[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9457 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9457
To protect the integrity of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program,
prevent unauthorized program-wide suspension, ensure transparency and
congressional oversight of executive action, and reaffirm congressional
intent.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2026
Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Brown, Mr. Carson,
Mr. Casar, Ms. Crockett, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Espaillat, Ms.
Garcia of Texas, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr.
Green of Texas, Mrs. Grijalva, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms.
Mejia, Mr. Menefee, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Randall,
Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Torres of
New York, Ms. Underwood, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and Ms.
Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To protect the integrity of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program,
prevent unauthorized program-wide suspension, ensure transparency and
congressional oversight of executive action, and reaffirm congressional
intent.
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 ``Diversity Visa Protection and
Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is a
congressionally authorized program established under section
203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote
diversity in lawful permanent immigration to the United States
of America.
(2) Congress has delegated to the executive branch
authority to administer immigration programs, including
conducting security screening and imposing targeted
restrictions where justified by national security or foreign
policy concerns.
(3) Such authority has historically included country-
specific, regional, or case-by-case limitations, including
restrictions related to armed conflict, sanctions, diplomatic
breakdowns, or individualized security risks.
(4) Program-wide or indefinite suspension of the Diversity
Immigrant Visa Program, including halting issuance across all
eligible countries, exceeds routine administrative discretion
absent explicit statutory authorization.
(5) National security screening of Diversity Immigrant Visa
applicants occurs prior to visa issuance and can be
strengthened or tailored without suspending the program as a
whole.
(6) Indefinite or opaque administrative pauses undermine
congressional intent, due process, and the lawful expectations
of Diversity Immigrant Visa selectees.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to--
(1) reaffirm the authority of Congress over the
continuation of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program as a
whole;
(2) distinguish between permissible targeted restrictions
and impermissible wholesale suspension of the program;
(3) ensure transparency, accountability, and congressional
oversight when the executive branch limits Diversity Immigrant
Visa processing; and
(4) protect eligible Diversity Immigrant Visa selectees
from losing lawful immigration opportunities due to broad, non-
specific administrative pauses (or Executive action).
SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON PROGRAM-WIDE SUSPENSION OF THE DIVERSITY
IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM.
(a) Prohibition on Program-wide Suspension.--Except as provided in
subsection (b), the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland
Security, as applicable, may not suspend, pause, or stop the issuance
of visas pursuant to section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c)).
(b) Limited Exceptions.--The Secretary of State or the Secretary of
Homeland Security, as applicable, may--
(1) implement a country-specific or regional suspension or
limitation on the issuance of visas pursuant to section 203(c)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c))
following notification to Congress in accordance with
subsection (c);
(2) undertake a case-by-case delay, denial, or request for
enhanced screening based on an individualized security,
criminal, or eligibility determinations; or
(3) suspend the issuance of visas pursuant to section
203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1153(c)) for a limited period not exceeding 60 days with
issuance automatically resuming on the date that is 60 days
after the date of such suspension following notification to
Congress in accordance with subsection (c).
(c) Congressional Notice and Transparency Requirements.--
(1) Notice to congress.--Not later than 7 days before
initiating a suspension or limitation described under
subsection (b)(1), the Secretary of State or the Secretary of
Homeland Security, as applicable, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees notice of such suspension
or limitation, including --
(A) the scope, geographic reach, and duration of
the suspension or limitation;
(B) identification of the specific and
extraordinary threat that necessitates the issuance of
visas pursuant to section 203(c) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c)) and explanation why
a narrower, targeted, or country-specific measure would
not sufficiently address the identified threat, if
applicable;
(C) the specific national security or foreign
policy rationale for the suspension or limitation;
(D) the legal authority relied upon for such
suspension; and
(E) the steps being taken to resume normal issuance
of visas pursuant to section 203(c) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c)).
(2) Public disclosure.--The notice described under
paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register,
except for classified annexes provided to the appropriate
congressional committees.
(d) Protection for Diversity Immigrant Visa Selectees.--No
individual issued a visa pursuant to section 203(c) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c)) shall lose eligibility for such
visa as a result of a suspension described under subsection (b)(3).
(e) Appropriate Congressional Committee Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committee'' means--
(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives and the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(3) the Committee on Foreign Relations on the Senate.
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