H.R. 6039: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a master's or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence.

H.R. 6039: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a master's or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-05-13 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-05-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] · 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, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. 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

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a master's or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence.

Plain summary

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include among those aliens not subject to worldwide numerical immigrant limitations persons who have earned a master's or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher education in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics and who have an employment offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to such degree.

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

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a master's or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence.

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. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] · 34 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John R. Carter (R-TX), Adam Smith (D-WA), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] reported raising $2.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (1)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

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-110hr6039.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hr>

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6039 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110