[Pages S1901-S1905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
S. 794. A bill for the relief of Jose Alberto Martinez Moreno,
Micaela Lopez Martinez, and Adilene Martinez; to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am reintroducing private
immigration relief legislation to provide lawful permanent resident
status to Adilene Martinez, who is originally from Mexico but has been
living in California for over 20 years. I believe she merits Congress'
special consideration for this extraordinary form of relief.
Adilene, age 30, was brought to the United States by her parents Jose
Alberto Martinez Moreno and Micaela Lopez Martinez. When Jose came to
the United States from Mexico, he began working as a busboy in
restaurants in San Francisco, California. In 1990, he started working
as a cook at Palio D'Asti, an award-winning Italian restaurant in San
Francisco.
Jose and his wife, Micaela, call San Francisco home. Micaela is a
homemaker and part-time housekeeper. They have three daughters, two of
whom are United States citizens. Their oldest daughter, Adilene, is
undocumented and is currently working at the San Francisco Opera House.
Adilene attempted to legalize her status through several channels with
her family, but the current green card backlog for relatives from
Mexico is very long.
In 2002, the Martinez family applied for political asylum. Their
application was denied. An immigration judge denied their subsequent
application for cancellation of removal. The Martinez family has become
an integral part of their community in California. They are active in
their faith community. They volunteer with community-based
organizations and are, in turn, supported by their community. When I
first introduced this bill, I received dozens of letters of support
from their fellow parishioners, teachers, and members of their
community.
The Martinez family truly exemplifies the American dream. Jose worked
his way through the restaurant industry to become a chef and an
indispensable employee at a renowned restaurant. With great dedication,
Micaela has worked hard to raise three daughters who are advancing
their education and look forward to continuing the pursuit of their
goals.
I believe that Adilene's continued presence in the United States
would allow them to continue making significant contributions to their
community in California. I ask my colleagues to support this private
bill.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 794

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

SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR JOSE ALBERTO
MARTINEZ MORENO, MICAELA LOPEZ MARTINEZ, AND
ADILENE MARTINEZ.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of
section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1151), Jose Alberto Martinez Moreno, Micaela

[[Page S1902]]

Lopez Martinez, and Adilene Martinez shall each be eligible
for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status
to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence
upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa
under section 204 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) or for
adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.
(b) Adjustment of Status.--If Jose Alberto Martinez Moreno,
Micaela Lopez Martinez, or Adilene Martinez enters the United
States before the filing deadline specified in subsection
(c), Jose Alberto Martinez Moreno, Micaela Lopez Martinez, or
Adilene Martinez shall be considered to have entered and
remained lawfully in the United States and shall be eligible
for adjustment of status under section 245 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and
(b) shall apply only if the applications for issuance of
immigrant visas or the applications for adjustment of status
are filed with appropriate fees not later than two years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon the granting
of immigrant visas or permanent resident status to Jose
Alberto Martinez Moreno, Micaela Lopez Martinez, and Adilene
Martinez, the Secretary of State shall instruct the proper
officer to reduce by three, during the current or next
following fiscal year--
(1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made
available to natives of the country of birth of Jose Alberto
Martinez Moreno, Micaela Lopez Martinez, and Adilene Martinez
under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
(2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that
are made available to natives of the country of birth of Jose
Alberto Martinez Moreno, Micaela Lopez Martinez, and Adilene
Martinez under section 202(e) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(e)).
(e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the
purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest
statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation''
for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the
vote on passage.

