United States Conference of Catholic Bishops · 2019. 11. 18. · CBP Head Testifies on the Administration’s FY ’17 CBP Budget Submission ... S. 247, the “Expatriate Terrorist

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of Government Relations

3211 4th Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20017-1194 VOICE: (202) 541-3140 FAX: (202) 541-3313 WEB: www.usccb.org/ogrH

Weekly Update on Immigration and Refugee Legislative Matters

114th Congress, Second Session

Monday, March 7, 2016

Page 225

Legislative Highlights

Full Senate Could Take Up End Modern Slavery Initiative Act ...................................................... 227-227

Secretary Johnson to Testify Before Senate Homeland Security Panel on FY ’17 DHS Budget ..... 226-226

Attorney General Lynch to Testify Before Senate Panel on FY ’17 DOJ Budget ............................ 226-226

Ragsdale and McAleenan to Testify on FY ’17 ICE and CBP Budgets ........................................... 226-226

Speaker Promises Vote on Whether to File Brief Opposing Executive Actions on Immigration ... 232-233

Administration Files Brief in Case Challenging Obama’s Executive Actions on Immigration ...... 230-230

Secretary Burwell Testifies on the Administration’s FY ’17 HHS Budget Submission ................... 229-229

CBP Head Testifies on the Administration’s FY ’17 CBP Budget Submission .............................. 228-228

House Homeland Security Panel Holds Hearing on Situational Awareness Along the Border ..... 229-229

----------------------------------------------------

A light week of immigration- and refugee-related activity is on tap this week as the House continues in its

10 day-long recess and the Senate plods on with three hearings, one potential markup, and one potential

floor action. ----------------------------------------------------

This Week’s Hearings

Three hearings or briefings that could touch on immigration-,

or refugee-related matters are scheduled for this week, all in

the Senate:

Hearing on FY ’17 DHS Funding. A Tuesday, March 8, hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 Budget

Submission for the Department of Homeland Security;

Hearing on FY ’17 CBP and ICE Funding. A Tuesday, March 8, hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 Budget

Submission for DHS’s Customs and Border Protection

(CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

components; and

Hearing on Situational Awareness Along the U.S. Border. A Wednesday, March 9, hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 Budget Submission for the

Department of Justice.

Continued on Page 226

Inside This Week’s Edition

Legislative Highlights ......................................... 225 - 225

This Week’s Hearings ........................................ 225 - 226

This Week’s in Immigration at a Glance ............ 226 - 226

This Week’s Markups ....................................... 227 - 227

This Week’s Floor Activity ................................. 227 - 227

This Week’s Conference Activity ....................... 227 - 228

This Week’s Executive Activity ......................... 228 - 228

Last Week’s Legislative Activity ....................... 228 - 230

Last Week’s Executive Activity ........................ 230 - 230

Recently Introduced Legislation ........................ 230 - 231

Bills in Development ......................................... 231 - 232

Over the Horizon ............................................... 232 - 235

Next Week’s Weekly Legislative Update .......... 235 - 235

Appendix ............................................................ 236 - 236

http://www.usccb.org/ogr

Weekly Immigration and Refugee Legislative Update (continued)


Page 226

This Week in Immigration at a Glance

Mon, Mar 7 Tuesday, March 8 Wednesday, March 9 Thursday, March 10 Fri, March 11

House

None Scheduled

None Scheduled

None Scheduled

None Scheduled

None Scheduled

Senate

None Scheduled

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 DHS Budget

Submission

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 CBP and ICE

Budget Submissions.

Possible Senate Floor Consideration of S. 553, “End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of

2016”

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 DOJ

Budget Submission

Possible Senate Floor Consideration of S. 553, “End Modern Slavery

Initiative Act of 2016”

Senate Judiciary Committee Markup of Several Bills, Including

S. 247, the “Expatriate Terrorist

Act”

Possible Senate Floor Consideration of S. 553, “End Modern Slavery

Initiative Act of 2016”

None Scheduled

This Week’s Hearings (continued)

House With the House is the midst of a week-long recess, no hearings

are scheduled for this week in the House that could touch on

immigration- or refugee-related policy.

Senate Hearing on FY '17 Budget for Department of

Homeland Security: The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing for

this week on the Administration's FY '17 Budget Submission

for the Department of Homeland Security. The hearing is

scheduled for 10:00 am on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Room

SD-342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witnesses. The sole witness testifying at the hearing will be

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. ☼

Hearing on FY '17 Budget for Customs and Border

Protection: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has scheduled a hearing for this week on

the Administration's FY '17 Budget Submission for the

Department of Homeland Security's for U.S. Customs and

Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement components. The hearing is scheduled for 2:30

pm on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Room SD-138 of the

Dirksen Senate House Office Building.

