On December 11, 2015, the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 16, 2015 averting a government shutdown and providing time to reach an agreement on the massive Omnibus bill before Congress recesses for the Christmas holiday. Among the provisions to be considered in the Omnibus bill are statutory changes to the Visa Waiver program which passed the House in HR 156, and several proposed changes to the EB-5 program.
HR 156 bars visa waiver country citizens from using the vis waiver program if they have traveled to Iraq or Syria within the last 5 years.
In the EB-5 area, there are 5 different, proposed legislative changes to the program which address many components of the EB-5 program, including increases in the minimum investment amount, making the program permanent, changing job creation methodology, changing TEA designations and definitions, and addressing means to reduce and identify fraud in Regional Centers and regional center projects.
Stay tuned for an update for news about Congressional decisions on these issues.
