- Record: Senate Floor
- Section type: Amendments
- Chamber: Senate
- Date: May 21, 2026
- Congress: 119th Congress
- Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.
SA 5446. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . REIMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON OIL CRUDE OIL AND
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION
ORIGIN.
(a) Revocation.—Upon the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately revoke General
License 134C of the Office of Foreign Assets Control,
entitled “Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and
Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on
Vessels as of April 17, 2026”, and dated May 18, 2026.
(b) Prohibition on Issuance of Further Licenses.—On and
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
the Treasury may not issue any further general license
authorizing the sale or transportation of crude oil or
petroleum products of Russian Federation origin prohibited by
the authorities listed on General License 134C.
SA 5447. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE —AVIATION WORKER HEALTH CARE AND WAGE PROTECTION ACT OF
2026
SEC. _01. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the “Aviation Worker Health
Care and Wage Protection Act of 2026”.
SEC. _02. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds that—
(1) sudden airline closures can result in immediate mass
layoffs of aviation workers;
(2) interruptions in employer-sponsored health insurance
place workers and families at substantial financial and
medical risk;
(3) State unemployment insurance benefits often replace
only a portion of lost wages;
(4) aviation workers provide critical transportation and
national economic functions; and
(5) temporary Federal assistance is warranted to stabilize
affected workers and communities following a qualifying
airline shutdown.
(b) Purpose.—The purpose of this Act is to provide
supplemental unemployment compensation for aviation workers
displaced due to a qualifying airline closure occurring in
SEC. _03. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Covered airline employer.—The term “covered airline
employer” means—
(A) an air carrier certificated under part 121 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); or
(B) any contractor performing ground handling, catering,
maintenance, customer service, or other airport-related
services for such an air carrier .
(2) Eligible aviation worker.—The term “eligible aviation
worker” means an individual who—
(A) was employed by a covered airline employer on or after
January 1, 2026;
(B) lost employment due to a qualifying airline closure;
and
(C) is eligible for unemployment compensation under Federal
or State law.
(3) Qualifying airline closure.—The term “qualifying
airline closure” means—
(A) a cessation of substantially all operations by a
covered airline employer occurring during calendar year 2026;
or
(B) reduction in force resulting in the layoff of not fewer
than 500 employees within any 30-day period due to
insolvency, bankruptcy, or operational shutdown.
Subtitle A—Federal Aviation Unemployment Compensation
SEC. _11. INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR
CERTAIN AVIATION WORKERS.
(a) Federal-State Agreements.—Any State which desires to
do so may enter into and participate in an agreement under
this section with the Secretary of Labor (in this section
referred to as the “Secretary”). Any State which is a party
to an agreement under this section may, upon providing 30
days' written notice to the Secretary, terminate such
agreement.
(b) Provisions of Agreement.—
(1) Supplemental aviation unemployment compensation.—Any
agreement under this section shall provide that the State
agency of the State will make payments of regular
compensation to eligible aviation workers in amounts and to
the extent that they would be determined if the State law of
the State were applied, with respect to any week for which
the worker is (disregarding this section) otherwise entitled
under the State law to receive regular compensation, as if
such State law had been modified in a manner such that the
amount of regular compensation (including dependents'
allowances) payable for any week shall be equal to—
(A) the amount determined under the State law (before the
application of this paragraph), plus
(B) an additional amount of $600 equal to the amount
specified in paragraph (3) (in this section referred to as
“Supplemental Aviation Unemployment Compensation”).
(2) Allowable methods of payment.—Any Supplemental
Aviation Unemployment Compensation provided for in accordance
with paragraph (1) shall be payable either—
(A) as an amount which is paid at the same time and in the
same manner as any regular compensation otherwise payable for
the week involved; or
(B) at the option of the State, by payments which are made
separately from, but on the same weekly basis as, any regular
compensation otherwise payable.
(c) Nonreduction Rule.—
(1) In general.—An agreement under this section shall not
apply (or shall cease to apply) with respect to a State upon
a determination by the Secretary that the method governing
the computation of regular compensation under the State law
of that State has been modified in a manner such that the
number of weeks (the maximum benefit entitlement), or the
average weekly benefit amount, of regular compensation which
will be payable during the period of the agreement
(determined disregarding any Supplemental Aviation
Unemployment Compensation) will be less than the number of
weeks, or the average weekly benefit amount, of the average
weekly benefit amount of regular compensation which would
otherwise have been payable during such period under the
State law, as in effect on January 1, 2026.
