Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

Bill: 116-hr-8089
Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19]
Introduced: 2020-08-22 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Citizenship and naturalization
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Executive agency funding and structure
Foreign labor
Government information and archives
Immigration status and procedures
Inflation and prices
User charges and fees
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: 

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

 
This bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to provide premium processing services for certain immigration-related applications and contains other related provisions.
 
DHS may collect a fee to provide premium processing of an application for any immigration benefit that DHS considers appropriate, subject to certain requirements. Currently, DHS only has statutory authority to provide premium processing for employment-based applications. 
 
Under current law, DHS must use such premium fees to provide premium processing services and make infrastructure improvements. Under this bill, such fees shall be used for these purposes and other activities that offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services.

DHS may suspend premium processing of applications only if circumstances prevent the timely processing of a significant number of such applications. DHS shall provide those who have requested premium processing with access to case status information and communications channels to the premium processing units. 
 
DHS may expand premium processing to certain immigrant benefits and set fees for such processing without following certain rulemaking procedures if DHS meets certain requirements, such as limiting the premium fee to specified amounts.
 
The bill also increases the premium fees charged to applicants. DHS may, subject to requirements, biennially adjust premium fees to reflect inflation without following certain rulemaking requirements.

action_date: 2020-08-22
text: 

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

 
This bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to provide premium processing services for certain immigration-related applications and contains other related provisions.
 
DHS may collect a fee to provide premium processing of an application for any immigration benefit that DHS considers appropriate, subject to certain requirements. Currently, DHS only has statutory authority to provide premium processing for employment-based applications. 
 
Under current law, DHS must use such premium fees to provide premium processing services and make infrastructure improvements. Under this bill, such fees shall be used for these purposes and other activities that offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services.

DHS may suspend premium processing of applications only if circumstances prevent the timely processing of a significant number of such applications. DHS shall provide those who have requested premium processing with access to case status information and communications channels to the premium processing units. 
 
DHS may expand premium processing to certain immigrant benefits and set fees for such processing without following certain rulemaking procedures if DHS meets certain requirements, such as limiting the premium fee to specified amounts.
 
The bill also increases the premium fees charged to applicants. DHS may, subject to requirements, biennially adjust premium fees to reflect inflation without following certain rulemaking requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-09-08
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H4299)
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H4299-4300)
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Committee on the Budget discharged.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Committee on the Budget discharged.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Mr. Raskin asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-08-22
text: Introduced in House