A bill to improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas.

Bill: 108-s-2302
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]
Introduced: 2004-04-07 in the Senate
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
Labor and Employment
Medical education
Medical personnel
Physicians
Residence requirements
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to reauthorize for a period of five years the &quot;Conrad State 30&quot; 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 by those graduates in health professional shortage areas.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow State departments of public health to designate health professional shortage areas for purposes of the Conrad State 30 program (currently designated only by the Secretary of Health and Human Services).
 
Exempts Conrad State 30 physicians from the numerical limitation on H-1B visas.

action_date: 2004-10-07
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.
 
Requires requests for waivers from interested Federal agencies or interested State agencies on behalf of aliens who agree to practice specialty medicine in a facility located in a geographic area designated by the Secretary to demonstrate a shortage of health care professionals able to provide services in the appropriate medical specialty.

action_date: 2004-10-11
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on October 7, 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.
 
Requires requests for waivers from interested Federal agencies or interested State agencies on behalf of aliens who agree to practice specialty medicine in a facility located in a geographic area designated by the Secretary to demonstrate a shortage of health care professionals able to provide services in the appropriate medical specialty.

action_date: 2004-11-17
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on October 7, 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.
 
Requires requests for waivers from interested Federal agencies or interested State agencies on behalf of aliens who agree to practice specialty medicine in a facility located in a geographic area designated by the Secretary to demonstrate a shortage of health care professionals able to provide services in the appropriate medical specialty.

action_date: 2004-12-03
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on October 7, 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.
 
Requires requests for waivers from interested Federal agencies or interested State agencies on behalf of aliens who agree to practice specialty medicine in a facility located in a geographic area designated by the Secretary to demonstrate a shortage of health care professionals able to provide services in the appropriate medical specialty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-12-03
text: Became Public Law No: 108-441.
action_date: 2004-12-03
text: Became Public Law No: 108-441.
action_date: 2004-12-03
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-12-03
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-11-22
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-11-22
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 4 (Roll no. 533). (text: CR H9857-9858)
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 4 (Roll no. 533).(text: CR H9857-9858)
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H9865)
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2302.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9857-9862)
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2004-10-11
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11271-11274; text: CR S11271-11272)
action_date: 2004-10-11
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S11271-11274; text: CR S11271-11272)
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 775.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3944)
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 108-441