(2) Maximum benefit entitlement.—In paragraph (1), the
term “maximum benefit entitlement” means the amount of
regular unemployment compensation payable to an eligible
aviation worker with respect to the worker's benefit year.
(d) Payments to States.—
(1) In general.—
(A) Full reimbursement.—There shall be paid to each State
which has entered into an agreement under this section an
amount equal to 100 percent of—
(i) the total amount of Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation paid to eligible aviation workers by the State
pursuant to such agreement; and
(ii) any additional administrative expenses incurred by the
State by reason of such agreement (as determined by the
Secretary).
(B) Terms of payments.—Sums payable to any State by reason
of such State's having an agreement under this section shall
be payable, either in advance or by way of reimbursement (as
determined by the Secretary), in such amounts as the
Secretary estimates the State will be entitled to receive
under this section for each calendar month, reduced or
increased, as the case may be, by any amount by which the
Secretary finds that his estimates for any prior calendar
month were greater or less than the amounts which should have
been paid to the State. Such estimates may be made on the
basis of such statistical, sampling, or other method as may
be agreed upon by the Secretary and the State agency of the
State involved.
(2) Certifications.—The Secretary shall from time to time
certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment to each
State the sums payable to such State under this section.
(3) Appropriation.—There are appropriated from the general
fund of the Treasury, without fiscal year limitation, such
sums as may be necessary for purposes of this subsection.
(e) Applicability.—An agreement entered into under this
section shall apply to weeks of unemployment—
(1) beginning after the date on which such agreement is
entered into; and
(2) ending on or before September 30, 2027.
(f) Fraud and Overpayments.—
(1) In general.—If an individual knowingly has made, or
caused to be made by another, a false statement or
representation of a material fact, or knowingly has failed,
or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact, and
as a result of such false statement or representation or of
such nondisclosure such individual has received an amount of
Supplemental Aviation Unemployment Compensation to which such
individual was not entitled, such individual—
(A) shall be ineligible for further Supplemental Aviation
Unemployment Compensation in accordance with the provisions
of the applicable State unemployment compensation law
relating to fraud in connection with a claim for unemployment
compensation; and
(B) shall be subject to prosecution under section 1001 of
title 18, United States Code.
(2) Repayment.—In the case of individuals who have
received amounts of Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation to which they were not entitled, the State shall
require such individuals to repay the amounts of such
Supplemental Aviation Unemployment Compensation to the State
agency, except that the State agency may waive such repayment
if it determines that—
(A) the payment of such Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation was without fault on the part of any such
individual; and
(B) such repayment would be contrary to equity and good
conscience.
(3) Recovery by state agency.—
(A) In general.—The State agency shall recover the amount
to be repaid, or any part thereof, by deductions from any
Supplemental Aviation Unemployment Compensation payable to
such individual or from any unemployment compensation payable
to such individual under any State or Federal unemployment
compensation law administered by the State agency or under
any other State or Federal law administered by the State
agency which provides for the payment of any assistance or
allowance with respect to any week of unemployment, during
the 3-year period after the date such individuals received
the payment of the Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation to which they were not entitled, in accordance
with the same procedures as apply to the recovery of
overpayments of regular unemployment benefits paid by the
State.
(B) Opportunity for hearing.—No repayment shall be
required, and no deduction shall be made, until a
determination has been made, notice thereof and an
opportunity for a fair hearing has been given to the
individual, and the determination has become final.
(4) Review.—Any determination by a State agency under this
section shall be subject to review in the same manner and to
the same extent as determinations under the State
unemployment compensation law, and only in that manner and to
that extent.
(g) Application to Other Unemployment Benefits.—Each
agreement under this section shall include provisions to
provide that the purposes of the preceding provisions of this
section shall be applied with respect to unemployment
benefits described in subsection (i)(2) to the same extent
and in the same manner as if those benefits were regular
compensation.
(h) Disregard of Additional Compensation for Purposes of
Medicaid and CHIP.—The monthly equivalent of any
Supplemental Aviation Unemployment Compensation paid to an
eligible aviation worker under this section shall be
disregarded when determining income for any purpose under the
programs established under titles XIX and title XXI of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.)