______

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
S. 795. A bill for the relief of Alfredo Plascencia Lopez; to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to offer legislation to
provide lawful permanent residence status to Alfredo Plascencia Lopez,
a Mexican national who lives in the San Bruno area of California.
I offer legislation on his behalf because I believe that, without it,
this hardworking man, wife who is a lawful permanent resident, and
children would face extreme hardship. His children would either face
separation from their father or be forced to leave the only country
they know and give up the education they are pursuing in the United
States.
Alfredo and his wife, Maria, have been in the United States for over
20 years. They worked for years to adjust their status through
appropriate legal channels, but poor legal representation ruined their
opportunities.
The Plascencias' lawyer refused to return their calls or otherwise
communicate with them in any way. He also failed to forward crucial
immigration documents. Because of the poor representation they
received, Alfredo only became aware that they had been ordered to leave
the United States 15 days prior to his scheduled deportation.
Alfredo was shocked to learn of his attorney's malfeasance, but he
acted quickly to secure legitimate counsel and filed the appropriate
paperwork to delay his deportation and determine if any other legal
action could be taken.
Together, Alfredo and Maria have used their professional successes,
with the assistance of private bills, to realize many of the goals
dreamed of by all Americans. They have worked hard, and saved up to buy
their home.
Their oldest child, Christina, is 28 years old and is currently a
paralegal. Erika, age 24, serves in the United States Air Force and
hopes to one day become a police officer. Danny, age 24, currently
attends the University of California and volunteers at his local
homeless shelter in the soup kitchen. Daisy, age 17, and Juan Pablo,
age 13, are all in school and plan on attending college.
Allowing Alfredo to remain in the United States is necessary to
enable his family to continue thriving in the United States. His
children are dedicated to pursuing their education and being productive
members of their community. I do not believe that Alfredo should be
separated from his family. I am reintroducing this legislation to
protect the best interest of Alfredo's U.S. citizen children and his
wife, who is a lawful permanent resident. I believe that Alfredo will
continue to make positive contributions to his community in California
and this country. I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this
bill.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 795

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

SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR ALFREDO PLASCENCIA
LOPEZ.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of
section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1151), Alfredo Plascencia Lopez shall be eligible for the
issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to
that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence
upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa
under section 204 of that Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) or for
adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.
(b) Adjustment of Status.--If Alfredo Plascencia Lopez
enters the United States before the filing deadline specified
in subsection (c), Alfredo Plascencia Lopez shall be
considered to have entered and remained lawfully and shall be
eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and
(b) shall apply only if the application for issuance of
immigrant visas or the application for adjustment of status
are filed with appropriate fees within two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon the granting
of immigrant visas or permanent residence to Alfredo
Plascencia Lopez, the Secretary of State shall instruct the
proper officer to reduce by one, during the current or next
following fiscal year--
(1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made
available to natives of the country of birth of Alfredo
Plascencia Lopez under section 203(a) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
(2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that
are made available to natives of the country of birth of
Alfredo Plascencia Lopez under section 202(e) of that Act (8
U.S.C. 1152(e)).
(e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the
purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest
statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation''
for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the
vote on passage.

______

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
S. 796. A bill for the relief of Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian;
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to reintroduce private relief
legislation in the 116th Congress on behalf of Ruben Mkoian and Asmik
Karapetian. The Mkoian family has been living in Fresno, California,
for over 20 years. I continue to believe this family deserves Congress'
special consideration for such an extraordinary form of relief as a
private bill.
The Mkoian family is originally from Armenia. They decided to leave
Armenia for the United States in the early 1990s, following several
incidents in which the family experienced harassment, vandalism and
threats to their well-being.
In Armenia, Ruben worked as a police sergeant on vehicle licensing.
At one point, he was offered a bribe to register stolen vehicles, which
he refused and reported to his superior, the police chief. He later
learned that a co-worker had registered the vehicles at the request of
the same chief.
After Ruben reported the bribe offer to illegally register vehicles
and said he'd call the police, his family store was vandalized and he
received threatening phone calls telling him to keep quiet. A bottle of
gasoline was thrown into his family's residence, burning it to the
ground. In April 1992, several men entered the family store and
assaulted Ruben, hospitalizing him for 22 days.
Ruben, Asmik, and their son Arthur, who was 3 years old at the time,
left Armenia and entered the United States on visitor visas. They
applied for political asylum that same year on the