Witnesses. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify

at the hearing:

Kevin McAleenan, Deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection; and

Daniel Ragsdale, Deputy director of Immigration and

Customs Enforcement. ☼

Hearing on FY '17 Budget for the Department of

Justice: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary is holding a hearing this week on the Administration's

FY '17 Budget Submission for the

Department of Justice. The hearing is

scheduled for 9:30 am on Wednesday,

March 9, 2016, in Room SD-226 of the

Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witnesses. The sole witness scheduled

to testify at the hearing is Attorney

General Loretta Lynch. ☼

Bicameral No bicameral hearings or briefings are scheduled for this week

that could touch on immigration- or refugee-related policy.

Continued on Page 227

Writer

Micheal E. Hill, Associate Director United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Government Relations (USCCB/GR)

Voice: (202) 541-3161

Mobile: (202) 257-1520

Fax: (202) 541-3313

E-Mail Address: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Page 227

This Week’s Markups

At the time of this writing, only one markup session was

scheduled for this week during which action could occur on

measures that contain significant immigration-, refugee-, or

human trafficking-related provisions or on measures that could

have significant consequences for immigration, refugees, or

human trafficking:

Senate Judiciary Committee Business Meeting. Thursday, March 10, Senate Judiciary Committee

Executive Business Meeting at which the “Expatriate

Terrorist Act” is (yet again) on the committee’s agenda to

be marked up.

House With the House is the midst of a week-long recess, no markups

of legislation containing significant immigration- or refugee-

related matters are scheduled for this week in the House.

Senate Senate Judiciary Committee Could Mark Up

“Expatriate Terrorist Act”. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary could move as soon as this week to markup

legislation that would revoke U.S. citizenship from anyone

fighting for or supporting ISIS. Should the markup occur this

week, it would be in connection with S. 247, the "Expatriate

Terrorist Act", introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). The

Committee has scheduled an Executive Business Meeting for

10:00 am on Thursday, March 10, 2016 in Room SD-226 of

the Dirksen Senate Office Building, and S. 247 is on the

Committee’s agenda.

Notwithstanding the fact that S. 247 is on this week’s

Committee agenda, it is highly likely that the Committee will

not get around to marking up the bill; it has appeared on the

Committee’s agenda each week for the last several months,

only to be passed over each time because Senator Cruz’s

schedule has kept him away from the panel’s Thursday

Executive Business Meetings. 133 ☼

This Week’s Floor Activity

Floor activity is possible, but not scheduled for this week, on

one measure containing significant immigration-, human

trafficking, or refugee-related provisions or that could become

a vehicle for significant immigration-, human trafficking, or

refugee-related amendments is anticipated this week:

133 See Pages 90-92 of the February 1, 2016, edition of the

Weekly Legislative Update for more detail about S. 247

End Modern Slavery Initiative. Possible Senate floor consideration of the End Modern Slavery Initiative.

House With the House is the midst of a week-long recess, no floor

action is scheduled or is likely to occur this week in the House

on measures that contain significant immigration- or refugee-

related provisions.

Senate Possible Senate Floor Consideration of the End

Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015: The full Senate could at any time take up a modified version of S. 553,

the “End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2016”.

Parliamentary Situation. It is far from certain whether the

Senate will take up S. 553 this week. The possibility has been

raised because the Senate Republican and Democratic

cloakrooms have “hotlined” the measure.

Under the hotlining procedures, the Republican and

Democratic Cloakrooms put out a formal feeler to senators

asking if they have any objections to a bill being passed by the

Senate. If there are no objections registered, the bill is then

queued up to be taken up and passed by the Senate by

unanimous consent. If objections are raised or “a hold” is

placed on the bill by a senator, then the bill’s sponsor seeks to

overcome the objections or reservations by negotiating with

the senator or senators who have expressed concerns.

Summary of Bill’s Provisions. As approved by the Senate

Committee on Foreign Relations, S. 553 would establish the

End Modern Slavery Initiative Foundation, a nonprofit

organization organized under the laws of the District of

Columbia, which would work with government, civil society,

and private institutions in partner countries and key

jurisdictions of other countries supported by the Foundation

with a high prevalence of modern slavery to identify and fund

successful strategies to combat modern slavery.

Legislative History. S. 553 was introduced on February 24,

2015, by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob

Corker (R-TN). The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

approved S. 553 on February 26, 2015, and ordered it reported

to the full Senate. The Committee formally reported the

measure to the Senate, in amended form, on February 3, 2016.

Outlook. There is no known opposition S. 553 in the Senate.

However, if it is necessary to gain unanimous consent for the

measure, there is no way to know, at the time of this writing,

whether an objection will surface that prevents the bill from

being considered. ☼

https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s247/BILLS-114s247is.pdfhttp://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/corkersubstiitueamendmenttos553.pdf



Page 228

This Week’s “Conference” Activity

No bills containing significant immigration- human

trafficking, or refugee-related provisions are currently the

subject of House-Senate conference deliberations.

This Week’s Executive Activity

At the time of this writing, no executive branch actions are

scheduled that could impact the course of immigration- or

refugee-related legislation.

