subsection is adjudicated not later than 90 days 
after the submission of such application.’’. 
SEC. 21. REFORM OF REFUGEE CONSULTATION PROCESS. 
Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1157) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(5) All officers of the Federal Government respon-
sible for refugee admissions or refugee resettlement shall 
treat the determinations made under this subsection and 
subsection (b) as the refugee admissions goal for the fiscal 
year.’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) Not later than 15 days after the last day of each 
calendar quarter, the President shall submit a report to 
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the 
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representa-
tives that contains— 
‘‘(A) the number of refugees who were admitted 
during the previous quarter; 
‘‘(B) the percentage of those arrivals against 
the refugee admissions goal for such quarter; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00060
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(C) the cumulative number of refugees who 
were admitted during the fiscal year as of the end 
of such quarter; 
‘‘(D) the number of refugees to be admitted 
during the remainder of the fiscal year in order to 
meet the refugee admissions goal for the fiscal year; 
and 
‘‘(E) a plan that describes the procedural or 
personnel changes necessary to achieve the refugee 
admissions goal for the fiscal year.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (e)— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (7) as subparagraphs (A) through (G), 
respectively; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), as redesignated— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(e)’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, which shall be com-
menced not later than May 1 of each year 
and continue periodically throughout the 
remainder of the year, if necessary,’’ after 
‘‘discussions in person’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘To the extent possible,’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) To the extent possible’’; and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00061
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3)(A) The plans referred to in paragraph (1)(C) 
shall include estimates of— 
‘‘(i) the number of refugees the President ex-
pects to have ready to travel to the United States 
at the beginning of the fiscal year; 
‘‘(ii) the number of refugees and the stipulated 
populations the President expects to admit to the 
United States in each quarter of the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(iii) the number of refugees the President ex-
pects to have ready to travel to the United States 
at the end of the fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall en-
sure that an adequate number of refugees are processed 
during the fiscal year to fulfill the refugee admissions 
goals under subsections (a) and (b).’’. 
SEC. 22. ADMISSION OF REFUGEES IN THE ABSENCE OF 
THE ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINA-
TION. 
Section 207(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1157(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (4), 
and (5) as paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4), respec-
tively; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00062
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) in paragraph (1), as redesignated— 
(A) by striking ‘‘after fiscal year 1982’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If 
the President does not issue a determination 
under this paragraph before the beginning of a 
fiscal year, the number of refugees that may be 
admitted under this section in each quarter be-
fore the issuance of such determination shall be 
25 percent of the number of refugees admissible 
under this section during the previous fiscal 
year.’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated, by strik-
ing ‘‘(beginning with fiscal year 1992)’’. 
SEC. 23. UPDATE OF RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT GRANTS. 
Beginning with fiscal year 2012, not later than 30 
days before the beginning of each fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall notify Congress of the amount of funds that the Sec-
retary will provide in its Reception and Placement Grants 
in the coming fiscal year. In setting the amount of such 
grants each year, the Secretary shall ensure that— 
(1) the grant amount is adjusted so that it is 
adequate to provide for the anticipated initial reset-
tlement needs of refugees, including adjusting the 
amount for inflation and the cost of living; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00063
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(2) an amount is provided at the beginning of 
the fiscal year to each national resettlement agency 
that is sufficient to ensure adequate local and na-
tional capacity to serve the initial resettlement needs 
of refugees the Secretary anticipates the agency will 
resettle throughout the fiscal year; and 
(3) additional amounts are provided to each na-
tional resettlement agency promptly upon the arrival 
of refugees that, exclusive of the amounts provided 
pursuant to paragraph (2), are sufficient to meet the 
anticipated initial resettlement needs of such refu-
gees and support local and national operational costs 
in excess of the estimates described in paragraph 
(1). 
SEC. 24. PROTECTION FOR ALIENS INTERDICTED AT SEA. 