[[Page S1903]]

grounds that they would be subject to physical attacks if returned to
Armenia. It took 16 years for their case to be finalized, with the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denying their asylum case in January
2008.
At this time, Ruben and Asmik have exhausted every option to obtain
immigration relief in the United States. It would be a terrible shame
to remove this family from the United States and to separate them from
their son Arsen, who is 20 years old and a U.S. citizen. The Mkoians
have worked hard to build a place for their family in California and
are an integral part of their community.
The family attends St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church in Fresno. They
do charity work to send medical equipment to Armenia. Ruben works as a
driver for Uber. He previously worked as a manager at a car wash in
Fresno and as a truck driver for a California trucking company that
described him as ``trustworthy,'' ``knowledgeable,'' and an asset to
the company. Asmik has worked as a medical assistant the past 6 years
at the Fresno Shield Medical Center.
Reflecting their contributions to their community, Representatives
George Radanovich (R-CA) and Jim Costa (D-CA) strongly supported this
family's ability to remain in the United States. When I first
introduced a private bill for the Mkoian family, I received more than
200 letters of support and dozens of calls of support from friends and
community members, attesting to the positive impact that this family
has had in Fresno, California.
I believe that this case warrants our compassion. I respectfully ask
my colleagues to support this private legislation on behalf of the
Mkoian family.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 796

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

SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR RUBEN MKOIAN AND
ASMIK KARAPETIAN.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of
section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1151), Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian shall each be
eligible for the issuance of an immigrant visa or for
adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence upon filing an application for
issuance of an immigrant visa under section 204 of such Act
(8 U.S.C. 1154) or for adjustment of status to lawful
permanent resident.
(b) Adjustment of Status.--If Ruben Mkoian or Asmik
Karapetian enters the United States before the filing
deadline specified in subsection (c), Ruben Mkoian or Asmik
Karapetian, as appropriate, shall be considered to have
entered and remained lawfully in the United States and shall
be eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and
(b) shall apply only if the application for the issuance of
an immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status
is filed with appropriate fees not later than two years after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon granting an
immigrant visa or permanent resident status to Ruben Mkoian
and Asmik Karapetian, the Secretary of State shall instruct
the proper officer to reduce by two, during the current or
next following fiscal year--
(1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made
available to natives of the country of birth of Ruben Mkoian
and Asmik Karapetian under section 203(a) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
(2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that
are made available to natives of the country of birth of
Ruben Mkoian and Asmik Karapetian under section 202(e) of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(e)).
(e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the
purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest
statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation''
for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the
vote on passage.
______