Last Week’s Legislative Activity

Last Week’s Hearings

Congress held five hearings or briefings last week that touched

on immigration-, human trafficking, or refugee-related

matters:

Hearing on Budget for Customs and Border Protection. A Tuesday, March 1, hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 Budget Submission for DHS’s

Customs and Border Protection component;

Hearing on Situational Awareness Along the U.S. Border. A Tuesday, March 1, hearing on measuring

effectiveness and situational awareness along the border;

Hearing on Department of State and USAID Funding. A Tuesday, March 1, hearing on the Administration’s FY

’17 Budget Submission for the Department of State and

USAID;

134 Click HERE to see a transcript of and HERE to see video

of the March 1, 2016, House Appropriations Subcommittee on

Homeland Security hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17

CBP budget request

135 Click HERE to see the text of the prepared testimony of R.

Gil Kerlikowske at the March 1, 2016, House Appropriations

Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 CBP budget request


of the March 1, 2016, House Homeland Security Subcommittee

on Border and Maritime Security hearing titled,

"Transparency, Trust and Verification: Measuring

Effectiveness and Situational Awareness along the Border."

Hearing on Budget for the Department of Health and Human Services. A Thursday, March 3, hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 Budget Submission for the

Department of Health and Human Services; and

Briefing on the Global Sex Trade. A Tuesday, March 1, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission briefing on "The

Demand Factor in the Global Sex Trade: Human

Trafficking as a Human Rights Crisis."

Hearing on FY '17 Budget for Customs and Border

Protection: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a hearing last week on the

Administration's FY '17 Budget Submission for the

Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Customs and Border

Protection (CBP) component. The hearing was held on

Tuesday, March 1, 2016. 134

Witnesses. The sole witness testifying at the hearing was R.

Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner, United States Customs and

Border Protection. 135 ☼

Hearing on Situational Awareness Along the U.S.

Border: The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security held a hearing last week titled,



The hearing was held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. 136

Witnesses. The following witnesses testified at the hearing:

Ronald D. Vitiello, Acting Chief, U.S. Border Patrol 137

Randolph D. Alles, Executive Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; 138 and

137 Click HERE to see the text of Chief Ronald D. Vitello’s

prepared testimony for the March 1, 2016, House Homeland

Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security

hearing titled, "Transparency, Trust and Verification:

Measuring Effectiveness and Situational Awareness along the

Border."

138 Click HERE to see the text of Assistant Commissioner

Alles’s prepared testimony for the March 1, 2016, House

Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime

Security hearing titled, "Transparency, Trust and Verification:

Measuring Effectiveness and Situational Awareness along the

Border."

http://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/hearingtranscript_houseappropriationssubcommitteehomefy17iceappropriations2016-03-01.pdfhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/SQqIyTPtQCs?rel=0&start=104&showinfo=0http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP15/20160301/104530/HHRG-114-AP15-Wstate-KerlikowskeR-20160301.pdfhttp://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/hearingtranscript_househomelandsecuritysubcommitteesituationalawareness2016-03-01.pdfhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/NDHaMMyIcl4?rel=0&start=335&showinfo=0http://docs.house.gov/meetings/HM/HM11/20160301/104572/HHRG-114-HM11-Wstate-VitielloR-20160301.pdfhttp://docs.house.gov/meetings/HM/HM11/20160301/104572/HHRG-114-HM11-Wstate-AllesR-20160301.pdf



Page 229

Rebecca Gambler, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office. 139 ☼

Hearing on FY '17 Budget for Department of State

and the U.S. Agency for International

Development: The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International

Operations, and Bilateral International Development held a

hearing last week titled, "A Review of the FY2017 State and

USAID Budget Request." The hearing was held on Tuesday,

March 1, 2016. 140

Witnesses. The following witnesses testified at the hearing:

Hari Sastry, Director of the State Department's Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources; 141

Douglas Pitkin, Director of the State Department's Office of U.S. Budget and Planning; 142 and

Roman Napoli, Acting Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Budget and

Resource Management. 143 ☼

Hearing on the FY ’17 Budget for the Department

of Health and Human Services: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human

Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing last

week to examine the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2017

Budget Submission for the Department of Health and Human

Services. Last week’s hearing was held on Thursday, March

3, 2016. 144

139 Click HERE to see the text of Ms. Gambler’s prepared

testimony for the March 1, 2016, House Homeland Security

Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security hearing titled,




of the March 1, 2016, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee

on State Department and USAID Management, International

Operations, and Bilateral International Development hearing

titled, "A Review of the FY2017 State and USAID Budget

Request." The hearing was held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016

141 Click HERE to see the text of Director Sastry’s prepared

testimony before the March 1, 2016, Senate Foreign Relations

subcommittee hearing

142 Click HERE to see the text of Director Pitkin’s prepared

testimony for the March 1, 2016, Senate Foreign Relations

subcommittee hearing

Witnesses. The sole witness at the hearing will be Secretary

of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell. 145 ☼

Hearing on the Global Sex Trade: The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a briefing last week on "The

