[105th Congress Public Law 54]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ54.105]



[[Page 111 STAT. 1175]]

Public Law 105-54
105th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the special 
  immigrant religious worker program, to amend the Illegal Immigration 
 Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend the deadline 
   for designation of an effective date for paperwork changes in the 
  employer sanctions program, and to require the Secretary of State to 
 waive or reduce the fee for application and issuance of a nonimmigrant 
   visa for aliens coming to the United States for certain charitable 
             purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 6, 1997 -  [S. 1198]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. 3-YEAR EXTENSION OF SPECIAL IMMIGRANT RELIGIOUS WORKER 
                              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)(ii)) is amended by striking 
``1997,'' each place it appears and inserting ``2000,''.

    (b) Effective <<NOTE: 8 USC 1101 note.>>  Date.--The amendment made 
by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF NONIMMIGRANT VISA FEES FOR CERTAIN CHARITABLE 
                    PURPOSES.

    (a) In General.--Section 281 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1351) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sentence: ``Subject to such criteria as the Secretary of State may 
prescribe, including the duration of stay of the alien and the financial 
burden upon the charitable organization, the Secretary of State shall 
waive or reduce the fee for application and issuance of a nonimmigrant 
visa for any alien coming to the United States primarily for, or in 
activities related to, a charitable purpose involving health or nursing 
care, the provision of food or housing, job training, or any other 
similar direct service or assistance to poor or otherwise needy 
individuals in the United States.''.

    (b) Effective <<NOTE: 8 USC 1351 note.>>  Date.--The amendment made 
by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 3. 6-MONTH EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR DESIGNATION OF EFFECTIVE 
                    DATE FOR PAPERWORK CHANGES IN EMPLOYER 
                    SANCTIONS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 412(e)(1) of the Illegal Immigration Reform 
and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 
110 <<NOTE: 8 USC 1324a note.>>  Stat. 3009-668) is amended by striking 
``12'' and inserting ``18''.

[[Page 111 STAT. 1176]]

    (b) Effective Date.--The <<NOTE: 8 USC 1324a note.>>  amendment made 
by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of 
the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

    Approved October 6, 1997.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1198:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997):
            Sept. 18, considered and passed Senate.
            Sept. 29, considered in House.
            Oct. 1, considered and passed House, amended. Senate 
                concurred in House amendments.

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