Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that a nonimmigrant foreign student seeking to enter the United States to study at a language training program enroll at a language program that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education.
Provides for a specified three-year exception to such requirement.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2361 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2361
To require the accreditation of English language training programs, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 12, 2009
Mr. Frank of Massachusetts (for himself and Mr. Smith of Texas)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the accreditation of English language training programs, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ACCREDITATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (15)(F)(i), by striking ``a language'' and
inserting ``an accredited language''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(52) The term `accredited language training program' means a
language training program that is accredited by an accrediting agency
recognized by the Secretary of Education.''.
(b) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
amendments made by subsection (a) shall--
(A) take effect on the date that is 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(B) apply with respect to applications for a
nonimmigrant visa under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(F)(i)) that are filed on or after the
effective date described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Temporary exception.--
(A) In general.--Notwithstanding section
101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act, as amended by subsection (a), during the 3-year
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this
Act, an alien seeking to enter the United States to
pursue a course of study at a language training program
that has been certified by the Secretary of Homeland
Security and has not been accredited or denied
accreditation by an entity described in section
101(a)(52) of such Act may be granted a nonimmigrant
visa under such section 101(a)(15)(F)(i).
(B) Additional requirement.--An alien may not be
granted a nonimmigrant visa under subparagraph (A) if
the sponsoring institution of the language training
program to which the alien seeks to enroll does not--
(i) submit an application for the
accreditation of such program to a regional or
national accrediting agency recognized by the
Secretary of Education within 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act; and
(ii) comply with the applicable accrediting
requirements of such agency.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
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