Demand Factor in the Global Sex Trade: Human Trafficking

as a Human Rights Crisis." The briefing was held on Tuesday,

March 1, 2016. 146

Witnesses. The following witnesses participated in the

briefing:

Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL);

Taina Bien Aime, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women;

Ernie Allen, founder of Allen Global Consulting;

Tina Frundt, Founder and Executive Director, Courtney's House, and trafficking survivor;

Kubiki Pride, mother of a sex trafficking survivor and advocate against sexual exploitation of women and

children;

Marian Hatcher, Senior Project Manager and Human Trafficking Coordinator, Cook County Sheriff's Office,

Illinois; and

Sam Olens, Attorney General of Georgia. ☼

Last Week’s Markups No markup sessions were held last week during which action

occurred on measures that contain significant immigration-,

143 Click HERE to see the text of Acting Director Roman

Napoli’s prepared testimony for the March 1, 2016, Senate

Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing


of the March 3, 2016, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related

Agencies hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 HHS budget

request

145 Click HERE to see the text of Secretary Burwell’s prepared

testimony for the March 3, 2016, Senate Appropriations

Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services,

Education, and Related Agencies hearing on the

Administration’s FY ’17 HHS budget request

146 Click HERE to see video of the March 1, 2016, Tom Lantos

Human Rights Commission briefing on "The Demand Factor

in the Global Sex Trade: Human Trafficking as a Human

Rights Crisis."

http://docs.house.gov/meetings/HM/HM11/20160301/104572/HHRG-114-HM11-Wstate-GamblerR-20160301.pdfhttp://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/hearingtranscript_senateforeignrelationssubcommitteefy17usaidappropriations2016-03-01.pdfhttp://www.senate.gov/isvp/?comm=foreign&type=arch&stt=29:25&filename=foreign030116&auto_play=false&wmode=transparent&poster=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eforeign%2Esenate%2Egov%2Fthemes%2Fforeign%2Fimages%2Fvideo%2Dposter%2Dflash%2Dfit%2Epnghttp://www.foreign.senate.gov/download/sastry-testimony-030116http://www.foreign.senate.gov/download/pitkin-testimoony-030116http://www.foreign.senate.gov/download/napoli-testimony-030116http://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/hearingtranscript_senateappropriationssubcommitteelhhsfy17appropriations2016-03-03.pdfhttp://www.senate.gov/isvp/?comm=approps&type=arch&stt=00:13:45&filename=appropsA030316&auto_play=false&wmode=transparent&poster=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eappropriations%2Esenate%2Egov%2Fthemes%2Fappropriations%2Fimages%2Fvideo%2Dposter%2Dflash%2Dfit%2Epnghttp://www.appropriations.senate.gov/download/secretary-sylvia-burwellhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/8_sgqTQM3nA



Page 230

refugee-, or human trafficking-related provisions or on

measures that could have significant consequences for

immigration, refugees, or human trafficking.

Last Week’s Floor Activities No floor activity occurred last week in either the House or the

Senate on measures containing significant immigration-,

human trafficking, or refugee-related provisions or that

become vehicles for significant immigration-, human

trafficking, or refugee-related amendments.

Last Week’s Conference Activity No bills containing significant immigration-, human

trafficking-, or refugee-related provisions are currently the

subject of House-Senate conference deliberations.

Last Week’s Executive Activity

There was one significant executive branch action last week

impacting immigration- or refugee-related matters:

Administration Files Amicus Brief in U.S. v. Texas. The Obama Administration has filed its brief in the Texas

case challenging Obama’s Executive Actions on

Immigration.

Administration Files Brief in Case Challenging the

Obama Executive Actions on Immigration: In a brief filed with the Supreme Court of the United States, the Obama

administration last week asserted that the Department of

Homeland Security has broad discretion in removal decisions

because Congress does not appropriate enough money to the

Department to fully enforce immigration laws, as well as

because Congress has acknowledged the executive branch's

discretion in laws that Congress has passed over the years. 147

The brief, filed on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in the case of the

United States of America v. Texas, argues that the president’s

Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred

Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent

Residents (DAPA) initiatives are an extension of a well-

established principle that the federal government cannot

possibly deport the estimated 11 million undocumented

immigrants currently living in the United States.

“Limited appropriations make broad discretion a practical

necessity,” the brief states. “Congress has appropriated

approximately $6 billion for ‘enforcement of immigration and

customs laws, detention and removals, and

investigations.’” Continuing, the brief states, "“But in any

given year, more than 95 percent of the undocumented

147 Click HERE to see the brief filed by the executive branch

with the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of U.S.

v. Texas

population will not be removed, and aliens continue to be

apprehended at the border or otherwise become removable."

A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th

Circuit in New Orleans, in a 2-1 decision in November,

declined to lift an injunction issued in that lawsuit by U.S.

District Court Judge Andrew Hanen. The injunction maintains

the status quo on national immigration policies until the legal

challenge from the states is decided.

The administration wants the Supreme Court to reverse a

federal appeals court's decision that has blocked

implementation of its Executive Actions on immigration.