.
(i) Definitions.—For purposes of this section—
(1) the terms “compensation”, “regular compensation”,
“benefit year”, “State”, “State agency”, “State law”,
and “week” have the respective meanings given such terms
under section 205 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment
Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note); and
(2) any reference to unemployment benefits described in
this paragraph shall be considered to refer to—
(A) extended compensation (as defined by section 205 of the
Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of
1970);
(B) regular compensation (as defined by section 85(b) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) provided under any program
administered by a State under an agreement with the
Secretary;
(C) unemployment compensation under section 202; and
(D) short-time compensation under a short-time compensation
program (as defined in section 3306(v) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986).
SEC. _12. EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR CERTAIN
AVIATION WORKERS PARTICIPATING IN APPROVED
TRAINING PROGRAMS.
(a) Federal-State Agreements.—
(1) In general.—Any State which desires to do so may enter
into and participate in an agreement under this section with
the Secretary of Labor (in this section referred to as the
“Secretary”). Any State which is a party to an agreement
under this section may, upon providing 30 days' written
notice to the Secretary, terminate such agreement.
(2) Provisions of agreement.—Any agreement under paragraph
(1) shall provide that the State agency of the State will
make payments of extended aviation unemployment
compensation to eligible aviation workers who—
(A) have exhausted all rights to regular compensation under
the State law or under Federal law with respect to a benefit
year (excluding any benefit year that ended before July1,
2019);
(B) have no rights to regular compensation with respect to
a week under such law or any other State unemployment
compensation law or to compensation under any other Federal
law;
(C) are not receiving compensation with respect to such
week under the unemployment compensation law of Canada; and
(D) are enrolled and participating in an approved training
program (as defined in subsection (f)).
(3) Exhaustion of benefits.—For purposes of paragraph
(2)(A), an individual shall be deemed to have exhausted such
individual's rights to regular compensation under a State law
when—
(A) no payments of regular compensation can be made under
such law because such individual has received all regular
compensation available to such individual based on employment
or wages during such individual's base period; or
(B) such individual's rights to such compensation have been
terminated by reason of the expiration of the benefit year
with respect to which such rights existed.
(4) Weekly benefit amount, etc.—For purposes of any
agreement under this section—
(A) the amount of extended aviation unemployment
compensation which shall be payable to any eligible aviation
worker for any week of total unemployment shall be equal to—
(i) the amount of the regular compensation (including
dependents' allowances) payable to such worker during such
worker's benefit year under the State law for a week of total
unemployment;
(ii) the amount of Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation under section 201(b)(1)(B); and
(B) the terms and conditions of the State law which apply
to claims for regular compensation and to the payment thereof
(other than the terms and conditions relating to availability
for work, active search for work, and refusal to accept work)
shall apply to claims for extended aviation unemployment
compensation and the payment thereof, except where otherwise
inconsistent with the provisions of this section or with the
regulations or operating instructions of the Secretary
promulgated to carry out this section;
(C) the maximum amount of extended aviation unemployment
compensation payable to any eligible aviation worker for whom
an extended aviation unemployment compensation account is
established under subsection (b) shall not exceed the amount
established in such account for such worker; and
(D) the allowable methods of payment under section
201(b)(2) shall apply to payments of amounts described in
subparagraph (A)(ii).
(5) Coordination rules.—
(A) In general.—Subject to subparagraph (B), an agreement
under this section shall apply with respect to a State only
upon a determination by the Secretary that, under the State
law or other applicable rules of such State, the payment of
extended compensation for which an eligible aviation worker
is otherwise eligible must be deferred until after the
payment of any extended aviation unemployment compensation
under subsection (b) for which the worker is concurrently
eligible.
(B) Special rule.—In the case of an eligible aviation
worker who is receiving extended compensation under the State
law for the week that includes the date of enactment of this
subparagraph, such worker shall not be eligible to receive
extended aviation unemployment compensation by reason of such
amendments until such worker has exhausted all rights to such
extended benefits.
