Bill Summary
This bill aims to prevent offices of Congress, including joint committees, from hiring interns who are citizens of specific foreign countries that are known to exert negative and harmful influences on the United States. The bill defines a "covered foreign country" as one that falls under the definition in section 119C(e)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947. This legislation would go into effect starting with the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and would apply to all future Congresses. The term "intern" is also defined in the bill as an individual who serves in an office of Congress for a maximum of 120 days within a 12-month period, primarily for educational purposes.
Possible Impacts
1. Restricting employment opportunities for citizens of certain countries: This legislation would potentially limit the job prospects of individuals from countries that are deemed to have "malign foreign influences" in the United States. This could have a significant impact on their ability to gain professional experience and advance their careers.
2. Promoting national security concerns: The intention of this legislation is to protect the United States from potential threats posed by individuals from certain countries. This could affect the perception and treatment of individuals from these countries, leading to discrimination and prejudice.
3. Limiting diversity in government offices: If offices of Congress are prohibited from appointing interns from certain countries, this could contribute to a lack of diversity among the interns working in these offices. This could also have broader implications for diversity and inclusion in government institutions.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8940 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8940
To prohibit offices of Congress from appointing interns who are
citizens of certain countries which exert malign foreign influences in
the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 10, 2020
Mr. Gooden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit offices of Congress from appointing interns who are
citizens of certain countries which exert malign foreign influences in
the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROHIBITING APPOINTMENT OF INTERNS WHO ARE CITIZENS OF
COUNTRIES EXERTING MALIGN FOREIGN INFLUENCES.
(a) Prohibition.--An office of Congress, including an office of a
joint committee of Congress, may not appoint an individual as a paid or
unpaid intern if the individual is a citizen of a covered foreign
country.
(b) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``covered foreign country'' has the meaning
given such term in section 119C(e)(1) of the National Security
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3059(e)(1)); and
(2) the term ``intern'' means, with respect to an office of
Congress, an individual who serves in the office for not more
than 120 days in a 12-month period and whose service is
primarily for the educational experience of the individual.
(c) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to the
One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.
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