The 5th Circuit majority wrote that Texas has a legal right to

challenge the federal government’s actions because states

could face millions of dollars in costs if the immigrants

obtained driver's licenses and other benefits. The 5th Circuit's

decision also rejected the administration’s argument that the

injunction should not apply nationwide, in part because

undocumented immigrants would be free to travel from states

under the injunction to states not under the injunction.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in April and

issue a ruling by the end of June, right in the middle of the

presidential campaign. ☼

Recently Introduced Legislation

The following bills containing significant immigration-,

refugee-, or human trafficking-related provisions were

introduced last week in Congress. Because these bills were

just introduced, links to the text of some of them may take

several days to propagate.

House Refugee Resettlement

Displaced Jewish Refugees from Arab

Countries and Iran Act: Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) has introduced

H.R. 4664, a bill to direct the

President to submit to Congress a

report on actions the Department

of State and other relevant Federal

departments and agencies have

taken regarding steps to ensure

that a just, comprehensive Arab-

Israeli peace accord also finds

resolution of the issue of Jewish refugees from Arab

countries and Iran.

http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docketfiles/15-674.htmhttp://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/administrationbriefinusvtexas.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4664ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4664ih.pdf



Page 231

As introduced, in addition to directing the President of the

United States to submit to Congress a report on actions the

Department of State and other relevant Federal

departments and agencies have taken regarding steps to

ensure that a just, comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace

accord also finds resolution of the issue of Jewish refugees

from Arab countries and Iran; the measure also states that

it is policy of the United States government that any

United States Government statements that include a

reference to the required resolution of the Palestinian

refugee issue, such as at the United Nations or as part of

the Middle East Quartet, must also include a similarly

explicit reference to the resolution of the issue of Jewish

refugees from Arab countries and Iran.

H.R. 4664 was introduced in the House on Thursday,

March 03, 2016. It was referred to the House Committee

on Foreign Affairs.

Senate Trafficking Victim Assistance and Protection

Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2016: Senator William Morgan Cassidy (R-LA) has introduced S. 2632,

a bill to promote freedom, human

rights, and the rule of law as part of

United States-Vietnam relations

and for other purposes. As

introduced. S. 2632 would prohibit

U.S. non-humanitarian assistance

to the government of Vietnam in

excess of FY 2014 amounts unless

the President certifies to Congress

that the government of Vietnam has made substantial

progress respecting political, civil, media, Internet, and

religious freedoms, minority rights, access to U.S. refugee

programs, and actions to end trafficking in persons and the

release of religious and political prisoners.

The measure would authorize the President to waive such

requirements if increased U.S. non-humanitarian

assistance would promote the purposes of this Act or is

otherwise in the U.S. national interest.

The measure also would express the sense of Congress

that it shall be U.S. policy that further easing of the

prohibition on the sale of lethal military equipment to

Vietnam shall require Vietnam to take additional and

sustained steps to advance human rights protections.

It also would express the sense of Congress that the United

States should take measures to overcome the jamming of

Radio Free Asia by Vietnam and that the Broadcasting

Board of Governors should not cut staffing, funding, or

broadcast hours for the Vietnamese language services of

the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia; that U.S.-

Vietnam educational and cultural exchange programs

should promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam; that

Vietnam should be designated as a country of particular

concern for religious freedom; and that Vietnam does not

fully comply with the minimum standards for the

elimination of trafficking and is not making significant

efforts to bring itself into compliance.

S. 2632 was introduced in the Senate on Thursday, March

03, 2016. It was referred to the Senate Committee on

Foreign Relations.

Bills in Development

The following lists immigration-, human trafficking-, or

refugee-related bills that currently are believed to be under

development and that could soon be introduced in the Senate

or House of Representatives. Items that were added or that

have substantially changed since the previous edition of the

Weekly Legislative Update was issued are marked with a

double asterisk (**):

House Trafficking Victims Protection Act

Reauthorization: House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global

Health, Global Human Rights, and

International Organizations

Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) is

working on legislation to

reauthorize funding for programs

contained in the Trafficking

Victims Protection Act (TVPA).

There is no timeline on when he will

introduce legislation. Authorization for appropriations of

the programs authorized by the TVPA expire on

September 20, 2017.

Visa Security Legislation: House Judiciary Committee Republicans are working on legislation that

would "reform visa security

processing, including K-1 visas,

and ensure that open source

information is reviewed as part of

the background check for visa

applicants tightening visa

security." In a press release issued

by House Judiciary Committee

Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)

on December 14, 2016, the

Chairman said that the measure would "require that the

agencies responsible for vetting the visa applicant check

his or her employment and educational history as well as

review open source information, such as social media

accounts, to learn more about the person seeking to come

to the United States.” In a subsequent press release, issued

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s2632is/pdf/BILLS-114s2632is.pdfhttp://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2015/12/goodlatte-announces-house-judiciary-committee-to-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-visa-securityhttp://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2016/1/goodlatte-statement-on-arrest-of-two-iraqi-refugees-on-terrorism-charges



Page 232

on January 8, 2016, the Chairman indicated that the bill

would be introduced “over the coming weeks.”

