Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act
PL 117-210 (S.3157), enacted 10/17/2022

[117th Congress Public Law 210]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 2245]]

Public Law 117-210
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  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. <<NOTE: Oct. 17, 
                          2022 -  [S. 3157]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Bridging the Gap 
for New Americans Act.>> 
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) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  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.

[[Page 136 STAT. 2246]]

            (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) <<NOTE: Analyses.>> Inclusions.--The study required under 
subsection (a)(1) shall include--
            (1) <<NOTE: Time period.>>  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) <<NOTE: Assessment.>> 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) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  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

[[Page 136 STAT. 2247]]

            (2) <<NOTE: Public information. Web posting.>> make such 
        report publicly available on the website of the Department of 
        Labor.

    Approved October 17, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3157:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            June 23, considered and passed Senate.
            Sept. 19, considered and passed House.

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