193 
(4) clears a background check and appropriate 
screening, as determined by the Secretary of Home-
land Security. 
(b) ALIENS DESCRIBED.—An alien described in this 
subsection— 
(1)(A) is a citizen or national of Syria or a 
stateless person who has habitually resided in Syria; 
(B) was employed by or on behalf of (including 
under a contract, cooperative agreement or grant) 
with the United States Government in Syria, for a 
period of at least 1 year beginning on January 1, 
2014; and 
(C) obtained a favorable written recommenda-
tion from a U.S. citizen supervisor who was in the 
chain of command of the United States Armed 
Forces unit or U.S. Government entity that was 
supported by the alien; or 
(2)(A) is the spouse or a child of a principal 
alien described in paragraph (1); and 
(B)(i) is following or accompanying to join the 
principal alien in the United States; or 
(ii) due to the death of the principal alien, a pe-
tition to follow or accompany to join the principal 
alien in the United States— 
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(I) was or would be revoked, terminated, 
or otherwise rendered null; and 
(II) would have been approved if the prin-
cipal alien had survived. 
(c) NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided under this subsection, the total number of 
principal aliens who may be provided special immi-
grant status under this section may not exceed 
5,000 in any of the first 5 fiscal years beginning 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) EXCLUSION
FROM
NUMERICAL
LIMITA-
TIONS.—Aliens provided special immigrant status 
under this section shall not be counted against any 
numerical limitation under section 201(d), 202(a), 
or 203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1151(d), 1152(a), and 1153(b)(4)). 
(3) CARRY FORWARD.—If the numerical limita-
tion set forth in paragraph (1) is not reached during 
a fiscal year, the numerical limitation under such 
paragraph for the following fiscal year shall be in-
creased by a number equal to the difference be-
tween— 
(A) the number of visas authorized under 
paragraph (1) for such fiscal year; and 
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(B) the number of principal aliens provided 
special immigrant status under this section dur-
ing such fiscal year. 
(d) VISA AND PASSPORT ISSUANCE AND FEES.—An 
alien described in subsection (b) may not be charged any 
fee in connection with an application for, or the issuance 
of, a special immigrant visa under this section. The Sec-
retary of State shall ensure that aliens who are issued a 
special immigrant visa under this section are provided 
with an appropriate passport necessary for admission to 
the United States. 
(e) PROTECTION
OF ALIENS.—The Secretary of 
State, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate 
Federal agencies, shall make a reasonable effort to provide 
protection to each alien described in subsection (b) who 
is seeking special immigrant status under this section or 
to immediately remove such alien from Syria, if possible, 
if the Secretary determines, after consultation, that such 
alien is in imminent danger. 
(f) APPLICATION PROCESS.— 
(1) REPRESENTATION.—An alien applying for 
admission to the United States as a special immi-
grant under this section may be represented during 
the application process, including at relevant inter-
views and examinations, by an attorney or other ac-
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credited representative. Such representation shall 
not be at the expense of the United States Govern-
ment. 
(2) COMPLETION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State 
and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, 
shall ensure that applications for special immi-
grant visas under this section are processed in 
such a manner to ensure that all steps under 
the control of the respective departments inci-
dental to the issuance of such visas, including 
required screenings and background checks, are 
completed not later than 9 months after the 
date on which an eligible alien submits all re-
quired materials to apply for such visa. 
(B) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Notwith-
standing subparagraph (A), any Secretary re-
ferred to in such subparagraph may take longer 
than 270 days to complete the steps incidental 
to issuing a visa under this section if the Sec-
retary, or the designee of the Secretary— 
(i) determines that the satisfaction of 
national security concerns requires addi-
tional time; and 
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(ii) notifies the applicant of such de-
termination. 