Security of the U.S. Refugee Admissions

Program: House Judiciary Committee Republicans are reportedly working on legislation that would make the

refugee program more secure. No details about the

measure was available at the time of this writing. In a

press release issued by House Judiciary Committee

Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) on January 8, 2016,

following the arrest of two individuals for terrorist activity

while in the United States who had entered the United

States as refugees, the Chairman indicated he intends to

introduce the measure "over the coming weeks."

Senate Refugee Protection Act: Senate Judiciary

Committee Ranking Minority Member Patrick Leahy (D-

VT) is planning to reintroduce the

“Refugee Protection Act” in the

coming weeks.

As introduced during the 113th

Congress, the measure contained

numerous provisions designed to

improve the treatment of refugees

and asylum seekers receive in the

United States.

Over the Horizon …

The following is a listing of anticipated immigration-, human

trafficking-, or refugee-related legislative and “off-of-the-

Hill” activity that is likely to occur over the next several weeks.

Items that were added or that have substantially changed since

the previous edition of the Weekly Legislative Update was

issued are marked with a double asterisk (**):

House The following hearings could occur in the U.S.

House of Representatives in the coming weeks:

No hearings had been noticed at the time of this writing.

The following markups could occur in the House of

Representatives in the coming weeks:

**House Budget Committee Markup of FY '17

Budget Resolution: The House Committee on the Budget hopes to markup its Fiscal Year 2017 budget

resolution sometime in March. At the time of this writing,

no draft of the budget resolution had yet emerged.

Should a markup take place it likely would occur in Room

210 of the Cannon House Office Building.

Markup of Visa Security Legislation: The House Committee on the Judiciary in the coming weeks may

markup yet-to-be-introduced legislation that would

"reform visa security processing, including K-1 visas, and

ensure that open source information is reviewed as part of

the background check for visa applicants tightening visa

security." More specifically, the measure would "require

that the agencies responsible for vetting the visa applicant

check his or her employment and educational history as

well as review open source information, such as social

media accounts, to learn more about the person seeking to

come to the United States."

The announcement of the possible movement of visas

security legislation was made in a December 14, 2015,

press release from House Judiciary Committee Chairman

Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).

Markup of Legislation Relating to the U.S.

Refugee Admissions Program: The House Committee on the Judiciary in the coming weeks may

markup yet-to-be-introduced legislation tightening

security in the U.S. refugee admissions program. No

details about the measure was available at the time of this

writing. In a January 8, 2016, press release issued by

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-

VA following the arrest of two individuals for terrorist

activity while in the United States who had entered the

country as refugees, Chairman Goodlatte indicated he

intends to introduce the bill "over the coming weeks."

The following floor actions could occur in the U.S.

House of Representatives in the coming weeks:

**House Floor Consideration of Measure

Approving an Amicus Brief Opposing the

Obama Administration's Executive Actions on

Immigration: The full House of Representatives is expected in the coming weeks to take up a measure

approving the filing of an amicus brief on behalf of the

U.S. House of Representatives in the case of the United

States of America v. Texas, et al. That case challenges the

Administration's Executive Actions on Immigration.

The forthcoming House floor vote was announced by

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Tuesday,

March 1, 2016. In that announcement, Ryan said that the

House action is without precedent. He said it was being

done because the President’s “executive amnesty is a

direct attack on the Congress’s Article I powers under our

Constitution.” Continuing, Ryan declared, “the President

is not permitted to write law; only Congress is.”

http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2016/1/goodlatte-statement-on-arrest-of-two-iraqi-refugees-on-terrorism-chargeshttp://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2015/12/goodlatte-announces-house-judiciary-committee-to-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-visa-securityhttp://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2016/1/goodlatte-statement-on-arrest-of-two-iraqi-refugees-on-terrorism-charges



Page 233

As Speaker Ryan was making his announcement, House

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was announcing

that House Democrats will file a brief in support of the

Administration’s Executive Actions on Immigration.

At the time of this writing, no date for floor consideration

of the measure had been announced. It was unclear at the

time of this writing whether the House would be voting on

a resolution supporting the filing of a brief or if it would

be voting on the brief, itself. And it was unclear whether

the measure that the House will vote on will go directly to

the House floor or if it would be considered by a

committee first. 148 ☼

**The “DHS Human Trafficking Prevention

Act of 2016”: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 4383, the “DHS Human

Trafficking Prevention Act of 2016”, which would direct

the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue a

Department-wide directive to DHS personnel that

includes guidance on--

1. Types of information that should be collected and recorded in information technology systems utilized

by the Department to help identify individuals

suspected or convicted of human trafficking;

2. how to ensure the reliability of data on such persons that is entered into the system; and

3. systematic and routine information sharing regarding such individuals within and among components DHS.

The measure also would require DHS to integrate the

information technology systems utilized to record and

track such information. And it would require the DHS

Inspector general to report within 18 months after the date

of enactment of the Act to the House and Senate

Homeland Security Committees on the status of

implementation of the bill.