(6) Nonreduction rule.—
(A) In general.—An agreement under this section shall not
apply (or shall cease to apply) with respect to a State upon
a determination by the Secretary that the method governing
the computation of regular compensation under the State law
of that State has been modified in a manner such that the
number of weeks (the maximum benefit entitlement), or the
average weekly benefit amount, of regular compensation which
will be payable during the period of the agreement will be
less than the number of weeks, or the average weekly benefit
amount, of the average weekly benefit amount of regular
compensation which would otherwise have been payable during
such period under the State law, as in effect on January 1,
(B) Maximum benefit entitlement.—In subparagraph (A), the
term “maximum benefit entitlement” means the amount of
regular unemployment compensation payable to an eligible
aviation worker with respect to the worker's benefit year.
(7) Special rule for extended compensation.—At the option
of a State, for any weeks of unemployment beginning after the
date of the enactment of this paragraph and before September
30, 2027, an eligible aviation worker's eligibility period
(as described in section 203(c) of the Federal-State Extended
Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note))
shall, for purposes of any determination of eligibility for
extended compensation under the State law of such State, be
considered to include any week which begins—
(A) after the date as of which such worker exhausts all
rights to extended aviation unemployment compensation; and
(B) during an extended benefit period that began on or
before the date described in subparagraph (A).
(b) Extended Aviation Unemployment Compensation Account.—
(1) In general.—Any agreement under this section shall
provide that the State will establish, for each eligible
aviation worker who files an application for extended
aviation unemployment compensation, an extended aviation
unemployment compensation account with respect to such
worker's benefit year.
(2) Amount in account.—The amount established in an
account under subsection (a) shall be equal to 26 times the
eligible aviation worker's average weekly benefit amount,
which includes the amount of Supplemental Aviation
Unemployment Compensation under section 201, for the benefit
year.
(3) Weekly benefit amount.—For purposes of this
subsection, an eligible aviation worker's weekly benefit
amount for any week is the amount of regular compensation
(including dependents' allowances) under the State law
payable to such worker for such week for total unemployment
plus the amount of Supplemental Aviation Unemployment
Compensation under section 201.
(4) Coordination of extended aviation unemployment
compensation with regular compensation.—
(A) In general.—If—
(i) an eligible aviation worker has been determined to be
entitled to extended aviation unemployment compensation with
respect to a benefit year;
(ii) that benefit year has expired;
(iii) that worker has remaining entitlement to extended
aviation unemployment compensation with respect to that
benefit year; and
(iv) that worker would qualify for a new benefit year in
which the weekly benefit amount of regular compensation is at
least $25 less than the worker's weekly benefit amount in the
benefit year referred to in clause (i),
then the State shall determine eligibility for compensation
as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) Determination of eligibility.—For eligible aviation
workers described in subparagraph (A), the State shall
determine whether the worker is to be paid extended aviation
unemployment compensation or regular compensation for a week
of unemployment using one of the following methods:
(i) The State shall, if permitted by State law, establish a
new benefit year, but defer the payment of regular
compensation with respect to that new benefit year until
exhaustion of all extended aviation unemployment compensation
payable with respect to the benefit year referred to in
subparagraph (A)(i).
(ii) The State shall, if permitted by State law, defer the
establishment of a new benefit year (which uses all the wages
and employment which would have been used to establish a
benefit year but for the application of this subparagraph),
until exhaustion of all extended aviation unemployment
compensation payable with respect to the benefit year
referred to in subparagraph (A)(i).
(iii) The State shall pay, if permitted by State law—
(I) regular compensation equal to the weekly benefit amount
established under the new benefit year; and
(II) extended aviation unemployment compensation equal to
the difference between that weekly benefit amount and the
weekly benefit amount for the expired benefit year.
(iv) The State shall determine rights to extended aviation
unemployment compensation without regard to any rights to
regular compensation if the worker elects to not file a claim
for regular compensation under the new benefit year.
(c) Payments to States Having Agreements for the Payment of
Extended Aviation Unemployment Compensation.—
(1) In general.—There shall be paid to each State that has
entered into an agreement under this section an amount equal
to 100 percent of the extended aviation unemployment
compensation paid to eligible aviation worker by the State
pursuant to such agreement.
(2) Treatment of reimbursable compensation.—No payment
shall be made to any State under this section in respect of
any compensation to the extent the State is entitled to
reimbursement in respect of such compensation under the
provisions of any Federal law other than this section or
chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code. A State shall not
be entitled to any reimbursement under such chapter 85 in
respect of any compensation to the extent the State is
entitled to reimbursement under this section in respect of
such compensation.
