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Bill107th CongressFiled Oct 8, 2002Immigration
S. 3079

Iraqi Scientists Immigration Act of 2002

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What it doesSummary passed senate amended (Nov 20, 2002)

Iraqi Scientists Immigration Act of 2002 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the nonimmigrant admission of an alien (and accompanying family members or relatives) who the Attorney General determines, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Director of Central Intelligence and other appropriate officials, and in the Attorney General's unreviewable discretion, is an individual: (1) who has worked at any time in an Iraqi weapons of mass destruction program; (2) who is in possession of critical and reliable information concerning any such Iraqi program; (3) who is willing to provide, or has provided, such information to the United States or to United Nations or International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors; (4) who will be or has been placed in danger as a result of providing such information; and (5) whose admission would be in the public interest or in the interest of national security.

Limits such entrants to 500 aliens.

Requires such an alien, in order to be admitted and remain in the United States, to: (1) report to the Attorney General concerning his or her whereabouts and activities; (2) not be convicted of any criminal offense punishable by a term of imprisonment of one year or more after the date of admission or grant of status; (3) have waived rights to contest, other than on the basis of an application for withholding of removal or for protection under the Convention Against Torture, any action for removal instituted before the alien obtains lawful permanent resident status; and (4) cooperate fully with all information requests, including information concerning any Iraqi program to produce or deliver weapons of mass destruction.

Authorizes the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Director of Central Intelligence, to adjust the status of such an alien (and family members) to permanent resident status.

Authorizes the Attorney General to waive the inadmissability of such an alien for reasons of public interest or national security.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996 to revise the definition of "weapon of mass destruction" to replace "disease organism" with "biological agent, toxin, or vector."

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What just happenedNov 22, 2002

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Who’s behind it

Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE](D-DE)Sponsor
1 cosponsor1 R
Read on Congress.gov
1cosponsors2committees11actions
  1. Nov 22, 2002IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Judiciary Committee
  2. Nov 22, 2002FloorH14000

    Received in the House.

  3. Nov 22, 2002Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  4. Nov 20, 2002Floor

    Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  5. Nov 20, 2002Floor17000

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  6. Nov 20, 2002Floor

    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S11772-11773)

  7. Nov 20, 2002Discharge

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Judiciary Committee
  8. Nov 20, 2002Committee14500

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Judiciary Committee
  9. Oct 8, 2002IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10122-10123)

    Judiciary Committee
  10. Oct 8, 2002IntroReferralB00100

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10121-10122)

  11. Oct 8, 2002IntroReferral10000

    Introduced in Senate

Passed Senate amendedNov 20, 200235
Iraqi Scientists Immigration Act of 2002 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the nonimmigrant admission of an alien (and accompanying family members or relatives) who the Attorney General determines, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Director of Central Intelligence and other appropriate officials, and in the Attorney General's unreviewable discretion, is an individual: (1) who has worked at any time in an Iraqi weapons of mass destruction program; (2) who is in possession of critical and reliable information concerning any such Iraqi program; (3) who is willing to provide, or has provided, such information to the United States or to United Nations or International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors; (4) who will be or has been placed in danger as a result of providing such information; and (5) whose admission would be in the public interest or in the interest of national security.

Limits such entrants to 500 aliens.

Requires such an alien, in order to be admitted and remain in the United States, to: (1) report to the Attorney General concerning his or her whereabouts and activities; (2) not be convicted of any criminal offense punishable by a term of imprisonment of one year or more after the date of admission or grant of status; (3) have waived rights to contest, other than on the basis of an application for withholding of removal or for protection under the Convention Against Torture, any action for removal instituted before the alien obtains lawful permanent resident status; and (4) cooperate fully with all information requests, including information concerning any Iraqi program to produce or deliver weapons of mass destruction.

Authorizes the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Director of Central Intelligence, to adjust the status of such an alien (and family members) to permanent resident status.

Authorizes the Attorney General to waive the inadmissability of such an alien for reasons of public interest or national security.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996 to revise the definition of "weapon of mass destruction" to replace "disease organism" with "biological agent, toxin, or vector."

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Introduced in SenateOct 8, 200200
Iraqi Scientists Liberation Act of 2002 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Iraq must give the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors complete site access; (2) inspections should include unmonitored and protected interviews with appropriate persons; and (3) key scientists, engineers, and technicians in Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction programs should be encouraged to leave and provide information to governments and international institutions that are committed to such programs' dismantling.

Provides that whenever the Secretary of State and the Attorney General jointly determine that the admission into the United States of an eligible alien is in the public interest, the alien and any immediate family members shall be eligible for U.S. permanent residence admission.

Describes such alien as one who: (1) is a scientist, engineer, or technician who has worked at any time since December 16, 1998, in an Iraqi program to produce weapons of mass destruction or the means to deliver them; (2) is in possession of critical information concerning any such program; (3) is willing to provide, or has provided, such information to inspectors of the United Nations, inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or any U.S. department, agency, or other entity; and (4) will be or has been placed in danger as a result of providing such information.

Limits: (1) entrants to 500 aliens, with no limit on immediate family members; and (2) program authority to 36 months.

Amends the Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996 to revise the definition of "weapon of mass destruction."

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