Section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1231(b)(3)) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘TO 
A
COUNTRY
WHERE
ALIEN’S
LIFE
OR
FREEDOM 
WOULD BE THREATENED’’ and inserting ‘‘OR RE-
TURN IF REFUGEE’S LIFE OR FREEDOM WOULD BE 
THREATENED OR ALIEN WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO 
TORTURE’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A)— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(A) by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(i) LIFE
OR
FREEDOM
THREAT-
ENED.—Notwithstanding’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) ASYLUM
INTERVIEW.—Notwith-
standing paragraphs (1) and (2), a United 
States officer may not return any alien 
interdicted or otherwise encountered in 
international waters or United States 
waters who has expressed a fear of return 
to his or her country of departure, origin, 
or last habitual residence— 
‘‘(I) until such alien has had the 
opportunity to be interviewed by an 
asylum officer to determine whether 
that alien has a well-founded fear of 
persecution because of the alien’s 
race, religion, nationality, membership 
in a particular social group, or polit-
ical opinion, or because the alien 
would be subject to torture in that 
country; or 
‘‘(II) if an asylum officer has de-
termined that the alien has such a 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
well-founded fear of persecution or 
would be subject to torture in his or 
her country of departure, origin, or 
last habitual residence.’’; 
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and 
(C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and 
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(B) PROTECTIONS
FOR
ALIENS
INTER-
DICTED IN INTERNATIONAL OR UNITED STATES 
WATERS.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall issue regulations establishing a uniform 
procedure applicable to all aliens interdicted in 
international or United States waters that— 
‘‘(i) provides each alien— 
‘‘(I) a meaningful opportunity to 
express, through a translator who is 
fluent in a language the alien claims 
to understand, a fear of return to his 
or her country of departure, origin, or 
last habitual residence; and 
‘‘(II) in a confidential setting and 
in a language the alien claims to un-
derstand, information concerning the 
alien’s interdiction, including the abil-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ity to inform United States officers 
about any fears relating to the alien’s 
return or repatriation; 
‘‘(ii) provides each alien expressing 
such a fear of return or repatriation a con-
fidential interview conducted by an asylum 
officer, in a language the alien claims to 
understand, to determine whether the 
alien’s return to his or her country of ori-
gin or country of last habitual residence is 
prohibited because the alien has a well- 
founded fear of persecution— 
‘‘(I) because of the alien’s race, 
religion, nationality, membership in a 
particular social group, or political 
opinion; or 
‘‘(II) because the alien would be 
subject to torture in that country; 
‘‘(iii) ensures that each alien can ef-
fectively communicate with United States 
officers through the use of a translator flu-
ent in a language the alien claims to un-
derstand; and 
‘‘(iv) provides each alien who, accord-
ing to the determination of an asylum offi-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00067
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
cer, has a well-founded fear of persecution 
for the reasons specified in clause (ii) or 
would be subject to torture, an opportunity 
to seek protection in— 
‘‘(I) a country other than the 
alien’s country of origin or country of 
last habitual residence in which the 
alien has family or other ties that will 
facilitate resettlement; or 
‘‘(II) if the alien has no such 
ties, a country that will best facilitate 
the alien’s resettlement, which may in-
clude the United States.’’. 
SEC. 25. MODIFICATION OF PHYSICAL PRESENCE REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR ALIENS SERVING AS TRANS-
LATORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1059(e)(1) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 
(Public Law 109–163; 8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) CONTINUOUS
RESIDENCE.—An ab-
sence from the United States described in para-
graph (2) shall not be considered to break any 
period for which continuous residence in the 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
United States is required for naturalization 
under title III of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). 
‘‘(B) PHYSICAL PRESENCE.—In the case of 
a lawful permanent resident, for an absence 
from the United States described in paragraph 
(2), the time spent outside of the United States 
in the capacity described in paragraph (2) shall 
be counted towards the accumulation of the re-
quired physical presence in the United States.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the 
amendment made by section 1(c)(2) of the Act entitled 
‘‘An Act to increase the number of Iraqi and Afghani 
translators and interpreters who may be admitted to the 
United States as special immigrants, and for other pur-
poses’’, approved June 15, 2007 (Public Law 110–36; 121 
Stat. 227). 
SEC. 26. ASSESSMENT OF THE REFUGEE DOMESTIC RESET-
TLEMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall conduct a study regarding the 
effectiveness of the domestic refugee resettlement pro-
grams operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(b) MATTERS TO BE STUDIED.—In the study re-
quired under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall 
determine and analyze— 
(1) how the Office of Refugee Resettlement de-
fines self-sufficiency; 
(2) if this definition is adequate in addressing 
refugee needs in the United States; 
(3) the effectiveness of the Office of Refugee 
Resettlement programs in helping refugees to meet 
self-sufficiency; 
(4) an analysis of the unmet needs of the pro-
grams; 
(5) an evaluation of the Office of Refugee Re-
settlement’s budgetary resources and projection of 
the amount of additional resources needed to fully 
address the unmet needs of refugees with regard to 
self-sufficiency; 
(6) the role of community-based organizations 
in serving refugees in areas experiencing a high 
number of new refugee arrivals; 
(7) an analysis of how community based organi-
zations can be better utilized and supported in the 
Federal domestic resettlement process; and 
(8) recommendations on statutory changes to 
improve the Office of Refugee Resettlement and the 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:35 Jun 17, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2185.IH
H2185
smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS