69–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 110–540 

ARTS REQUIRE TIMELY SERVICE (ARTS) ACT 

MARCH 6, 2008.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. CONYERS, from the Committee on the Judiciary, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1312] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

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

(H.R. 1312) to expedite adjudication of employer petitions for aliens 

of extraordinary artistic ability, having considered the same, report 

favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill 

as amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

The Amendment ...................................................................................................... 1 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 2 

Background and Need for the Legislation ............................................................. 2 

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

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

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

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 6 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures ...................................................... 6 

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .......................................................... 6 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 7 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 8 

Advisory on Earmarks ............................................................................................. 8 

Section-by-Section Analysis .................................................................................... 8 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 8 

THE AMENDMENT

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 


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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act’’. 

SEC. 2. EXPEDITED ADJUDICATION OF EMPLOYER PETITIONS FOR ALIENS OF EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTIC ABILITY. 

Section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)) is amended— (1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security’’; and 

(2) in paragraph (6)(D)— (A) by striking ‘‘(D) Any person’’ and inserting ‘‘(D)(i) Except as provided 

in clause (ii), any person’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(ii) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall adjudicate each petition for an 

alien with extraordinary ability in the arts (as described in section 101(a)(15)(O)(i)), 

an alien accompanying such an alien (as described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 

101(a)(15)(O)), or an alien described in section 101(a)(15)(P) (other than an alien described in section 214(c)(4)(A) (relating to athletes)) not later than 30 days after— ‘‘(I) the date on which the petitioner submits the petition with a written advisory opinion, letter of no objection, or request for a waiver; or ‘‘(II) the date on which the 15-day period described in clause (i) has expired, 

if the petitioner has had an opportunity, as appropriate, to supply rebuttal evidence. 

‘‘(iii) If a petition described in clause (ii) is not adjudicated before the end of the 

30-day period described in clause (ii) and the petitioner is an arts organization described in paragraph (3), (5), or (6) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code 

of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code for the taxable year 

preceding the calendar year in which the petition is submitted, or an individual or 

entity petitioning primarily on behalf of such an organization, the Secretary of 

Homeland Security shall provide the petitioner with the premium-processing services referred to in section 286(u), without a fee.’’. 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 1312, the ‘‘Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act,’’

amends section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to 

provide premium processing (as described in section 286(u) of the 

Act) for O or P visa petitions that are not processed within 30 days 

of filing, if the petitioner is a nonprofit arts organization or is filing 

on behalf of such an organization. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

By inviting foreign artists to perform, nonprofit arts organizations in the United States offer American audiences the opportunity to experience a variety of artistic talent and encourage a 

supportive climate for American artists to perform abroad. But 

nonprofit arts organizations have confronted significant delays and 

uncertainties in the processing of visa petitions for foreign guest 

artists in the last several years. These delays not only impact the 

immediate availability of foreign artists to perform alongside American artists, but also threaten to impede the ability of U.S. artists 

to perform abroad. 

When a nonprofit arts organization invites a foreign performer, 

an entire symphony, or other performing arts group to perform in 

the United States, the hosting organization must calendar, advertise, and ticket performances far in advance. All of these arrangements must be made based on the expectation that the organization will successfully obtain a visa for their guest performer. 

Increasingly, delays in processing have complicated this process, 

leading many smaller arts organizations to stop engaging foreign 

artists altogether because they cannot risk the potential expense of 

canceling a performance as a result of slow visa processing. OrganiVerDate Aug 31 2005 21:21 Mar 06, 2008 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR540.XXX HR540

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1The letter to USCIS Director Eduardo Aguirre was signed by Representatives Melissa Hart, 

Howard Berman, Howard Coble, Adam Schiff, Lamar Smith, Robert Wexler, Chris Cannon, William Delahunt, Randy Forbes, Anthony Weiner, Mike Pence, Tammy Baldwin, Marsha 

Blackburn, Jerrold Nadler, Steve Chabot, and Sheila Jackson Lee. 

zations that have persevered are experiencing more frequent situations in which performances involving foreign guest artists must be 

cancelled because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS) cannot process visa petitions within a 6-month period before the performance. The risk of cancellation presents problems 

not only for the organizations bringing in foreign artists, but also 

for American artists who are slated to work as part of these performances as well as for the support staff employed by the organizations for such performances. 

Many nonprofit arts organizations cannot afford the current 

$1,000 fee for premium processing, now offered by USCIS, a program that was adopted primarily at the request of for-profit corporations. While premium processing provides 15-calendar-day 

processing to petitioners paying the additional fee, this is a particularly unreasonable alternative in the context of the O and P categories. Existing statute already requires processing of these visas 

within 14 days of receipt of a completed petition, although regular 

visa processing for O and P visas can now take up to 180 days—

too long for the performance schedules of arts organizations to accommodate. 

Prior to the consideration of H.R. 1312, a bipartisan group of 

Members urged USCIS to remedy this problem administratively. In 

October 2003, sixteen members 1 sent a letter to USCIS Director 

Eduardo Aguirre encouraging him to implement a number of reforms, including reducing processing for O and P petitions filed by 

or on behalf of nonprofit organizations to 30 days or automatically 

removing those petitions for premium processing at no additional 

fee. To date, these reforms have not been made administratively, 

and USCIS has advised the Committee that it cannot make them 

without legislative action. 

HEARINGS

The Committee on the Judiciary held no hearings on H.R. 1312. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On September 25, 2007, the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law met in 

open session and ordered the bill H.R. 1312 favorably reported, by 

a vote of 7 to 5, a quorum being present. On October 24, 2007 and 

November 7, 2007, the Committee met in open session and on November 7, 2007, the Committee ordered the bill H.R. 1312 favorably reported with an 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 the following 

rollcall votes occurred during the Committee’s consideration of H.R. 

1312. 


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1. An amendment offered by Mr. King to limit the application of 

the premium processing provision of the bill to non-profit organizations with assets and revenue of less than $1 million. The amendment failed by a vote of 9 to 15. 

ROLLCALL NO. 1 

Ayes Nays Present 

Mr. Conyers, Jr., Chairman ............................................................................... X 

Mr. Berman ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Boucher .......................................................................................................

Mr. Nadler ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Scott ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Watt ............................................................................................................

Ms. Lofgren ....................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Jackson Lee ................................................................................................ X 

Ms. Waters ........................................................................................................

Mr. Delahunt .....................................................................................................

Mr. Wexler .........................................................................................................

Ms. Sa ́nchez ...................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cohen .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Johnson ....................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Sutton ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Gutierrez .....................................................................................................

Mr. Sherman .....................................................................................................

Ms. Baldwin ......................................................................................................

Mr. Weiner ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Schiff .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Davis ...........................................................................................................

Ms. Wasserman Schultz .................................................................................... X 

Mr. Ellison ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Smith (Texas) ............................................................................................. X 

Mr. Sensenbrenner, Jr. ......................................................................................

Mr. Coble ...........................................................................................................

Mr. Gallegly .......................................................................................................

Mr. Goodlatte .................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Chabot ........................................................................................................

Mr. Lungren ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cannon ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Keller ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Issa .............................................................................................................

Mr. Pence ..........................................................................................................

Mr. Forbes ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. King ............................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Feeney ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Franks ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Gohmert ......................................................................................................

Mr. Jordan ......................................................................................................... X 

Total ................................................................................................ 9 15 

2. An amendment offered by Mr. King to limit the application of 

the premium processing provision of the bill to non-profit organizations with assets and revenue of less than $100 million. The 

amendment failed by a vote of 10 to 17. 

ROLLCALL NO. 2 

Ayes Nays Present 

Mr. Conyers, Jr., Chairman ............................................................................... X 

Mr. Berman ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Boucher .......................................................................................................

Mr. Nadler ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Scott ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Watt ............................................................................................................ X 


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ROLLCALL NO. 2—Continued 

Ayes Nays Present 

Ms. Lofgren ....................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Jackson Lee ................................................................................................

Ms. Waters ........................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Delahunt ..................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Wexler ......................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Sa ́nchez ...................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cohen .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Johnson .......................................................................................................

Ms. Sutton .........................................................................................................

Mr. Gutierrez .....................................................................................................

Mr. Sherman ..................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Baldwin ......................................................................................................

Mr. Weiner ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Schiff .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Davis ........................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Wasserman Schultz ....................................................................................

Mr. Ellison .........................................................................................................

Mr. Smith (Texas) ............................................................................................. X 

Mr. Sensenbrenner, Jr. ......................................................................................

Mr. Coble ...........................................................................................................

Mr. Gallegly .......................................................................................................

Mr. Goodlatte .................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Chabot ........................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Lungren ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cannon ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Keller ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Issa ............................................................................................................. X 

Mr. Pence .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Forbes ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. King ............................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Feeney ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Franks .........................................................................................................

Mr. Gohmert ......................................................................................................