(3) Determination of amount.—Sums payable to any State by
reason of such State having an agreement under this section
shall be payable, either in advance or by way of
reimbursement (as may be determined by the Secretary), in
such amounts as the Secretary estimates the State will be
entitled to receive under this section for each calendar
month, reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any
amount by which the Secretary finds that the Secretary's
estimates for any prior calendar month were greater or less
than the amounts which should have been paid to the State.
Such estimates may be made on the basis of such statistical,
sampling, or other method as may be agreed
upon by the Secretary and the State agency of the State
involved.
(d) Financing Provisions.—
(1) Compensation.—
(A) In general.—Funds in the extended unemployment
compensation account (as established by section 905(a) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1105(a)) of the Unemployment
Trust Fund (as established by section 904(a) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 1104(a)) shall be used for the making of payments to
States having agreements entered into under this section.
(B) Transfer of funds.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer from the
general fund of the Treasury (from funds not otherwise
appropriated) to the extended unemployment compensation
account such sums as the Secretary of Labor estimates to be
necessary to make payments described in subparagraph (A).
There are appropriated from the general fund of the Treasury,
without fiscal year limitation, the sums referred to in the
preceding sentence and such sums shall not be required to be
repaid.
(2) Administration.—
(A) In general.—There are appropriated out of the
employment security administration account (as established by
section 901(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1101(a))
of the Unemployment Trust Fund, without fiscal year
limitation, such funds as may be necessary for purposes of
assisting States (as provided in title III of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 501 et seq.)) in meeting the costs of
administration of agreements under this section.
(B) Transfer of funds.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer from the
general fund of the Treasury (from funds not otherwise
appropriated) to the employment security administration
account such sums as the Secretary of Labor estimates to be
necessary to make payments described in subparagraph (A).
There are appropriated from the general fund of the Treasury,
without fiscal year limitation, the sums referred to in the
preceding sentence and such sums shall not be required to be
repaid.
(3) Certification.—The Secretary shall from time to time
certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment to each
State the sums payable to such State under this subsection.
The Secretary of the Treasury, prior to audit or settlement
by the Government Accountability Office, shall make payments
to the State in accordance with such certification, by
transfers from the extended unemployment compensation account
(as so established) to the account of such State in the
Unemployment Trust Fund (as so established).
(e) Fraud and Overpayments.—
(1) In general.—If an individual knowingly has made, or
caused to be made by another, a false statement or
representation of a material fact, or knowingly has failed,
or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact, and
as a result of such false statement or representation or of
such nondisclosure such individual has received an amount of
extended aviation unemployment compensation under this
section to which such individual was not entitled, such
individual—
(A) shall be ineligible for further extended aviation
unemployment compensation under this section in accordance
with the provisions of the applicable State unemployment
compensation law relating to fraud in connection with a claim
for unemployment compensation; and
(B) shall be subject to prosecution under section 1001 of
title 18, United States Code.
(2) Repayment.—In the case of individuals who have
received amounts of extended aviation unemployment
compensation under this section to which they were not
entitled, the State shall require such individuals to repay
the amounts of such extended aviation unemployment
compensation to the State agency, except that the State
agency may waive such repayment if it determines that—
(A) the payment of such extended aviation unemployment
compensation was without fault on the part of any such
individual; and
(B) such repayment would be contrary to equity and good
conscience.
(3) Recovery by state agency.—
(A) In general.—The State agency shall recover the amount
to be repaid, or any part thereof, by deductions from any
extended aviation unemployment compensation payable to such
individual under this section or from any unemployment
compensation payable to such individual under any State or
Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the
State agency or under any other State or Federal law
administered by the State agency which provides for the
payment of any assistance or allowance with respect to any
week of unemployment, during the 3-year period after the date
such individuals received the payment of the extended
aviation unemployment compensation to which they were not
entitled, in accordance with the same procedures as apply to
the recovery of overpayments of regular unemployment benefits
paid by the State.
(B) Opportunity for hearing.—No repayment shall be
required, and no deduction shall be made, until a
determination has been made, notice thereof and an
opportunity for a fair hearing has been given to the
individual, and the determination has become final.