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
S. 797. A bill for the relief of Shirley Constantino Tan; to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am reintroducing a bill for
the private relief of Shirley Constantino Tan. Ms. Tan is a Filipina
national living in Pacifica, California. She is the proud mother of 20-
year-old U.S. citizen twin boys, Jashley and Joriene, and the spouse of
Jay Mercado, a naturalized U.S. citizen.
I believe Ms. Tan merits Congress' special consideration for this
extraordinary form of relief because her removal from the United States
would cause undue hardship for her and her family. She faces
deportation to the Philippines, which would separate her from her
family and jeopardize her safety.
Ms. Tan experienced horrific violence in the Philippines before she
left to come to the United States. When she was only 14 years old, her
cousin murdered her mother and her sister and shot Shirley in the head.
While the cousin who committed the murders was eventually prosecuted,
he received a short jail sentence. Fearing for her safety, Ms. Tan fled
the Philippines just before her cousin was due to be released from
jail. She entered the United States legally on a visitor's visa in
1989.
Ms. Tan's current deportation order is the result of negligent
counsel. She applied for asylum in 1995. While her case appeal was
pending at the Board of Immigration Appeals, her attorney failed to
submit a brief to support her case. As a result, the case was
dismissed, and the Board of Immigration Appeals granted Shirley
voluntary departure from the United States.
Ms. Tan never received notice that the Board of Immigration Appeals
granted her voluntary departure. Her attorney moved offices, did not
receive the order, and ultimately never informed her of the order. As a
result, Ms. Tan did not depart the United States and the grant of
voluntary departure automatically led to a removal order. She learned
about the deportation order for the first time on January 28, 2009,
when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took her into
immigration custody.
Because of her attorney's negligent actions, Ms. Tan was denied the
opportunity to present her case in immigration proceedings. She later
filed a complaint with the State Bar of California against her former
attorney. She is not the first person to file such a complaint against
this attorney.
On February 4, 2015, Ms. Tan's spouse, Jay, a U.S. Citizen, filed an
approved spousal petition on her behalf. On August 20, 2015, U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services denied her application due to the
fact that she still had a final order or removal. Ms. Tan must go back
to the immigration court and ask for the court to terminate her case
and then reapply for her green card. Ms. Tan is now again facing the
threat of deportation while she seeks to close her case before an
immigration court.
In addition to the hardship that would come to Ms. Tan if she is
deported, her deportation would cause serious hardship to her two
United States citizen children, Jashley and Joriene.
Joriene is a junior at Stanford University and is pre-Med, majoring
in Human Biology. In addition to his studies, Joriene is involved in
Stanford's Pilipino-American Student Union. Jashley is a junior at
Chapman University, majoring in Business Administration. Ms. Tan no
longer runs her in-home daycare and is a homemaker.
If Ms. Tan were forced to leave the United States, her family has
expressed that they would go with her to the Philippines or try to find
a third country where the entire family could relocate. This would mean
that Jashley and Joriene would have to leave behind their education and
the only home they know in the United States.
I do not believe it is in our Nation's best interest to force this
family, with two United States citizen children, to make the choice
between being separated and relocating to a country where they may face
safety concerns or other serious hardships.
Ms. Tan and her family are involved in their community in Pacifica
and own their own home. The family attends Good Shepherd Catholic
Church, volunteering at the church and the Mother Theresa of Calcutta's
Daughters of Charity. Ms. Tan has the support of dozens of members of
her community who have shared with me the family's spirit of commitment
to their community.

[[Page S1904]]

Enactment of the legislation I am introducing on behalf of Ms. Tan
today will enable this entire family to continue their lives in
California and make positive contributions to their community. Mr.
President, I ask my colleagues to support this private bill.
I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be included in the
Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 797

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

SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR SHIRLEY CONSTANTINO
TAN.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of
section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1151), Shirley Constantino Tan shall be eligible for issuance
of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to that of
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon
filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa under
section 204 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) or for adjustment of
status to lawful permanent resident.
(b) Adjustment of Status.--If Shirley Constantino Tan
enters the United States before the filing deadline specified
in subsection (c), she shall be considered to have entered
and remained lawfully and shall be eligible for adjustment of
status under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and
(b) shall apply only if the application for issuance of an
immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status is
filed with appropriate fees within two years after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Number.--Upon the granting
of an immigrant visa or permanent residence to Shirley
Constantino Tan, the Secretary of State shall instruct the
proper officer to reduce by one, during the current or next
following fiscal year--
(1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made
available to natives of the country of birth of Shirley
Constantino Tan under section 203(a) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
(2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that
are made available to natives of the country of birth of
Shirley Constantino Tan under section 202(e) of such Act (8
U.S.C. 1152(e)).
(e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the
purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest
statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation''
for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the
vote on passage.
______

