To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes in the employer sanctions programs.

For Further Action See S.1198.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 5, 1997

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to nonimmigrant and special immigrant religious worker categories. Extends the visa waiver pilot program. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend specified employer sanctions program paperwork deadlines.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · R–TX

Committees

Judiciary Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Sep 8, 1997
For Further Action See S.1198.
Sep 8, 1997
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Sep 8, 1997
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Sep 8, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims.
Sep 5, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Sep 5, 1997
Introduced in House
Sep 5, 1997
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Sep 5, 1997 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 1198 · Religious Workers Act of 1997

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.2412 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2412, 105th Congress: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes in the employer sanctions programs.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2412

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1997-09-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr2412/BILLS-105hr2412ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:23:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.2412 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.2412 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2412, 105th Congress: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes in the employer sanctions programs.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2412

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1997-09-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr2412/BILLS-105hr2412ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:23:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2412 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.2412 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2412, 105th Congress: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes in the employer sanctions programs.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2412

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1997-09-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr2412/BILLS-105hr2412ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:23:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2412 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.2412 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2412, 105th Congress: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the religious worker visa programs and to extend the visa waiver pilot program, and to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to modify the effective date for certain paperwork changes in the employer sanctions programs.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2412

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1997-09-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/hr2412/BILLS-105hr2412ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:23:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2412 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.