(3) APPEAL.—An alien whose petition for sta-
tus as a special immigrant is rejected or revoked— 
(A) shall receive a written decision that 
provides, to the maximum extent feasible, infor-
mation describing the basis for the denial, in-
cluding the facts and inferences underlying the 
individual determination; and 
(B) shall be provided not more than 1 
written appeal per rejection or denial, which— 
(i) shall be submitted not more than 
120 days after the date on which the appli-
cant receives a decision pursuant to sub-
paragraph (A); 
(ii) may request the reopening of such 
decision; and 
(iii) shall provide additional informa-
tion, clarify existing information, or ex-
plain any unfavorable information. 
(g) ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER IMMIGRANT CLASSI-
FICATION.—An alien may not be denied the opportunity 
to apply for admission under this section solely because 
such alien— 
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(1) qualifies as an immediate relative of a na-
tional of the United States; or 
(2) is eligible for admission to the United 
States under any other immigrant classification. 
(h) RESETTLEMENT SUPPORT.—An alien who is 
granted special immigrant status under this section shall 
be eligible for the same resettlement assistance, entitle-
ment programs, and other benefits as is available to refu-
gees admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and 
Naturalization Act (8 U.S.C. 1157). 
(i) AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT ADMINISTRATIVE 
MEASURES.—The Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense shall im-
plement any additional administrative measures as they 
consider necessary and appropriate— 
(1) to ensure the prompt processing of applica-
tions under this section; 
(2) to preserve the integrity of the program es-
tablished under this section; and 
(3) to protect the national security interests of 
the United States related to such program. 
(j) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security, in consultation with the Secretary of De-
fense, shall promulgate regulations to carry out this sec-
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tion, including establishing requirements for background 
checks. 
(k) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this section 
may be construed to affect the authority of the Secretary 
of Homeland Security under section 1059 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public 
Law 109–163; 8 U.S.C. 1101 note). 
SEC. 309. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS REPORTING RE-
QUIREMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 30 each 
year, the Inspector General of the Department of State 
shall submit an report on the implementation of the Syr-
ian special immigrant status program under section 308 
for the preceding calendar year to— 
(1) the Committee on Judiciary, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Judiciary, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—Each report sub-
mitted under subsection (a) shall include, for the applica-
ble calendar year, the following: 
(1) The number of petitions filed under such 
program. 
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(2) The number of such petitions pending adju-
dication. 
(3) The number of such petitions pending visa 
interview. 
(4) The number of such petitions pending secu-
rity checks. 
(5) The number of such petitions that were de-
nied. 
(6) The number of cases under such program 
that have exceeded the mandated processing time 
and relevant case numbers. 
(7) A description of any obstacle discovered 
that would hinder effective implementation of such 
program. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In preparing a report under 
subsection (a), the Inspector General shall consult with— 
(1) the Department of State, Bureau of Con-
sular Affairs, Visa Office; 
(2) the Department of State, Bureau of Near 
Eastern Affairs and South and Central Asian Af-
fairs, Executive Office; 
(3) the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services; 
(4) the Department of Defense; and 
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(5) nongovernmental organizations providing 
legal aid in the special immigrant visa application 
process. 
(d) FORM.—Each report submitted under subsection 
(a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(e) PUBLICATION.—Each report submitted under this 
section shall be made available to the public on the inter-
net website of the Department of State. 
SEC. 310. PROCESSING MECHANISMS. 
The Secretary of State shall use existing refugee 
processing mechanisms in Iraq and in other countries, as 
appropriate, in the region in which— 
(1) aliens described in section 307(a) may apply 
and interview for admission to the United States as 
refugees; and 
(2) aliens described in section 308(b) may apply 
and interview for admission to the United States as 
special immigrants. 
TITLE IV—GENERAL 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act, and the amend-
ments made by this Act. 
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SEC. 402. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 
(Public Law 111–139), shall be determined by reference 
to the latest statement titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of 
PAYGO Legislation’’ for this Act, jointly submitted for 
printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairmen of 
the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such state-
ment has been submitted prior to the vote on passage. 
Æ 
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