I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4303 

To designate the Commonwealth of The Bahamas under section 244 of 

the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit nationals of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to be eligible for temporary protected status 

under such section, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 

Ms. WILSON of Florida (for herself, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. TONKO, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. COX of California, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. RUSH, 

Mr. RICHMOND, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mrs. 

HAYES, Mr. CLAY, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. MOORE, 

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. SOTO, Mr. CRIST, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Ms. 

FRANKEL, Ms. FUDGE, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Ms. 

BASS, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. EVANS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, 

Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. JEFFRIES, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. CUMMINGS, 

Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. GARAMENDI, and 

Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 

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 designate the Commonwealth of The Bahamas under 

section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to 


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permit nationals of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas 

to be eligible for temporary protected status under such 

section, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Bahamas TPS Act 

5 of 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 

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

11 1254a), the Commonwealth of The Bahamas shall 

12 be treated as if it had been designated under sub13 section (b) of that section, subject to the provisions 

14 of this section. 

15 (2) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe16 riod of the designation referred to in paragraph (1) 

17 shall be for the 18-month period beginning on the 

18 date of the enactment of this Act. 

19 (b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—As a result of the designa20 tion made under subsection (a), an alien who is a national 

21 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is deemed to sat22 isfy the requirements under paragraph (1) of section 

23 244(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 


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1 1254a(c)), subject to paragraph (3) of such section, if the 

2 alien— 

3 (1) has been continuously physically present in 

4 the United States since the date of the enactment of 

5 this Act; 

6 (2) is admissible as an immigrant, except as 

7 otherwise provided in paragraph (2)(A) of such sec8 tion, and is not ineligible for temporary protected 

9 status under paragraph (2)(B) of such section; and 

10 (3) registers for temporary protected status in 

11 a manner established by the Secretary of Homeland 

12 Security. 

13 (c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.— 

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

15 Security shall give prior consent to travel abroad, in 

16 accordance with section 244(f)(3) of the Immigra17 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)), to 

18 an alien who is granted temporary protected status 

19 pursuant to the designation made under subsection 

20 (a) if the alien establishes to the satisfaction of the 

21 Secretary of Homeland Security that emergency and 

22 extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the 

23 alien require the alien to depart for a brief, tem24 porary trip abroad. 


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1 (2) TREATMENT UPON RETURN.—An alien re2 turning to the United States in accordance with an 

3 authorization described in paragraph (1) shall be 

4 treated as any other returning alien provided tem5 porary protected status under section 244 of the Im6 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a). 

7 SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

8 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

9 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

10 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

11 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

12 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

13 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro14 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

15 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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