s 49 9 57825 1242792000 false 1242792000 7 1085 20359 This legislation would reform the family-based immigration system and speed up the process for family members of legal immigrants to secure visas. Specifically, it would reclassify spouses and children of legal immigrants as immediate relatives, raise the per-country family-sponsored and employment-based immigration limits from 7 percent to 10 percent of total admissions, recapture visas that went unused in previous years due to bureaucratic errors, allow widows and spouses to remain eligible for visas after the death of a sponsoring family member, and more. 111 400272

5/20/2009--Introduced.Reuniting Families Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish the fiscal year worldwide level of employment-based immigrants at 140,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas; and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2007. Establishes the fiscal year worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants at 480,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas; and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2007. Revises the definition of "immediate relative" to: (1) mean a child, spouse, or parent of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (and for each family member of a citizen or resident, such individual's accompanying spouse or child), except that in the case of parents such citizens shall be at least 21 years old; (2) permit a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen or resident to seek permanent resident status if married at least two years at the time of the citizen's or resident's death or, if married less than two years, by showing through a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not solely to obtain an immigration benefit; and (3) include an alien who was the child or parent of a U.S. citizen or resident at the time of the citizen's or resident's death if the alien files a petition within two years after such date or prior to reaching 21 years old. Increases immigration visas for: (1) unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; and (2) brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Provides a 60,000 visa allocation for the unmarried sons and daughters of permanent resident aliens. Increases annual per country (10% of annual total) and dependent area (5% of annual total) limits for employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas. Expands specified family-unity exceptions to unlawful presence-based inadmissibility. Provides specified relief for orphans and spouses regarding: (1) petitions for immediate relative status; (2) parole eligibility; (3) permanent resident status adjustment; and (4) processing of immigrant visas. Exempts children of naturalized Filipino World War II veterans from worldwide or numerical immigrant limitations. Makes a minor child of an alien fiancee/fiance or of an alien spouse of a U.S. citizen eligible for derivative K-visa status provided that the child's age is determined using such child's age at the date that the petition to classify such child's parent as a K-visa alien is filed with the Secretary of Homeland Security. Authorizes the Secretary or the Attorney General to adjust the status of a finacee/fiance or alien spouse and any minor children (K-visa) to conditional permanent resident status if such alien marries the petitioner within three months after U.S. admission. Redefines "child" for purposes of titles I and II of the Act to include a stepchild under 21 years old. (Current law includes a stepchild who has not reached 18 years old at the time the marriage creating the status of stepchild occurred.)

1242792000 2009-05-20 Sat Nov 14 08:28:00 -0600 2009 introduced 57825 'act':3 'famili':2 'reunit':1 76210 false short introduced 57825 'act':3 'famili':2 'reunit':1 73930 true popular introduced 57825 'act':9 'bill':2 'amend':4 'uniti':13 'famili':12 'immigr':6 'nation':8 'promot':11 'purpos':17 73629 false official action 57825 1242792000 Wed May 20 00:00:00 -0500 2009 196204 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. M000639 1954-01-01 5376 528 Hart Senate Office Building http://menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm 202-228-2197 Robert 'd':4 'nj':5 'bob':8 'sen':1 'robert':2,6,9 'menendez':10 'menéndez':3,7 M 400272 Menéndez Robert_Menendez Sen. Robert Menéndez [D, NJ] 2852 Bob N00000699 14041 Democrat 202-224-4744 Roman Catholic NJ Robert Menendez 2.30555555555556 http://menendez.senate.gov/ SenatorMenendezNJ G000555 5221 478 Russell Senate Office Building http://gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/ 202-225-1168 Kirsten 'd':4 'ny':5 'sen':1 'kirsten':2,6,8 'gillibrand':3,7,9 F 412223 Gillibrand Kirsten_Gillibrand E. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY] 3525 N00027658 12682 Democrat 202-224-4451 NY Kirsten Gillibrand 3.18518518518519 http://gillibrand.senate.gov I000025 1924-09-07 5984 722 Hart Senate Office Building http://inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm 202-224-6747 Daniel 'd':4 'hi':5 'sen':1 'inouy':3,7,9 'daniel':2,6,8 M 300056 Inouye Daniel_Inouye K. Sen. Daniel Inouye [D, HI] 2872 N00001762 7920 Democrat 202-224-3934 Methodist HI Daniel Inouye 2.375 http://inouye.senate.gov/ K000105 1932-02-22 12654 317 Russell Senate Office Building http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm 202-224-2417 Edward 'd':4 'ma':5 'sen':1 'ted':8 'edward':2,6,9 'kennedi':3,7,10 M 300059 Kennedy Edward_Kennedy M. Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA] 7031 Ted N00000308 19687 Democrat 202-224-4543 Catholic MA Ted Edward Kennedy 3.52252252252252 http://kennedy.senate.gov/ L000174 1940-03-31 12797 433 Russell Senate Office Building http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm 202-224-3479 Patrick 'd':4 'vt':5 'sen':1 'leahi':3,7,9 'patrick':2,6,8 M 300065 Leahy Patrick_Leahy J. Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT] 6604 N00009918 10138 Democrat 202-224-4242 Roman Catholic VT Patrick Leahy 4.375 http://leahy.senate.gov/ SenatorPatrickLeahy S000148 1950-11-23 15008 313 Hart Senate Office Building http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm 202-228-3027 Charles 'd':4 'ny':5 'sen':1 'charl':2,6,8 'schumer':3,7,9 M 300087 Schumer Charles_Schumer E. Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY] 7782 N00001093 20719 Democrat 202-224-6542 Jewish NY Chuck Charles Schumer 2.2 http://schumer.senate.gov/ senatorschumer action 57825 1242792000 Wed May 20 00:00:00 -0500 2009 196204 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. introduced 57825 1242792000 Wed May 20 00:00:00 -0500 2009 196203