Mr. Jordan ......................................................................................................... X 

Total ................................................................................................ 10 17 

3. An amendment offered by Mr. King to limit the application of 

the premium processing provision of the bill to non-profit organizations with assets and revenue of less than $1 billion. The amendment failed by a vote of 12 to 18. 

ROLLCALL NO. 3 

Ayes Nays Present 

Mr. Conyers, Jr., Chairman ............................................................................... X 

Mr. Berman ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Boucher .......................................................................................................

Mr. Nadler ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Scott ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Watt ............................................................................................................ X 

Ms. Lofgren ....................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Jackson Lee ................................................................................................

Ms. Waters ........................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Delahunt ..................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Wexler ......................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Sa ́nchez ...................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cohen .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Johnson .......................................................................................................

Ms. Sutton ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Gutierrez .....................................................................................................

Mr. Sherman ..................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Baldwin ......................................................................................................


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ROLLCALL NO. 3—Continued 

Ayes Nays Present 

Mr. Weiner ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Schiff .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Davis ........................................................................................................... X 

Ms. Wasserman Schultz ....................................................................................

Mr. Ellison .........................................................................................................

Mr. Smith (Texas) ............................................................................................. X 

Mr. Sensenbrenner, Jr. ...................................................................................... X 

Mr. Coble ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Gallegly .......................................................................................................

Mr. Goodlatte .................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Chabot ........................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Lungren ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Cannon ....................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Keller ........................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Issa ............................................................................................................. X 

Mr. Pence .......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Forbes ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. King ............................................................................................................ X 

Mr. Feeney ......................................................................................................... X 

Mr. Franks .........................................................................................................

Mr. Gohmert ......................................................................................................

Mr. Jordan ......................................................................................................... X 

Total ................................................................................................ 12 18 

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. 

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. 1312, 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, February 22, 2008. 

Hon. JOHN CONYERS, Jr., 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. 1312, the ‘‘Arts Require 

Timely Service Act.’’


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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, 

PETER R. ORSZAG, DIRECTOR. 

Enclosure 

cc: Honorable Lamar S. Smith. 

Ranking Member 

H.R. 1312—Arts Require Timely Service Act. 

CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1312 would have no significant cost to the Federal Government. Enacting the bill could affect direct spending, but CBO estimates that any such effects 

would not be significant in any year. H.R. 1312 would not affect 

revenues. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 

mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 

would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

Current law requires the Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) to adjudicate petitions for nonimmigrant visas for certain 

types of artists and entertainers within 2 weeks of receiving a complete application. However, it takes DHS about 8 weeks, on average, to do so. If petitioners pay a $1,000 fee for premium processing 

services, the department prioritizes those applications and completes its work within 15 days. 

H.R. 1312 would extend the time period for adjudicating petitions 

for certain types of artists and entertainers from 2 weeks to 30 

days. Under the bill, if DHS fails to process petitions filed on behalf of artists and entertainers by certain types of nonprofit arts 

organizations within 30 days, the department would then have to 

provide premium processing services for those applicants without 

charging the $1,000 fee. 

Enacting H.R. 1312 could reduce the collection of premium processing fees from nonprofit arts organizations. DHS does not track 

the number of nonprofit arts organizations that currently pay the 

premium processing fee. The decision to pay that fee is based on 

many variables, including the availability of foreign artists and entertainers to travel to the United States, changes in performance 

schedules, and other factors. Under H.R. 1312, if organizations decline to pay the premium processing fee when they initially apply, 

they could wait up to 6 weeks (30 days, plus about 2 weeks for premium processing) for DHS to adjudicate the application. That 

schedule may take too long for many artists and entertainers, and 

CBO expects that any loss of premium processing fees under the 

bill (which would increase direct spending) would not be significant 

in any year. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz, who 

can be reached at 226–2860. This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

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. 1312, as amended, is intended to reduce processing times for O and P visa petiVerDate Aug 31 2005 21:21 Mar 06, 2008 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR540.XXX HR540

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tions filed by nonprofit arts organizations to no more than 45 days 

from filing of a completed petition. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds the authority for this legislation in article I, section 8, clause 4 of the Constitution. 

ADVISORY ON EARMARKS

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

of Representatives, H.R. 1312 does not contain any congressional 

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

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

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

The following discussion describes the bill as reported by the 

Committee. 

Sec. 1. Short title. This section sets forth the short title of the bill 

as the ‘‘Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act.’’

Sec. 2. Expedited Adjudication of Employer Petitions for Aliens of 

Extraordinary Artistic Ability. This section amends section 

214(c)(6)(D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the 

Secretary of Homeland Security to adjudicate visa petitions filed on 

behalf of an alien with extraordinary ability in the arts in the O 

and P categories within 30 days of a completed petition being filed. 

