H.R. 1354: JOLT Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-03-21 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-03-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Heck, Joseph J. [R-NV-3] · 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 And Border Security. 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

JOLT Act of 2013

Plain summary

Jobs Originated through Launching Travel Act of 2013 or JOLT Act of 2013 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the Secretary of State (Secretary) to establish a pilot fee-based premium processing service to expedite visa interview appointments. Authorizes the Secretary to collect and set fee amounts. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to admit into the United States a qualifying Canadian citizen over 50 years old and spouse for a period not to exceed 240 days if the person maintains a Canadian residence and owns a U.S. residence or has rented a U.S. accommodation for the duration of such stay. Directs the Secretary to require overseas visa processing posts to make public the availability of visa appointments during periods of low demand to encourage visa applicants to apply when interview wait times are lowest. Revises the visa waiver program to: (1) authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate any country as a program country; (2) adjust visa refusal rate criteria, including addition of a 3% maximum overstay rate; and (3) revise probationary and termination provisions. Directs the Secretary to require U.S. diplomatic and consular missions to: (1) conduct nonimmigrant visa application interviews expeditiously, consistent with national security requirements and in recognition of resource allocation considerations; and (2) set a goal of interviewing 90% of all nonimmigrant visa applicants, worldwide, within 10 days of application receipt. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and conduct a pilot program for processing visas using secure remote videoconferencing technology, and (2) seek to coordinate enrollment and interview processes for individuals eligible for both a U.S. visa and enrollment in the Global Entry program.

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

JOLT Act of 2013

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. Heck, Joseph J. [R-NV-3] · 166 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Quigley (D-IL), Mark E. Amodei (R-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), William R. Keating (D-MA), Dina Titus (D-NV), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Adam Smith (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Tom Cole (R-OK), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), James A. Himes (D-CT), Ami Bera (D-CA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) and 106 more.

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 (2)

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.
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-113hr1354.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr1354 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113