I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3687 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the diversity 
immigrant program and to re-allocate those visas to certain employment- 
based immigrants who obtain an advanced degree in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 1, 2009 
Mr. ISSA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate 
the diversity immigrant program and to re-allocate those 
visas to certain employment-based immigrants who ob-
tain an advanced degree in the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ELIMINATION OF DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) WORLDWIDE
LEVEL
OF
DIVERSITY
IMMI-
GRANTS.—Section 201 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
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(A) by inserting ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (1); 
(B) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of para-
graph (2) and inserting a period; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by striking subsection (e). 
(b) ALLOCATION OF DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISAS.— 
Section 203 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘(a), (b), or 
(c),’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) or (b),’’; 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (2) 
and redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); 
(4) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘(a), (b), or 
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) or (b)’’; and 
(5) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘(a), (b), and 
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) and (b)’’. 
(c) PROCEDURE FOR GRANTING IMMIGRANT STA-
TUS.—Section 204 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (a)(1)(I); and 
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘(a), (b), or 
(c)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) or (b)’’. 
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SEC. 2. VISAS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT-BASED IMMI-
GRANTS WHO OBTAIN AN ADVANCED DEGREE 
IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 203(b)(2) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) CERTAIN
ALIENS
OBTAINING
AD-
VANCED DEGREES IN THE UNITED STATES.— 
Visas shall be made available, in a number not 
to exceed 55,000, to qualified immigrants 
who— 
‘‘(i) are a member of a profession 
holding an advanced degree obtained with-
in the United States; 
‘‘(ii)(I) obtained such degree within 
the United States during the 5-year period 
preceding the date on which the petition 
filed under section 204(a)(1)(F) for classi-
fication under this subparagraph is filed; 
or 
‘‘(II) has resided continuously in the 
United States in a lawful nonimmigrant 
status since obtaining such degree; and 
‘‘(iii) whose services in the sciences or 
medicine— 
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‘‘(I) are sought by an employer 
in the United States; and 
‘‘(II) will substantially benefit 
prospectively the national economy of 
the United States.’’. 
(b) NUMERICAL LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 201(d) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(d)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) Aliens described in section 203(b)(2)(D) may be 
issued visas or may otherwise acquire the status of an 
alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent 
residence in a number not to exceed 55,000 in any fiscal 
year.’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
201(a)(2) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(a)(2)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘and not to exceed’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘and, excluding immigrants described in section 
203(b)(2)(D), not to exceed’’. 
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
on October 1, 2009. 
Æ 
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