(4) Review.—Any determination by a State agency under this
section shall be subject to review in the same manner and to
the same extent as determinations under the State
unemployment compensation law, and only in that manner and to
that extent.
(f) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Approved training program.—The term “approved
training program”means a training program approved by a
State agency, including—
(A) an apprenticeship registered under the Act of August
16, 1937 (commonly known as the “National Apprenticeship
Act”; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.),
including such an apprenticeship with respect to a
manufacturing, skilled trade, or energy workforce program;
(B) an aviation maintenance and safety certification
program;
(C) a commercial driver's license training program; or
(D) a community college credential program.
(2) Federal-state extended unemployment compensation act
definitions.—In this section, the terms “compensation”,
“regular compensation”, “extended compensation”,
“benefit year”, “base period”, “State”, “State
agency”, “State law”, and “week” have the respective
meanings given such terms under section 205 of the Federal-
State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26
U.S.C. 3304 note).
(g) Applicability.—An agreement entered into under this
section shall apply to weeks of unemployment—
(1) beginning after the date on which such agreement is
entered into; and
(2) ending on or before September 30, 2028.
Subtitle B—Administration and Oversight
SEC. _21. GUIDANCE.
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Labor shall issue guidance necessary to
implement this title.
SEC. _22. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES.
The Secretary of Labor shall coordinate with State
workforce agencies to establish procedures for—
(1) verification of employment separation:
(2) prevention of duplicate payments; and
(3) recovery of fraudulent overpayments.
SEC. _23. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this title.
SA 5448. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . EXEMPTION OF ALIENS WORKING AS FISH PROCESSORS FROM
THE NUMERICAL LIMITATION ON H-2B NONIMMIGRANT
VISAS.
(a) Short Title.—This section may be cited as the “Save
Our Seafood Act”.
(b) In General.—Section 214(g)(10) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(10)) is amended—
(1) by striking “The numerical limitations of paragraph
(1)(B)” and inserting “(A) The numerical limitation under
paragraph (1)(B)”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(B)(i) The numerical limitation under paragraph (1)(B)
shall not apply to any nonimmigrant alien issued a visa or
otherwise provided status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b)
who is employed (or has received an offer of employment)—
“(I) as a fish roe processor, a fish roe technician, or a
supervisor of fish roe processing; or
“(II) as a fish processor.
“(ii) As used in clause (i)—
“(I) the term `fish' means fresh or saltwater finfish,
mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of aquatic animal
life, including the roe of such animals, other than marine
mammals and birds; and
“(II) the term `processor'—
“(aa) means any person engaged in the processing of fish,
including handling, storing, preparing, heading,
eviscerating, shucking, freezing, changing into different
market forms, manufacturing, preserving, packing, labeling,
dockside unloading, holding, and all other processing
activities; and
“(bb) does not include any person engaged in—
“(AA) harvesting or transporting fish or fishery products
without otherwise engaging in processing;
“(BB) practices such as heading, eviscerating, or freezing
intended solely to prepare a fish for holding on board a
harvest vessel; or
“(CC) operating a retail establishment.”.
(c) Repeal.—Section 14006 of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108-287) is repealed.
SA 5449. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . EXCEPTION TO NON-PROCESSING RELATED FEE FOR H-1B
NONIMMIGRANTS WHO WILL BE PUBLIC SCHOOL
EMPLOYEES.
In addition to the exceptions set forth in section 1(c) of
the Presidential Proclamation
10973 (90 Fed. Reg. 46027; relating to restriction on entry
of certain nonimmigrant workers), which was issued on
September 19, 2025, petitions filed on behalf of aliens
entering the United States as nonimmigrants to perform
services in a specialty occupation described in section
101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)) and who will be working for a
public school or a public school district in the United
States shall not be required to be accompanied or
supplemented by the payment of $100,000 otherwise required
under section 1(a) of such Proclamation.
SA 5450. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . FEE EXEMPTION FOR NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS OF
CERTAIN NATIONALS FROM OUTLYING POSSESSIONS.
Section 325 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1436) is amended—
(1) by striking the period at the end and inserting “;
and”;
(2) by striking “except that in applications” and
inserting “except that—
“(1) in an application”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(2) no fee shall be charged or collected from the
applicant for the filing of such an application or for the
issuance of a certificate of naturalization upon being
granted United States citizenship.”.