S. 2616, the Emergency Relief for Rural Borderlands Act, would exempt from the annual H-2B cap (for low-sill foreign workers), workers who work in rural areas that are less than 50 miles from an international border.
Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes.
Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes.
H.R.
S.
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2005 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2005, and for other purposes.
H.R. 4166, the American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act, would exempt from the annual H-1B cap aliens holding a Master's degree or higher, up to 20,000. However, the bill would have reinstated tougher employer attestation requirements, a $1,000 application fee, and Labor Department investigative authorities, that expired in the fall of 2003.
S. 2258, the Summer Operations and Services (SOS) Relief and Reform Act, would increase the number of H-2B visas for low-skill, foreign workers that were approved in 2004.
S. 2252, the Save Summer Act, would increase by 40,000 the annual cap for 2004 on H-2B visas for low-kill, temporary foreign workers.