Title: Afghan and Iraqi Allies Resettlement Improvement Act
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Afghan and Iraqi Allies Resettlement Improvement Act
This bill addresses the settlement of Afghan and Iraqi special immigrant visa (SIV) holders. (Generally, SIV holders are individuals who received visas due to their work with the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.)
The Department of Health and Human Services must survey long-term outcomes, such as employment, housing, and educational attainment, of SIV holders as part of its annual survey of refugees.
The Department of State must implement additional ways to deliver information in certain languages (i.e., Dari, Pashto, or Urdu) to prospective SIV holders about resettlement in the United States to assist with their adjustment process.
The State Department and the Department of Defense must jointly establish a temporary program to offer SIV holders employment as translators, interpreters, and cultural awareness instructors.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5096 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5096

 To require certain actions related to resettlement of certain Afghan 
         and Iraqi special immigrants, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 24, 2021

    Ms. Matsui (for herself, Mr. Crow, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. 
 Blumenauer, Mr. Keating, Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Correa, 
 Mr. McGovern, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Payne, Ms. Norton, Mr. McNerney, Mr. 
Langevin, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Omar, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Ms. 
Bonamici, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Ross, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kahele, Mr. Raskin, Ms. 
 Johnson of Texas, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Khanna) introduced the following 
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in 
addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Armed Services, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require certain actions related to resettlement of certain Afghan 
         and Iraqi special immigrants, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Afghan and Iraqi Allies Resettlement 
Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. SURVEY ON LONG-TERM OUTCOMES FOR CERTAIN AFGHAN AND IRAQI 
              SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
conducting the next Annual Survey of Refugees pursuant to section 
413(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1523(b)(1)), 
shall conduct a supplement to examine and report on long-term outcomes 
for the special population described in subsection (b), including 
employment, job security, wage growth, career advancement, housing, 
home ownership, and educational attainment.
    (b) Population Described.--The special population described in this 
subsection is the cohort of individuals who were admitted into the 
United States as a special immigrant under one of the applicable 
provisions of law within the five-fiscal-year period immediately 
preceding the fiscal year in which the supplement is conducted.

SEC. 3. IMPROVED DELIVERY OF INFORMATION ABOUT RESETTLEMENT TO 
              PROSPECTIVE AFGHAN AND IRAQI SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall identify and 
implement additional ways to deliver information in Dari, Pashto, or 
Urdu to prospective SIV holders about the United States resettlement 
program to assist with post-arrival adjustment and expectations, 
including more detailed or in-depth information on key issues. The 
Secretary shall also identify and address potential gaps in 
disseminating relevant information to SIV holders, such as at embassies 
and online.
    (b) Definition.--For purposes of subsection (a), the term 
``prospective SIV holder'' means an alien who has applied, or is 
considering applying, for admission into the United States as a special 
immigrant under one of the applicable provisions of law.

SEC. 4. EMPLOYMENT FOR RESETTLED AFGHAN AND IRAQI SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
State shall jointly establish and operate a temporary program to offer 
employment as translators, interpreters, or cultural awareness 
instructors to individuals described in subsection (b).
    (b) Eligibility.--Individuals referred to in subsection (a) are 
individuals who were admitted into the United States as a special 
immigrant under one of the applicable provisions of law.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        program established under subsection (a) shall be funded from 
        the annual general operating budget of the Department of 
        Defense.
            (2) Exception.--The Secretary of State shall reimburse the 
        Department of Defense for any costs associated with individuals 
        described in subsection (b) whose work was for the Department 
        of State.
    (d) Rule of Construction Regarding Access to Classified 
Information.--Nothing in this section may be construed as affecting in 
any manner practices and procedures regarding the handling of or access 
to classified information.
    (e) Information Sharing.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of State shall work with the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
the Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and 
Human Services, and nongovernmental organizations to ensure that 
individuals described in subsection (b) are informed of the program 
established under subsection (a).
    (f) Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretary of State, shall prescribe such regulations as are 
necessary to carry out the program established under subsection (a), 
including establishing pay scales and hiring procedures, and 
determining the number of positions required to be filled.
    (g) Termination.--The program established under subsection (a) 
shall terminate on December 31, 2026.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``applicable provisions of law'' 
means the following:
            (1) Section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
        for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163; 8 U.S.C. 1101 note).
            (2) Section 1244 of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007 
        (8 U.S.C. 1157 note).
            (3) Section 602 of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 
        (8 U.S.C. 1101 note).
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