I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2655

To amend and extend the Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program 

Act of 1998. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 26, 2003

Mr. WALSH (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, 

Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. SWEENEY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. MCCARTHY of 

New York, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. QUINN, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. 

SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 

PAYNE, Mr. FROST, and Mr. DUNCAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 

to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL

To amend and extend the Irish Peace Process Cultural and 

Training Program Act of 1998.

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

3 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT AND EXTENSION OF IRISH PEACE 

4 PROCESS CULTURAL AND TRAINING PRO5 GRAM ACT OF 1998. 

6 (a) AMENDMENT OF PROGRAM.—
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1 (1) Section 2(a)(2)(A) of such the Irish Peace 

2 Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 

3 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended by adding at the 

4 end ‘‘Not more than 20 percent of participants in 

5 the program may have a degree from an institution 

6 of higher education.’’. 

7 (2) Section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I) of the Immi8 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

9 1101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I)) is amended—

10 (A) by striking ‘‘35 years of age or young11 er having a residence’’ and inserting ‘‘21 to 35 

12 years of age, unemployed for not less than 6 

13 months, having resided for not less 6 months’’; 

14 and 

15 (B) by striking ‘‘36 months’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘24 months’’. 

17 (3) Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Na18 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(e)) is amended by in19 serting after subsection (p) the following: 

20 ‘‘(q)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no per21 son admitted under section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I) or acquir22 ing such status after admission shall be eligible to apply 

23 for an immigrant visa, or for permanent residence, or for 

24 a nonimmigrant visa under this Act until it is established 

25 that such person has resided and been physically present 
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1 in the country of nationality or last residence for an aggre2 gate of a least one year following departure from the 

3 United States. 

4 ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security may waive 

5 the requirement of such one-year foreign residence abroad 

6 if the Secretary determines that—

7 ‘‘(A) departure from the United States would 

8 impose exceptional hardship upon the alien’s spouse 

9 or child (if such spouse or child is a citizen of the 

10 United States or a lawfully resident alien); 

11 ‘‘(B) that the alien cannot return to the coun12 try of the alien’s nationality or last residence be13 cause the alien would be subject to persecution on 

14 account of race, religion, or political opinion; or 

15 ‘‘(C) the admission of the alien is in the public 

16 interest or the national interest of the United 

17 States.’’. 

18 (b) EXTENSION OF PROGRAM.—Section 2 of the Irish 

19 Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 

20 1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended—

21 (1) in subsection (d)(1) by striking ‘‘2006,’’ 

22 and inserting ‘‘2008,’’; 

23 (2) in subsection (d)(2) by striking ‘‘2005,’’ 

24 and inserting ‘‘2011,’’; 
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1 (3) in subsection (a)(3) by striking ‘‘the third 

2 program year and for the 3 subsequent years,’’ and 

3 inserting ‘‘each program year’’. 

4 (c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING CHANGES.—The 

5 Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act 

6 of 1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note; Public Law 105–319) is 

7 amended—

8 (1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place 

9 it appears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Se10 curity’’; and 

11 (2) by striking ‘‘Immigration and Naturaliza12 tion Service’’ each place it appears and inserting 

13 ‘‘Department of Homeland Security’’.

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