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HR 7961
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H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act

To exempt H-1B health care workers from the restriction under the Presidential Proclamation entitled ``Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers'', and for other purposes.

Introduced Mar 17, 2026

Latest action (Mar 17, 2026) Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Referred to
Judiciary Committee
Policy area
Immigration
Issues
HealthcareImmigrationLabor & Wages

Summary

This bill exempts health care workers on H-1B visas from a restriction imposed by a 2025 presidential proclamation that generally requires H-1B visa petitions to include a $100,000 payment to enter the United States. Under this bill, foreign health care professionals on H-1B visas would not be subject to that $100,000 requirement. The bill also specifies that health care workers on H-1B visas may only be charged the standard visa fee set by existing immigration law, not any additional fees. The exemption applies to any H-1B worker employed or with a job offer in the health care workforce as defined under federal law.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
61 cosponsors

Actions (2)
  1. Mar 17, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
  2. Mar 17, 2026 Introduced in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HR 8335 — PROTECT Act of 2026 · Introduced Apr 16, 2026 · Cong. 119 86%
  • S 5097 — End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 · Introduced Jul 23, 2026 · Cong. 119 77%
  • HR 6937 — End H-1B Now Act · Introduced Jan 2, 2026 · Cong. 119 76%
  • HR 9157 — American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act of 2026 · Introduced Jun 4, 2026 · Cong. 119 76%
  • HR 5985 — Expanding Health Care Providers for Veterans Act · Introduced Nov 7, 2025 · Cong. 119 75%
  • HR 8443 — End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 · Introduced Apr 22, 2026 · Cong. 119 75%

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 17, 2026

Mr. Lawler (for himself, Mr. Bishop, Ms. Salazar, and Ms. Clarke of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To exempt H-1B health care workers from the restriction under the Presidential Proclamation entitled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act”.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FROM ADDITIONAL FEE FOR H-1B HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

(a) In General.—The restriction imposed, pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation entitled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” (September 19, 2025), on entry into the United States of aliens as nonimmigrants under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)), except for aliens whose petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000, shall not apply with respect to any such alien who is employed (or has received an offer of employment) in the health care workforce (as such term is defined in section 5101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 294q)).

(b) Prohibition on Additional Fees.—No fee may be imposed on an alien described in subsection (a) that exceeds the fee set forth in section 214(c)(9)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)(9)(B)). <all>

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