By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
S. 798. A bill for the relief of Esidronio Arreola-Saucedo, Maria
Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola; to
the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today, I offer private immigration
relief legislation to provide lawful permanent resident status to
Esidronio Arreola-Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola
Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola. The Arreolas are Mexican nationals
living in the Fresno area of California.
Esidronio and Maria Elena have lived in the United States for over 20
years. Two of their 5 children, Nayely and Cindy also stand to benefit
from this legislation. The other 3 Arreola children, Robert, age 27,
Daniel, age 22, and Saray, age 22, are United States citizens. The
story of the Arreola family is compelling and I believe they merit
Congress' special consideration for such an extraordinary form of
relief as a private bill.
The Arreolas are facing deportation in part because of grievous
errors committed by their previous counsel, who has since been
disbarred. In fact, the attorney's conduct was so egregious that it
compelled an immigration judge to write to the Executive Office of
Immigration Review seeking the attorney's disbarment for his actions in
his clients' immigration cases.
Esidronio came to the United States in 1986 and was an agricultural
migrant worker in the fields of California for several years. As a
migrant worker at that time, he would have been eligible for permanent
residence through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers (SAW) program, had
he known about it.
Maria Elena was living in the United States at the time she became
pregnant with her daughter Cindy. She returned to Mexico to give birth
because she wanted to avoid any immigration issues.
Because of the length of time that the Arreolas were in the United
States, it is likely that they would have qualified for suspension of
deportation, which would have allowed them to remain in the United
States legally. However, the poor legal representation they received
foreclosed this opportunity.
One of the most compelling reasons for my introduction of this
private bill is the devastating impact the deportation of Esidronio and
Maria Elena would have on their children-3 of whom are American
citizens--and the other 2 who have lived in the United States since
they were toddlers. America is the only country the Arreola children
have ever known.
Nayely, the oldest, was the first in her family to graduate from high
school and the first to graduate college. She recently received her
Masters in Business Administration from Fresno Pacific University, a
regionally ranked university, and now works in the admissions office.
Nayely is married and has a young son named Elijah Ace Carlos.
At a young age, Nayely demonstrated a strong commitment to the ideals
of citizenship in her adopted country. She worked hard to achieve her
full potential both through her academic endeavors and community
service. As the Associate Dean of Enrollment Services at Fresno Pacific
University States in a letter of support, ``[T]he leaders of Fresno
Pacific University saw in Nayely, a young person who will become
exemplary of all that is good in the American dream.''
In high school, Nayely was a member of Advancement Via Individual
Determination, AVID, college preparatory program in which students
commit to determining their own futures through attaining a college
degree. Nayely was also President of the Key Club, a community service
organization. Perhaps the greatest hardship to Nayely's U.S. citizen
husband and child, if she were forced to return to Mexico, would be her
lost opportunity to realize her dreams and contribute further to her
community and to this country.
Nayely's sister, Cindy, is also married and has a 7-year-old daughter
and a 5-year-old son. Neither Nayely nor Cindy is eligible to
automatically adjust their status based on their marriages because of
their initial unlawful entry.
The Arreolas also have other family who are United States citizens or
lawful permanent residents of this country. Maria Elena has 3 brothers
who are American citizens, and Esidronio has a sister who is an
American citizen. They have no immediate family in Mexico.
According to immigration authorities, this family has never had any
problems with law enforcement. I am told that they have filed their
taxes for every year from 1990 to the present. They have always worked
hard to support themselves.
As I mentioned, Esidronio was previously employed as a farm worker,
but now has his own business in California repairing electronics. His
business has been successful enough to enable him to purchase a home
for his family. He and his wife are active in their church community
and in their children's education.
It is clear to me that this family has embraced the American dream.
Enactment of the legislation I have reintroduced today will enable the
Arreolas to continue to make significant contributions to their
community as well as the United States. I ask my colleagues to support
this private bill.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 798

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

SECTION 1. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR ESIDRONIO ARREOLA-
SAUCEDO, MARIA ELENA COBIAN ARREOLA, NAYELY
ARREOLA CARLOS, AND CINDY JAEL ARREOLA.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of
section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1151), Esidronio Arreola-Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola,
Nayely Arreola Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola shall each be
eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment
of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence upon