In the case of a petition filed without meeting the consultation requirement, the petition must be adjudicated within 30 days of submission of a written advisory opinion or comment, or of a letter of 

no objection, or the expiration of the period in which such a submission would be timely, whichever is earliest. This section also 

provides that if such a petition is not adjudicated within those 30 

days and the petitioner is a nonprofit arts organization, the Secretary must provide the petitioner with premium processing at no 

additional fee. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

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

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

SECTION 214 OF THE IMMIGRATION AND 

NATIONALITY ACT 

ADMISSION OF NONIMMIGRANTS

SEC. 214. (a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(c)(1) The question of importing any alien as a nonimmigrant 

under subparagraph (H), (L), (O), or (P)(i) of section 101(a)(15) (excluding nonimmigrants under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1)) in any 

specific case or specific cases shall be determined by the øAttorney 

General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security, after consultation with 


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appropriate agencies of the Government, upon petition of the importing employer. Such petition shall be made and approved before 

the visa is granted. The petition shall be in such form and contain 

such information as the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland 

Security shall prescribe. The approval of such a petition shall not, 

of itself, be construed as establishing that the alien is a nonimmigrant. For purposes of this subsection with respect to nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a), the term ‘‘appropriate agencies of Government’’ means the Department of Labor 

and includes the Department of Agriculture. The provisions of section 218 shall apply to the question of importing any alien as a 

nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a). 

(2)(A) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall provide for a procedure under which an importing employer 

which meets requirements established by the øAttorney General¿ 

Secretary of Homeland Security may file a blanket petition to import aliens as nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(L) instead of filing individual petitions under paragraph (1) to import 

such aliens. Such procedure shall permit the expedited processing 

of visas for admission of aliens covered under such a petition. 

* * * * * * * 

(C) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

provide a process for reviewing and acting upon petitions under 

this subsection with respect to nonimmigrants described in section 

101(a)(15)(L) within 30 days after the date a completed petition has 

been filed. 

* * * * * * * 

(E) In the case of an alien spouse admitted under section 

101(a)(15)(L), who is accompanying or following to join a principal 

alien admitted under such section, the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall authorize the alien spouse to engage in employment in the United States and provide the spouse 

with an ‘‘employment authorized’’ endorsement or other appropriate work permit. 

* * * * * * * 

(3) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

approve a petition—

(A) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

In the case of an alien seeking entry for a motion picture or television production, (i) any opinion under the previous sentence shall 

only be advisory, (ii) any such opinion that recommends denial 

must be in writing, (iii) in making the decision the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider the exigencies 

and scheduling of the production, and (iv) the øAttorney General¿ 

Secretary of Homeland Security shall append to the decision any 

such opinion. The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide by regulation for the waiver of the consultation 

requirement under subparagraph (A) in the case of aliens who have 

been admitted as nonimmigrants under section 101(a)(15)(O)(i) because of extraordinary ability in the arts and who seek readmission 

to perform similar services within 2 years after the date of a consultation under such subparagraph. Not later than 5 days after the 


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date such a waiver is provided, the øAttorney General¿ Secretary 

of Homeland Security shall forward a copy of the petition and all 

supporting documentation to the national office of an appropriate 

labor organization. 

(4)(A) * * * 

(B)(i) * * * 

(ii) In the case of an entertainment group that is recognized nationally as being outstanding in its discipline for a sustained and 

substantial period of time, the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of 

Homeland Security may, in consideration of special circumstances, 

waive the international recognition requirement of clause (i)(I). 

(iii)(I) The one-year relationship requirement of clause (i)(II) 

shall not apply to 25 percent of the performers and entertainers in 

a group. 

(II) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security may 

waive such one-year relationship requirement for an alien who because of illness or unanticipated and exigent circumstances replaces an essential member of the group and for an alien who augments the group by performing a critical role. 

* * * * * * * 

(C) A person may petition the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of 

Homeland Security for classification of an alien as a nonimmigrant 

under section 101(a)(15)(P). 

(D) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

approve petitions under this subsection with respect to nonimmigrants described in clause (i) or (iii) of section 101(a)(15)(P) 

only after consultation in accordance with paragraph (6). 

(E) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

approve petitions under this subsection for nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(P)(ii) only after consultation with labor 

organizations representing artists and entertainers in the United 

States. 

