I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2173 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reserve EB–5 visas each 
fiscal year for investors in new commercial enterprises in areas with 
respect to which a major disaster has been declared by the President. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 9, 2019 
Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico (for herself and Mr. LAMALFA) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reserve 
EB–5 visas each fiscal year for investors in new commer-
cial enterprises in areas with respect to which a major 
disaster has been declared by the President. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. RESERVATION OF EB–5 VISAS FOR INVESTORS 
IN DISASTER AREAS. 
Section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(5)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and 
(D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and 
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(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) SET-ASIDE
FOR
MAJOR
DISASTER 
AREAS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Of the visas made 
available under this paragraph for each fis-
cal year, the number required under clause 
(ii) shall be reserved for qualified immi-
grants who invest in a new commercial en-
terprise described in subparagraph (A) 
which will create employment in an area 
with respect to which a major disaster has 
been declared by the President under sec-
tion 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Dis-
aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5170). 
‘‘(ii) NUMBER OF RESERVED VISAS.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—In the case 
of each area with respect to which one 
or multiple major disasters have been 
declared by the President under sec-
tion 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) in a single 
fiscal year, the Secretary of State and 
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the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall coordinate so as to ensure that 
100 visas are reserved under this sub-
paragraph for the area for— 
‘‘(aa) the fiscal year in 
which the declaration or declara-
tions occur and the two suc-
ceeding fiscal years; or 
‘‘(bb) the 3 fiscal years fol-
lowing the fiscal year in which 
the declaration or declarations 
occur. 
‘‘(II) 
TIMING.—The 
decision 
whether to implement subclause (I) 
according to item (aa) or (bb) shall be 
made jointly by the Secretary of State 
and the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity based upon the number of visas 
already made available under this 
paragraph on the date on which the 
declaration (or the first of multiple 
declarations) occurs and other factors 
deemed appropriate by such secre-
taries.’’. 
Æ 
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