H.R. 4166: American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-04-02 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-04-02 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act

Plain summary

American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt up to 20,000 aliens holding a master's or higher degree from the numerical limitation on H-1B (temporary employment in a specialty occupation) nonimmigrants in any fiscal year. Makes permanent: (1) the attestation requirement concerning nondisplacement of U.S. workers applicable to H-1B-dependent employers and willful violators; (2) the filing fee applicable to H-1B petitioners; and (3) the Secretary of Labor's authority under the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act to investigate an employer's alleged failure to meet specified labor attestation conditions (by repealing a sunset provision in that Act). Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to impose a fraud prevention and detection fee on H-1B or L (intracompany business personnel) petitioners for use in combating fraud and carrying out labor attestation enforcement activities. Establishes an H-1B and L Fraud Prevention and Detection Account for the deposit of such fees. Renders ineligible for L visa status those aliens who will serve in a capacity involving specialized knowledge at the worksite of an employer other than the petitioning employer or its affiliate if: (1) the alien will be controlled principally by the unaffiliated employer; or (2) the placement with the unaffiliated employer is part of an arrangement merely to provide labor rather than to use the alien's specialized knowledge. Eliminates the current reduction in the continuous employment requirement for aliens seeking L visa status pursuant to an employer's blanket petition. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to maintain statistics regarding L visa petitions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John R. Carter (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr4166.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4166 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108