The House Committee on Homeland Security approved

the measure on February 2, 2016, by a voice vote.

However, at the time of this writing, the Committee had

not yet formally reported it to the full House of

Representatives. The bill also has been referred to the

House Committee on the Judiciary.

**The “Enhancing Overseas Traveler Vetting

Act”: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 4403, a measure that would authorize

the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop open-

148 Click HERE to see video of Speaker Paul Ryan’s

announcement of the forthcoming House floor vote on whether

to file an amicus brief in the case of U.S. v. Texas, relating to

the Administration’s Executive Actions on Immigration

source software, based on U.S. Customs and Border

Protection’s global travel targeting and analysis systems

and the Department of state’s watchlisting, identification,

and screening systems, in order to facilitate the vetting of

travelers against terrorist watchlists and law enforcement

databases, enhance border management, and improve

targeting and analysis. Under the measure, the Secretary

also would be authorized to make the software and related

technical assistance or training available to foreign

governments or multilateral organizations.


H.R. 4403 on February 2, 2016, by a voice vote.

Following action in the House Committee on Homeland

Security, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs took

up the measure, approving it by unanimous consent and

ordering it reported to the full House.

At the time of this writing, while two House Committees

had ordered the measure reported to the full House, neither

had actually formally reported it yet.

The “Amplifying Local Efforts to Root out

Terror Act of 2016”: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 4401, a

measure that would authorize the Secretary of Homeland

Security to provide training on countering violent

extremism to Department of Homeland Security

representatives at State and local fusion centers.

The House Committee on Homeland Security approved it

on February 2, 2016, by a voice vote. It formally reported

the bill to the full House of Representatives on Monday,

February 29, 2016. 149

The “Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of

2016”: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 4407, a measure that would establish in

DHS a board to coordinate and integrate departmental

intelligence, activities, and policy related to

counterterrorism.



However, at the time of this writing, it had not yet

formally reported it to the full House of Representatives.

The “Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel

Exercise Act of 2016”: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 4404, a

measure that would require that within one year after the

149 H. Rept. 114-437, February 29, 2016

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4383ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4383ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4403ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4403ih.pdfhttps://youtu.be/PQKcU3H9pKUhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4401ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4401ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4407ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4407ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr4404ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr4404ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-114hrpt437/pdf/CRPT-114hrpt437.pdf



Page 234

date of enactment of the act, the Department of Homeland

Security must conduct an exercise related to terrorist and

foreign fighter travel. The exercise would have to include

a scenario involving persons traveling from the United

States to join or provide material support or resources to a

terrorist organization abroad, as well as a scenario

involving terrorist infiltration into the United States,

including U.S. citizens and foreign nationals.



However, at the time of this writing, it had not yet


Mandatory Use of E-Verify System: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R.

1147, the “Legal Workforce Act", a measure introduced

by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) that would

permanently authorize the E-Verify System and make its

use mandatory for all employers in the United States.

The House Committee on the Judiciary approved the

measure on March 3, 2015, by a vote of 20-13. However,

at the time of this writing, it had not yet formally reported

the bill to the full House of Representatives.

State and Local Enforcement of Civil

Immigration Law: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 1148, the “Michael Davis,

Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law

Enforcement Act”, a measure introduced by House

Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border

Security Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) that would grant

states and localities specific congressional authorization

to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

The measure also would prohibit so-called "sanctuary

cities" from receiving law enforcement grants, and it

would make changes in law on visa issuance, facilitating

the removal of criminal aliens, and barring terrorists from

entering and remaining in the United States.

The House Committee on the Judiciary approved H.R.

1148 on March 18, 2015, by a vote of 17-13. However, at

the time of this writing, the Committee had not yet


Treatment of Unaccompanied Alien Children

from Central America: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 1149, the

"Protection of Children Act of 2015", a measure

introduced by House Appropriations Subcommittee on

Homeland Security Chairman John R. Carter (R-TX) that

would provide for the expedited return of Central

American unaccompanied alien children and make other

changes reducing protections for such children.

The House Committee on the Judiciary approved H.R.

1149 on March 4, 2015, by a vote of 17-15. However, at

the time of this writing, it had not yet formally reported


Restrictions on Grants of Asylum: The full House of Representatives could at any time take up H.R. 1153,

the "Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2015",

a measure introduced by Representative Jason Chaffetz

(R-UT) that would make it more difficult for asylum

seekers to obtain asylum in the United States.

The House Committee on the Judiciary approved the

measure on March 18, 2015, by a vote of 21-12. However,

at the time of this writing, it had not yet formally reported


Senate The following hearings could occur in the U.S.

Senate in the coming weeks:

None scheduled.

The following markups could occur in the U.S.


Markup of the “Expatriate Terrorist Act”: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary could act soon to

markup S. 247, the "Expatriate Terrorist Act". As

introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the measure

would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to

establish new grounds for loss of U.S. nationality by a

native-born or naturalized citizen.