* * * * * * * 

(5)(A) * * * 

(B) In the case of an alien who is admitted to the United States 

in nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(O) or 101(a)(15)(P) 

and whose employment terminates for reasons other than voluntary resignation, the employer whose offer of employment 

formed the basis of such nonimmigrant status and the petitioner 

are jointly and severally liable for the reasonable cost of return 

transportation of the alien abroad. The petitioner shall provide assurance satisfactory to the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security that the reasonable cost of that transportation will 

be provided. 

(6)(A) * * * 

(B) To meet the consultation requirements of subparagraph (A), 

unless the petitioner submits with the petition an advisory opinion 

from an appropriate labor organization, the øAttorney General¿ 

Secretary of Homeland Security shall forward a copy of the petition 

and all supporting documentation to the national office of an appropriate labor organization within 5 days of the date of receipt of the 

petition. If there is a collective bargaining representative of an employer’s employees in the occupational classification for which the 


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alien is being sought, that representative shall be the appropriate 

labor organization. 

(C) In those cases in which a petitioner described in subparagraph (A) establishes that an appropriate peer group (including a 

labor organization) does not exist, the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall adjudicate the petition without 

requiring an advisory opinion. 

ø(D) Any person¿ (D)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), any person or organization receiving a copy of a petition described in subparagraph (A) and supporting documents shall have no more than 

15 days following the date of receipt of such documents within 

which to submit a written advisory opinion or comment or to provide a letter of no objection. Once the 15-day period has expired 

and the petitioner has had an opportunity, where appropriate, to 

supply rebuttal evidence, the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of 

Homeland Security shall adjudicate such petition in no more than 

14 days. The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security 

may shorten any specified time period for emergency reasons if no 

unreasonable burden would be thus imposed on any participant in 

the process. 

(ii) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall adjudicate each petition for an alien with extraordinary ability in the arts (as described in section 101(a)(15)(O)(i)), an alien accompanying such an 

alien (as described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 101(a)(15)(O)), 

or an alien described in section 101(a)(15)(P) (other than an alien 

described in section 214(c)(4)(A) (relating to athletes)) not later than 

30 days after— (I) the date on which the petitioner submits the petition with 

a written advisory opinion, letter of no objection, or request for 

a waiver; or 

(II) the date on which the 15-day period described in clause 

(i) has expired, if the petitioner has had an opportunity, as appropriate, to supply rebuttal evidence. 

(iii) If a petition described in clause (ii) is not adjudicated before 

the end of the 30-day period described in clause (ii) and the petitioner is an arts organization described in paragraph (3), (5), or (6) 

of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 

from tax under section 501(a) of such Code for the taxable year preceding the calendar year in which the petition is submitted, or an 

individual or entity petitioning primarily on behalf of such an organization, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the petitioner with the premium-processing services referred to in section 

286(u), without a fee. 

(E)(i) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall establish by regulation expedited consultation procedures in 

the case of nonimmigrant artists or entertainers described in section 101(a)(15)(O) or 101(a)(15)(P) to accommodate the exigencies 

and scheduling of a given production or event. 

(ii) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

establish by regulation expedited consultation procedures in the 

case of nonimmigrant athletes described in section 101(a)(15)(O)(i) 

or 101(a)(15)(P)(i) in the case of emergency circumstances (including trades during a season). 

(F) No consultation required under this subsection by the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security with a nongovernVerDate Aug 31 2005 21:21 Mar 06, 2008 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HR540.XXX HR540

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mental entity shall be construed as permitting the øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security to delegate any authority 

under this subsection to such an entity. The øAttorney General¿ 

Secretary of Homeland Security shall give such weight to advisory 

opinions provided under this section as the øAttorney General¿ 

Secretary of Homeland Security determines, in his sole discretion, 

to be appropriate. 

(7) If a petition is filed and denied under this subsection, the 

øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the 

petitioner of the determination and the reasons for the denial and 

of the process by which the petitioner may appeal the determination. 

(8) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

submit annually to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House 

of Representatives and of the Senate a report describing, with respect to petitions under each subcategory of subparagraphs (H), 

(O), (P), and (Q) of section 101(a)(15) the following: 

(A) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(9)(A) The øAttorney General¿ Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall impose a fee on an employer (excluding any employer that is 

a primary or secondary education institution, an institution of 

higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a), a nonprofit entity related to 

or affiliated with any such institution, a nonprofit entity which engages in established curriculum-related clinical training of students 

registered at any such institution, a nonprofit research organization, or a governmental research organization) filing before a petition under paragraph (1)—

(i) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


ccoleman on PRODPC75 with HEARING