H.R. 8089: Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-08-22 · Immigration · Latest: Received in the Senate.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-08-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. 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

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

Plain summary

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act This bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to provide premium processing services for certain immigration-related applications and contains other related provisions. DHS may collect a fee to provide premium processing of an application for any immigration benefit that DHS considers appropriate, subject to certain requirements. Currently, DHS only has statutory authority to provide premium processing for employment-based applications. Under current law, DHS must use such premium fees to provide premium processing services and make infrastructure improvements. Under this bill, such fees shall be used for these purposes and other activities that offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS may suspend premium processing of applications only if circumstances prevent the timely processing of a significant number of such applications. DHS shall provide those who have requested premium processing with access to case status information and communications channels to the premium processing units. DHS may expand premium processing to certain immigrant benefits and set fees for such processing without following certain rulemaking procedures if DHS meets certain requirements, such as limiting the premium fee to specified amounts. The bill also increases the premium fees charged to applicants. DHS may, subject to requirements, biennially adjust premium fees to reflect inflation without following certain rulemaking requirements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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-19] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 8089, Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (2020-09-14)

Cosponsors on this site

Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19] 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 (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8089.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8089 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116