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 subse-
quently 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT AND EXTENSION OF IRISH PEACE 
PROCESS CULTURAL AND TRAINING PRO-
GRAM ACT OF 1998. 
(a) AMENDMENT OF PROGRAM.—
(1) Section 2(a)(2)(A) of such the Irish Peace 
Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 
(8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended by adding at the 
end ‘‘Not more than 20 percent of participants in 
the program may have a degree from an institution 
of higher education.’’. 
(2) Section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I) of the Immi-
gration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘35 years of age or young-
er having a residence’’ and inserting ‘‘21 to 35 
years of age, unemployed for not less than 6 
months, having resided for not less 6 months’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘36 months’’ and inserting 
‘‘24 months’’. 
(3) Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(e)) is amended by in-
serting after subsection (p) the following: 
‘‘(q)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no per-
son admitted under section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii)(I) or acquir-
ing such status after admission shall be eligible to apply 
for an immigrant visa, or for permanent residence, or for 
a nonimmigrant visa under this Act until it is established 
that such person has resided and been physically present
in the country of nationality or last residence for an aggre-
gate of a least one year following departure from the 
United States. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security may waive 
the requirement of such one-year foreign residence abroad 
if the Secretary determines that—
‘‘(A) departure from the United States would 
impose exceptional hardship upon the alien’s spouse 
or child (if such spouse or child is a citizen of the 
United States or a lawfully resident alien); 
‘‘(B) that the alien cannot return to the coun-
try of the alien’s nationality or last residence be-
cause the alien would be subject to persecution on 
account of race, religion, or political opinion; or 
‘‘(C) the admission of the alien is in the public 
interest or the national interest of the United 
States.’’. 
(b) EXTENSION OF PROGRAM.—Section 2 of the Irish 
Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 
1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended—
(1) in subsection (d)(1) by striking ‘‘2006,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2008,’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)(2) by striking ‘‘2005,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2011,’’;
(3) in subsection (a)(3) by striking ‘‘the third 
program year and for the 3 subsequent years,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘each program year’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING CHANGES.—The 
Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act 
of 1998 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note; Public Law 105–319) is 
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘Immigration and Naturaliza-
tion Service’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘Department of Homeland Security’’.
Æ