Speech #1100153511

And I thank my colleagues for the great work that they have done. Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 5570. the "Religious Worker Visa Pro54. Pt. 5 April 15. 2008 gram Extension Act of 2008". introduced by the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration. Representative ZOE LOFGREN. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. The religious worker visa program allows U.S. religious denominations to fill critical religious worker positions for which there are no qualified candidates in the U.S. with qualified religious workers abroad. The program provides for two types of visas. The one is a special immigrant visa. which allows qualified religious workers to immigrate to the U.S. and later become citizens if they so choose and meet the qualification. The other is the nonimmigrant visa. which allows qualified religious workers to enter temporarily and perform services in the U.S. for a proscribed period. Both of these visas may be granted to both ministers and nonminister religious workers. This bill has come under closer scrutiny recently because of allegations of abuse and fraud among the foreign petitioners. H.R. 5570 would provide for a sevenyear extension of the program and it would require DHS to promulgate regulations to eliminate fraud.