Senate Legislation
Overview
This page features priority legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate that advances issues of importance to the Iranian American community. From expanding family visitation rights to standing for human rights and equitable access to healthcare, these bipartisan initiatives reflect our community’s values and civic priorities. Explore each bill below to learn more and see how PAAIA is working to move them forward.
Senate Legislation
S.1635 – Temporary Family Visitation Act
Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) is PAAIA’s signature legislation. As many Iranian Americans can painfully attest, the current process for bringing relatives to the U.S. for a temporary visit is challenging and deeply flawed. Issues stem from the fact that there is no visa category specifically designed to temporarily reunite U.S. citizens and permanent residents with their relatives.
Currently, travelers who want to visit family in the U.S. must apply through a B-2 tourist visa. The problem with this is that consular officers presume many of these B-2 visitors intend to immigrate rather than simply visit, resulting in a high rate of unnecessary denials and pushed many to apply for immigrant visas as the only path to visit relatives in the U.S.
TFVA would establish a new nonimmigrant visa category allowing U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to petition for their family members to visit them temporarily through enforceable measures. Family members that can visit under this new B-3 visa include spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews.
Primary Sponsors: Sens. Rand Paul (R–KY) & Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
S.1891 – NO BAN Act
The NO BAN Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make it difficult for presidential administrations to enact policies like the Travel Ban, and to prevent religious-based discrimination of anyone seeking entry into the United States.
The legislation would also require that Congress, through its appropriate committees, be routinely notified and briefed on the status, implementation and authority of the executive branch’s actions pertaining to immigration and travel bans issued on the basis of national security and human rights.
Status: Passed in the House of Representatives, pending vote in Senate Judiciary Committee.
Primary Sponsor: Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
Co-Sponsors: 42
S.1810 – Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act is a legislation which reauthorizes and strengthens the Conrad 30 federal visa waiver program for foreign doctors, including Iranian students, who have studied medicine in the United States. Since 1994, Conrad 30 has helped rural and other medically unserved communities across the United States obtain access to high-quality, U.S.-educated Iranian and other foreign physicians. Many Iranian Americans come to the United States as medical students, and some have benefited from programs such as Conrad 30.
Under current immigration law, the J-1 visa requires foreign medical students to return to their home country for two years before returning to the United States. Conrad 30 waives this requirement in exchange for at least three years of medical service in an underserved area. The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act reauthorizes the program and makes it even stronger, allowing more medical students to take advantage of it, including Iranian doctors, at a time when there is a critical need for more doctors as we continue to combat COVID-19.
Primary Sponsors: Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Co-Sponsors: 23
S.Con.Res.47 – Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Iranian People
The Concurrent Resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran who have been out in the streets peacefully demonstrating after the death of Mahsa Amini. The resolution reaffirms U.S. support for internet freedom programs and encourages the Biden Administration to prioritize efforts to expand unrestricted internet access in Iran, including to encourage private sector companies such as SpaceX, Google, Apple, and others to make their services available and help ensure the Iranian people have the tools needed to circumvent government surveillance and repression.
The resolution also calls on the international community to speak out against the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses and impose additional human rights sanctions on officials and entities responsible for the repression of protestors.
Primary Sponsors: Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) & Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Co-Sponsors: 10
S.Res.803 – Resolution Condemning Mahsa Amini’s Death & Calling on the Iranian Government to Stop Persecuting Women
The Bipartisan Congressional Resolution condemns the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman whose killing last week by Iran’s “morality police” and calls on the government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women. The resolution also celebrates the bravery of the Iranian people protesting Amini’s death despite a violent crackdown by the Iranian government.
The resolution sends a message that the United States stands behind the rights of women and peaceful protesters in Iran and reaffirms that the United States’ commitment to human rights, women’s rights, and democratic freedoms is core to our values and foreign policy.
Primary Sponsors: Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) & James Lankford (R-OK)
Co-Sponsors: 40
Bipartisan & Bicameral Letter on Internet Freedom in Iran (GL D-2)
A bipartisan congressional letter urging tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Apple to help the Iranian people access the tools they need to circumvent government censorship by following updated sanctions guidelines.
Primary Signers: Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), & Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Co-Signers: 1