[[Page S1905]]

filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa under
section 204 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) or for adjustment of
status to lawful permanent resident.
(b) Adjustment of Status.--If Esidronio Arreola-Saucedo,
Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola Carlos, and Cindy
Jael Arreola enter the United States before the filing
deadline specified in subsection (c), Esidronio Arreola-
Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola Carlos,
and Cindy Jael Arreola shall be considered to have entered
and remained lawfully in the United States and shall be
eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) as of the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsections (a) and
(b) shall apply only if the applications for issuance of
immigrant visas or the applications for adjustment of status
are filed with appropriate fees not later than two years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon the granting
of immigrant visas or permanent residence to Esidronio
Arreola-Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola
Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola, the Secretary of State shall
instruct the proper officer to reduce by four, during the
current or next following fiscal year--
(1) the total number of immigrant visas that are made
available to natives of the country of birth of Esidronio
Arreola-Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely Arreola
Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola under section 203(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)); or
(2) if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that
are made available to natives of the country of birth of
Esidronio Arreola-Saucedo, Maria Elena Cobian Arreola, Nayely
Arreola Carlos, and Cindy Jael Arreola under section 202(e)
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(e)).
(e) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the
purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest
statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation''
for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the
vote on passage.
______

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr.
Blumenthal):
S. 822. A bill to permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings;
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 822

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Cameras in the Courtroom
Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO TITLE 28.

(a) In General.--Chapter 45 of title 28, United States
Code, is amended by inserting at the end the following:

``Sec. 678. Televising Supreme Court proceedings

``The Supreme Court shall permit television coverage of all
open sessions of the Court unless the Court decides, by a
vote of the majority of justices, that allowing such coverage
in a particular case would constitute a violation of the due
process rights of 1 or more of the parties before the
Court.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter
45 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting
at the end the following:

``678. Televising Supreme Court proceedings.''.
______

By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Ms.
Klobuchar, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Brown, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Cardin):
S. 839. A bill to extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain
short-term programs; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President. In today's economy, approximately 80
percent of jobs require some form of postsecondary education or
training beyond the high school level. The National Skills Coalition
estimates that nearly half of all job openings between now and 2022
will be middle skill jobs that require post high school training, but
not a four-year degree. While the number of students pursing
postsecondary education is growing, the supply of skilled workers still
falls short of industry demand. According to the Bureau of Labor and
Statistics 7.3 million U.S. jobs are currently vacant in part because
of a shortage of qualified workers.
Our Federal higher education policy must be modernized to meet the
needs of students and employers. Under current law, Pell Grants--needs-
based grants for low-income and working students--can only be awarded
to students attending programs that are over 600 clock hours or at
least 15 weeks in length. These grants cannot be used to offset the
cost of targeted, short-term training programs offered at community and
technical colleges that help students obtain employer-recognized
credentials. When it comes to higher education, Federal policies need
to support the demands of the changing labor market by increasing
access to career pathways that align with industry demand. According to
the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce,
shorter-term educational investments pay off--the average postsecondary
certificate holder has 30 percent higher lifetime earnings than
individuals with only a high school diploma.
Today, I am pleased to introduce with my colleague, Senator Portman,
the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students or JOBS Act. The
JOBS Act would close the skills gap by extending Pell Grant eligibility
to high-quality, short-term job training programs offered at community
colleges and other public institutions, so workers can afford the
instruction they need to be successful in today's job market. Under the
legislation, Pell-eligible job training programs are defined as those
providing at least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a minimum
of 8 weeks. Eligible job training programs must also provide students
with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring
requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job
training is offered.
The JOBS Act also ensures that students enrolling in Pell-eligible
short-term programs are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials
by requiring that the credentials meet the standards of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act, are recognized by industry or sector
partnerships, and align with the skill needs of industries in States or
local economies. Job training programs under this Act must also be
evaluated by an accreditor and the State workforce board for quality
and outcomes. The Virginia Community College System has identified
approximately 50 programs that would benefit from the JOBS Act
including in the fields of manufacturing, architecture/construction,
energy, health care, information technology, transportation, and
business management and administration.
The JOBS Act is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that would help
workers and employers succeed in today's economy. As Congress works to
reauthorize the Higher Education Act, I am hopeful that my colleagues
will join me in advocating for Pell Grants to be made available to
individuals enrolling in high-quality, short-term training programs
that lead to industry-recognized credentials and good paying jobs.

____________________