The new grounds that the bill would establish include

taking an oath or making a declaration of allegiance to a

foreign terrorist organization after attaining the age of 18;

entering, or serving in, a foreign terrorist organization;

becoming a member of or providing training or material

assistance to a foreign terrorist organization; and

accepting, serving in, or performing the duties of any

office, post, or employment under the government of a

foreign state, a political subdivision, or a foreign terrorist

organization if the person knowingly has or acquires the

nationality of such foreign state, or an oath, affirmation,

or declaration of allegiance to the foreign state, political

subdivision, or designated foreign terrorist organization is

required for such office, post, or employment.

The measure also would amend the Passport Act of 1926

to prohibit the Secretary of State from issuing a passport

or passport card to an individual who is a member, or

attempting to become a member, of a foreign terrorist

organization; and direct the Secretary to revoke a passport

or passport card previously issued to any such individual.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1147ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr1147ih.pdfhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1147ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr1147ih.pdfhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1148ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr1148ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1149ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr1149ih.pdfhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1153ih/pdf/BILLS-114hr1153ih.pdfhttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s247is/pdf/BILLS-114s247is.pdf



Page 235

Under the measure, a person who is denied issuance of a

passport or passport card or whose passport or passport

card is revoked or otherwise restricted may request a due

process hearing not later than 60 days after receiving

notice of the nonissuance, revocation, or restriction.

The Committee has scheduled an Executive Business

Meeting for Thursday, March 3, 2016. However, it has

been on the agenda for months and has been skipped over

because the bill's sponsor has not been available. If, as

expected, the bill is held over this week, the next Judiciary

Committee Executive Business Meeting would not occur

until Thursday, February 25, 2016.

The following floor actions could occur in the U.S.


End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2016: The full Senate could at any time take up a modified version

of S. 553, the “End Modern Slavery Initiative Act”.

As approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,

the measure would establish the End Modern Slavery

Initiative Foundation, a nonprofit organization organized

under the laws of the District of Columbia, which would

work with government, civil society, and private

institutions in partner countries and key jurisdictions of

other countries supported by the Foundation with a high

prevalence of modern slavery to identify and fund

successful strategies to combat modern slavery.

S. 553 was introduced on February 24, 2015, by Senate

Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-

TN). The Committee approved it on February 26, 2015,

and ordered it reported to the full Senate. The Committee

formally reported the measure to the Senate, in amended

form, on February 3, 2016.

State Department Authorization Bill: The full U.S. Senate could at any time take up S. 1635, the

"Department of State Operations Authorization and

Embassy Security Act, Fiscal Year 2016, a measure

introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN). The measure would

reauthorize appropriations for the Department of State. It

contains within it a number of noncontroversial references

to immigrants and refugees.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations reported the

measure unanimously to the full Senate on June 18, 2016,

without a written report.

Bicameral The following bicameral immigration- or refugee-related

actions could occur in the coming weeks:

None Scheduled

Off of the Hill The following actions are scheduled to occur in the coming

weeks outside of hearing rooms and off of the floor of U.S.

Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives:

White House Daily Briefings: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is scheduled this week to conduct

daily press briefings, at which he will field questions from

the White House press corps, including possible questions

on immigration- and refugee-related matters.

The specific time for each day's White House Daily

Briefing is scheduled on an ad hoc basis. When they

occur, they take place either in the White House Brady

Briefing Room when the President is in Washington or

aboard Air Force One when the President is traveling.

Next Week’s Edition …

Look for the following articles in next week’s edition of the

Weekly Legislative Update:

Hearing on USAID Funding. Next week’s Weekly Legislative Update will include a write-up summarizing

the March 8 hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 DHS

Budget Submission;

Hearing on Budget for Customs and Border Protection. Next week’s Weekly Legislative Update will

include a write-up summarizing the Tuesday, March 8,

hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 Budget

Submission for DHS’s CBP and ICE components;

Hearing on Situational Awareness Along the U.S. Border. Next week’s Weekly Legislative Update will

include a write-up summarizing the Wednesday, March 8,

hearing on the Administration’s FY ’17 DOJ Budget

Submission;

End Modern Slavery Initiative. Next week’s Weekly Legislative Update will include a write-up summarizing

the legislative action occurring in connection with Senate

floor consideration of the “End Modern Slavery Initiative

Act of 2016” should the Senate take it up this week; and

Markup of the Expatriate Terrorist Act. Next week’s Weekly Legislative Update will include a write-up

summarizing the Senate Judiciary Committee markup of

S. 247, the “Expatriate Terrorist Act” in the unlikely event

that the Committee takes up the bill this week.

http://thisweekinimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/2/69228175/corkersubstiitueamendmenttos553.pdfhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s1635pcs/pdf/BILLS-114s1635pcs.pdf



Page 236

Appendix

No Items This Week

Documents

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops · 2019. 11. 18. · CBP Head Testifies on the Administration’s FY ’17 CBP Budget Submission ... S. 247, the “Expatriate Terrorist