Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act
Bill: H.R.6715 | Sponsor: Rep. Katko, John (R-NY)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act
This bill requires the Department of Labor to submit to Congress a study on the factors affecting employment opportunities for certain individuals with professional credentials obtained in a non-U.S. country, specifically individuals who are lawfully present noncitizens or naturalized U.S. citizens. The study shall include policy recommendations for better enabling such individuals to obtain skill-appropriate employment in the United States.

To require the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study of the factors 
  affecting employment opportunities for immigrants and refugees with 
        professional credentials obtained in foreign countries.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bridging the Gap for New Americans 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Applicable immigrants and refugees.--The term 
        ``applicable immigrants and refugees''--
                    (A) means individuals who--
                            (i)(I) are not citizens or nationals of the 
                        United States; and
                            (II) are lawfully present in the United 
                        States and authorized to be employed in the 
                        United States; or
                            (ii) are naturalized citizens of the United 
                        States who were born outside of the United 
                        States and its outlying possessions; and
                    (B) includes individuals described in section 
                602(b)(2) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 
                (title VI of division F of Public Law 111-8; 8 U.S.C. 
                1101 note).
            (2) Other terms.--Except as otherwise defined in this 
        section, terms used in this Act have the definitions given such 
        terms under section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
        Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).

SEC. 3. STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
              IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WITH PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS 
              OBTAINED IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Study Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor, in coordination 
        with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of 
        Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator 
        of the Internal Revenue Service, and the Commissioner of the 
        Social Security Administration, shall conduct a study of the 
        factors affecting employment opportunities in the United States 
        for applicable immigrants and refugees who have professional 
        credentials that were obtained in a country other than the 
        United States.
            (2) Work with other entities.--The Secretary of Labor shall 
        seek to work with relevant nonprofit organizations and State 
        agencies to use the existing data and resources of such 
        entities to conduct the study required under paragraph (1).
            (3) Limitations on disclosure.--Any information provided to 
        the Secretary of Labor in connection with the study required 
        under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) may only be used for the purposes of, and to 
                the extent necessary to ensure the efficient operation 
                of, such study; and
                    (B) may not be disclosed to any other person or 
                entity except as provided under this subsection.
    (b) Inclusions.--The study required under subsection (a)(1) shall 
include--
            (1) an analysis of the employment history of applicable 
        immigrants and refugees admitted to the United States during 
        the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, which shall include, to the extent 
        practicable--
                    (A) a comparison of the employment applicable 
                immigrants and refugees held before immigrating to the 
                United States with the employment they obtained in the 
                United States, if any, since their arrival; and
                    (B) the occupational and professional credentials 
                and academic degrees held by applicable immigrants and 
                refugees before immigrating to the United States;
            (2) an assessment of any barriers that prevent applicable 
        immigrants and refugees from using occupational experience 
        obtained outside the United States to obtain employment in the 
        United States;
            (3) an analysis of available public and private resources 
        assisting applicable immigrants and refugees who have 
        professional experience and qualifications obtained outside of 
        the United States to obtain skill-appropriate employment in the 
        United States; and
            (4) policy recommendations for better enabling applicable 
        immigrants and refugees who have professional experience and 
        qualifications obtained outside of the United States to obtain 
        skill-appropriate employment in the United States.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall--
            (1) submit a report to Congress that describes the results 
        of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a); and
            (2) make such report publically available on the website of 
        the Department of Labor.
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