Senate Passed Extension of EB-5 Program

08/03/2012: Senate Passed Three-Year Extension of Four Sunsetting Immigration Programs

• Yesterday, the Senated passed S.3245 [S. 3245.ES} as amended by unanious consent. This bill proposes to extend by 3 years the authorization of (1) the EB-5 Regional Center Program, (2) the E-Verify Program, (3) the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program, and (4) the Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program for foregin medical graduates. Wonderful!
• This bill initially proposed to make these programs “permanent,” but the amendment was passed just to extend for three years until September 30, 2012. This bill was introduced by Senator Leahy of Vermont and co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, but the amended version was co-sponsored by three Senators, Sen. Grassley, Sen. Hatch, and Sen. Rand. This bill now moves to the House. The House is expect to pass it, but should the House fail to pass it, it will certainly be passed as part of stop-gap funding bill before October 1, 2012.