Access to Rural Physicians Improvement Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4453
Sponsor: Rep. Moran, Jerry [R-KS-1]
Introduced: 2004-05-20 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Access to health care
Admission of nonimmigrants
Alien labor
Aliens
Education
Federal-state relations
Foreign students
Foreign-trained physicians
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Labor and Employment
Medical education
Medical personnel
Physicians
Residence requirements
Rural health
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: 
Access to Rural Physicians Improvement Act of 2004 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to extend to one year after enactment of this Act the deadline for seeking waivers of the two-year foreign residence requirement applicable to foreign medical graduates (FMGs) who entered the United States on J-1 (exchange visitor) visas and are seeking to change status.
 
Provides a special effective date for the extension provisions of this Act with respect to J visa holders by requiring such provisions to take effect as if enacted on May 31, 2004 (thus preventing the June 1, 2004 expiration of current waiver provisions).
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from the numerical limitation on H-1B (specialty occupation) visas those FMGs whose visa status is changed from J-1 to H-1B after obtaining a waiver of the two-year foreign residence requirement upon request by an interested State agency.

action_date: 2004-10-05
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to reauthorize for a period of two years the Conrad State 30 program, which annually allows each State to request up to 30 waivers of the home residency requirement applicable to J-1 foreign medical graduates for medical service in health professional shortage areas.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt Conrad State 30 physicians from the numerical limitation on H-1B visas.
 
Limits to primary care or specialty medicine the medical practice areas available to Conrad State 30 physicians.
 
Allows Conrad State 30 physicians to practice medicine outside geographic areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the case of a waiver request from an interested State agency where the facility serves patients residing in such areas and granting the requested waiver would not cause the number of waivers for the State to exceed five in a fiscal year.

action_date: 2004-10-06
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on October 5, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to reauthorize for a period of two years the Conrad State 30 program, which annually allows each State to request up to 30 waivers of the home residency requirement applicable to J-1 foreign medical graduates for medical service in health professional shortage areas.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt Conrad State 30 physicians from the numerical limitation on H-1B visas.
 
Limits to primary care or specialty medicine the medical practice areas available to Conrad State 30 physicians.
 
Allows Conrad State 30 physicians to practice medicine outside geographic areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the case of a waiver request from an interested State agency where the facility serves patients residing in such areas and granting the requested waiver would not cause the number of waivers for the State to exceed five in a fiscal year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8237)
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8237)
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4453.
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8237-8239)
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 450.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 108-730.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 108-730.
action_date: 2004-09-30
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-09-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Introduced in House