R. Rep. No. 106–965), Priv. L. No. 105–7 (H.R. Rep. No. 105–689) 

& Priv. L. No.105–8 (H.R. Rep. No. 105–690). 

ally, but not always, where there was a U.S. citizen child involved).2

In the 110th Congress, the Subcommittee requested a DHS report on Ms. Turcinovic and DHS provided the Subcommittee with 

a report which contained no derogatory information. On February 

13, 2008, the Subcommittee ordered H.R. 5030 (providing permanent residence to Ms. Turcinovic) favorably reported by voice vote. 

On May 14, 2008, the Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote. On September 16, 2008, the bill passed the 

House by voice vote. 

In the 111th Congress, the Subcommittee requested a DHS report and DHS provided a report which contained no derogatory information. 

In the 112th Congress, the Subcommittee requested a DHS report and DHS provided a report which contained no derogatory information. On June 28, 2012, the Committee ordered H.R. 357 (providing permanent residence to Ms. Turcinovic) favorably reported 

by voice vote. On December 4, 2012, the bill passed the House by 

voice vote. 

This Congress, the Subcommittee requested a DHS report and 

DHS provided a report which contained no derogatory information. 

Hearings 

The Committee on the Judiciary held no hearings on H.R. 306. 

Committee Consideration 

On April 4, 2014, the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border 

Security met in open session and ordered the bill H.R. 306 favorably reported, without amendment, by voice vote, a quorum being 

present. On April 30, 2014, the Committee met in open session and 

ordered the bill H.R. 306 favorably reported without amendment, 

by voice vote, a quorum being present. 

Committee Votes 

In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee advises that there were 

no recorded votes during the Committee’s consideration of H.R. 

306. 

Committee Oversight Findings 

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the findings 

and recommendations of the Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this report. 


dlhill on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HEARING
4 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures 

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is inapplicable because this legislation does not provide new 

budgetary authority or increased tax expenditures. 

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate 

In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee sets forth, with respect to 

the bill, H.R. 306, the following estimate and comparison prepared 

by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, May 2, 2014. 

Hon. BOB GOODLATTE, CHAIRMAN, 

Committee on the Judiciary, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 306, a bill for the relief 

of Corina de Chalup Turcinovic. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz, who 

can be reached at 226-2860. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF, DIRECTOR. 

Enclosure 

cc: Honorable John Conyers, Jr. 

Ranking Member 

H.R. 306—A bill for the relief of Corina de Chalup Turcinovic. 

As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 30, 2014. 

H.R. 306 would make Corina de Chalup Turcinovic eligible for 

permanent U.S. residence. The bill would affect only one person 

and could have a very small effect on fees collected by the Department of Homeland Security; thus, enacting the bill would affect direct spending and pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO 

estimates that those effects would not be significant. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz. The 

estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

Duplication of Federal Programs 

No provision of H.R. 306 establishes or reauthorizes a program 

of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the 

Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 

21 of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 


dlhill on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HEARING
5 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings 

The Committee estimates that H.R. 306 specifically directs to be 

completed no specific rule makings within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 

551. 

Performance Goals and Objectives 

The Committee states that pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H.R. 306 grants permanent resident status to Corina de Chalup Turcinovic. 

Advisory on Earmarks 

In accordance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, H.R. 306 does not contain any congressional 

earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 

in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of Rule XXI. 

Section-by-Section Analysis 

Sec. 1. Permanent Resident Status for Corina de Chalup Turcinovic. 

Subsection (a) provides that Corina de Chalup Turcinovic shall 

be eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of 

status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa 

under section 204 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) or 

for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident. 

Subsection (b) provides that if Corina de Chalup Turcinovic enters the United States before the filing deadline specified in subsection (c), she shall be considered to have entered and remained 

lawfully and shall, if otherwise eligible, be eligible for adjustment 

of status under section 245 of the INA. 

Subsection (c) provides that subsections (a) and (b) shall apply 

only if the application for issuance of an immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status is filed with appropriate fees 

within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Subsection (d) provides that upon the granting of an immigrant 

visa or permanent residence to Corina de Chalup Turcinovic, the 

Secretary of State shall instruct the proper officer to reduce by 1, 

during the current or next following fiscal year, the total number 

of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of her birth under section 203(a) of the INA or, if applicable, 

the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of her birth under section 202(e) of the INA. 

Subsection (e) provides that the natural parents, brothers, and 

sisters of Corina de Chalup Turcinovic shall not, by virtue of such 

relationship, be accorded any right, privilege, or status under the 

INA. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HEARING