HJRES22-119

In Committee

Disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers".

119th Congress Introduced Jan 16, 2025

Summary

What This Bill Does

H.J.Res.22 is a Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution. It targets the Department of Homeland Security rule relating to Modernizing H-1B Requirements and F-1 program flexibility and provides that the rule shall have no force or effect. The targeted rule modernizes H-1B requirements, adds F-1 flexibility, and changes other nonimmigrant worker program rules. The practical result is not a new replacement rule; it is a congressional veto of the agency action, which can also restrict the agency from issuing a substantially similar rule without new statutory authority.

Who Benefits and How

Employers opposing H-1B compliance changes benefit because disapproval would remove or prevent the regulatory obligations created by the rule. Members of Congress opposing the rule benefit because the CRA provides a direct vehicle to nullify the agency action. Regulated parties benefit from clearer congressional opposition to the rule and less near-term implementation risk. Immigration restriction advocates benefit if disapproval blocks program flexibility they view as expanding nonimmigrant labor access.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Department of Homeland Security rulemaking staff must respond to congressional disapproval and may be constrained from issuing a substantially similar rule. H-1B specialty occupation workers bear the burden if protections, standards, or program changes in the rule are blocked. Congressional oversight committees must handle the policy consequences of removing the rule without passing a replacement. International students may lose F-1 transition flexibility included in the modernization rule.

Key Provisions

  • Provides congressional disapproval of the Department of Homeland Security rule relating to Modernizing H-1B Requirements and F-1 program flexibility.
  • Blocks the rule by declaring that it shall have no force or effect.
  • Uses the Congressional Review Act rather than ordinary notice-and-comment rulemaking.
  • Restricts the agency's ability to issue a substantially similar rule unless Congress authorizes it.

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

Uses the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the Department of Homeland Security rule relating to Modernizing H-1B Requirements and F-1 program flexibility, causing that rule to have no force or effect.

Key Policy Areas

Administrative Law, Congressional Review Act

Primary Purpose

Uses the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the Department of Homeland Security rule relating to Modernizing H-1B Requirements and F-1 program flexibility, causing that rule to have no force or effect.

Policy Domains

Administrative Law Congressional Review Act

Resolution provisions

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Employers opposing H-1B compliance changes
  • Members of Congress opposing the rule
  • Regulated parties
  • Congressional oversight committees
Model: codex-gpt-5 | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: ih

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Department of Homeland Security rulemaking staff
  • H-1B specialty occupation workers
  • Congressional oversight committees
  • Program administrators
Model: codex-gpt-5 | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: ih

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Legislative Progress

In Committee
Introduced Committee Passed
Jan 16, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced in House

Stakeholder Effects

cui bono?

How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.

Small Business
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

Employers opposing H-1B compliance changes

Immigration
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

Immigration restriction advocates

Labor
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

H-1B specialty occupation workers

Education
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

International students

1/1
sections analyzed
Full impact breakdown

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
Administrative Law Congressional Review Act

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology