[Pages S2094-S2096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Marshall, and Ms. 
        Smith):
  S. 1230. A bill to amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to 
preserve foreign markets for goods using common names, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

[[Page S2095]]

  


                                S. 1230

       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 ``Safeguarding American Food 
     and Export Trade Yields Act of 2025'' or the ``SAFETY Act of 
     2025''.

     SEC. 2. PRESERVING FOREIGN MARKETS FOR GOODS USING COMMON 
                   NAMES.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act 
     of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``As 
     used in this Act--'' and inserting ``In this Act:'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (8) as 
     paragraphs (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (4), 
     respectively, and reordering accordingly;
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) Common name.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `common name' means a name 
     that--
       ``(i) is ordinarily or customarily used for an agricultural 
     commodity or food product;
       ``(ii) is typically placed on the packaging and product 
     label of the agricultural commodity or food product;
       ``(iii) with respect to wine--

       ``(I) is--

       ``(aa) ordinarily or customarily used for a wine grape 
     varietal name; or
       ``(bb) a traditional term or expression that is typically 
     placed on the packaging and label of the wine; and

       ``(II) does not mean any appellation of origin for wine 
     listed in subpart C of part 9 of title 27, Code of Federal 
     Regulations (or successor regulations); and

       ``(iv) the use of which is consistent with standards of the 
     Codex Alimentarius Commission.
       ``(B) Examples.--The following names shall be considered 
     common names under subparagraph (A):
       ``(i) With respect to food products:

       ``(I) American.
       ``(II) Asiago.
       ``(III) Basmati.
       ``(IV) Black forest ham.
       ``(V) Bologna.
       ``(VI) Bratwurst.
       ``(VII) Chevre.
       ``(VIII) Chorizo.
       ``(IX) Colby.
       ``(X) Feta.
       ``(XI) Fontina.
       ``(XII) Gorgonzola.
       ``(XIII) Grana.
       ``(XIV) Gruyere.
       ``(XV) Kielbasa.
       ``(XVI) Limburger and Limburgo.
       ``(XVII) Mascarpone.
       ``(XVIII) Monterey and Monterey jack.
       ``(XIX) Mortadella.
       ``(XX) Munster and muenster.
       ``(XXI) Neufchatel.
       ``(XXII) Parmesan.
       ``(XXIII) Pecorino.
       ``(XXIV) Pepper Jack.
       ``(XXV) Prosciutto.
       ``(XXVI) Ricotta.
       ``(XXVII) Romano.
       ``(XXVIII) Salami.
       ``(XXIX) Swiss.

       ``(ii) With respect to wine:

       ``(I) The list of grape varietal terms in section 4.91 of 
     title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
     regulation).
       ``(II) The grape variety designations administratively 
     approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
       ``(III) The following nonvarietal descriptors:

       ``(aa) Chateau.
       ``(bb) Classic.
       ``(cc) Clos.
       ``(dd) Cream.
       ``(ee) Crusted and Crusting.
       ``(ff) Noble.
       ``(gg) Ruby.
       ``(hh) Sur lie.
       ``(ii) Tawny.
       ``(jj) Vintage.
       ``(kk) Vintage character.
       ``(iii) With respect to beer:

       ``(I) Bitter.
       ``(II) Pale Ale.
       ``(III) India Pale Ale.
       ``(IV) Mild.
       ``(V) Porter.
       ``(VI) Stout.
       ``(VII) Barleywine.
       ``(VIII) Dubbel.
       ``(IX) Quadrupel.
       ``(X) Witbier.
       ``(XI) Saison.
       ``(XII) Biere de Garde.
       ``(XIII) Oud Red.
       ``(XIV) Altbier.
       ``(XV) Weisse.
       ``(XVI) Gose.
       ``(XVII) Hefeweizen.
       ``(XVIII) Dunkel.
       ``(XIX) Helles.
       ``(XX) Rauchbier.
       ``(XXI) Pilsener.
       ``(XXII) Maerzen.
       ``(XXIII) Schwarzbier.
       ``(XXIV) Doppelbock.
       ``(XXV) Bock.
       ``(XXVI) Kellerbier.
       ``(XXVII) Munchener and Munich style.
       ``(XXVIII) Oktoberfest.
       ``(XXIX) Dortmunder.
       ``(XXX) Kolsch and Koelsch.
       ``(XXXI) Budejovick'e pivo (Budweiser beer).
       ``(XXXII) Cream.
       ``(XXXIII) Grodziskie.
       ``(XXXIV) Jerez and sherry.
       ``(XXXV) Lager.

       ``(C) Considerations.--In making a determination under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary may take into account--
       ``(i) competent sources, such as dictionaries, newspapers, 
     professional journals and literature, and information posted 
     on websites that are determined by the Secretary to be 
     reliable in reporting market information;
       ``(ii) the use of the common name in a domestic, regional, 
     or international product standard, including a standard 
     promulgated by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, for the 
     agricultural commodity or food product; and
       ``(iii) the ordinary and customary use of the common name 
     in the production or marketing of the agricultural commodity 
     or food product in the United States or in other 
     countries.''; and
       (4) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph 
     (A)--
       (A) in clause (v), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; or''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(vii) prohibits or disallows the use of the common name 
     of an agricultural commodity or food product of the United 
     States.''.
       (b) Negotiations to Defend Use of Common Names.--Title III 
     of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5652 et seq.) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 303. NEGOTIATIONS TO DEFEND THE USE OF COMMON NAMES.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall coordinate efforts 
     with the United States Trade Representative to secure the 
     right of United States agricultural producers, processors, 
     and exporters to use common names for agricultural 
     commodities or food products in foreign markets through the 
     negotiation of bilateral, plurilateral, or multilateral 
     agreements, memoranda of understanding, or exchanges of 
     letters that assure the current and future use of each common 
     name in connection with United States agricultural 
     commodities or food products.
       ``(b) Briefing.--The Secretary and the United States Trade 
     Representative shall jointly provide to the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate, the Committee on 
     Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a 
     semi-annual briefing on their efforts and success in carrying 
     out subsection (a).''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Rounds, and Mr. King):
  S. 1233. A bill to provide lawful permanent resident status for 
certain advanced STEM degree holders, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1233

       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 ``Keep STEM Talent Act of 
     2025''.

     SEC. 2. VISA REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Graduate Degree Visa Requirements.--To be approved for 
     or maintain nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(F) 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1101(a)(15)(F)), a student seeking to pursue an advanced 
     degree in a STEM field (as defined in section 
     201(b)(1)(F)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)(F)(ii))) (as amended by section 3(a)) for a 
     degree at the master's level or higher at a United States 
     institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) 
     of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) must 
     apply for admission prior to beginning such advanced degree 
     program.
       (b) Strengthened Vetting Process.--The Secretary of 
     Homeland Security and the Secretary of State shall establish 
     procedures to ensure that aliens described in subsection (a) 
     are admissible pursuant to section 212(a)(3)(A) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(A)). 
     Such procedures shall ensure that such aliens seeking 
     admission from within the United States undergo verification 
     of academic credentials, comprehensive background checks, and 
     interviews in a manner equivalent to that of an alien seeking 
     admission from outside of the United States. To the greatest 
     extent practicable, the Secretary of Homeland Security and 
     the Secretary of State shall also take steps to ensure that 
     such applications for admission are processed in a timely 
     manner to allow the pursuit of graduate education.
       (c) Reporting Requirement.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security and the Secretary of State shall submit an annual 
     report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and 
     the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives detailing the implementation and 
     effectiveness of the requirement for foreign graduate 
     students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields to

[[Page S2096]]

     seek admission prior to pursuing a graduate degree program. 
     The report shall include data on visa application volumes, 
     processing times, security outcomes, and economic impacts.

     SEC. 3. LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR CERTAIN ADVANCED 
                   STEM DEGREE HOLDERS.

       (a) Aliens Not Subject to Direct Numerical Limitations.--
     Section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(F)(i) Aliens who--
       ``(I) have earned a degree in a STEM field at the master's 
     level or higher while physically present in the United States 
     from a United States institution of higher education (as 
     defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) accredited by an accrediting entity 
     recognized by the Department of Education;
       ``(II) have an offer of employment from, or are employed 
     by, a United States employer to perform work that is directly 
     related to such degree at a rate of pay that is higher than 
     the median wage level for the occupational classification in 
     the area of employment, as determined by the Secretary of 
     Labor;
       ``(III) have an approved labor certification under section 
     212(a)(5)(A)(i); or
       ``(IV) are the spouses and children of aliens described in 
     subclauses (I) through (III) who are accompanying or 
     following to join such aliens.
       ``(ii) In this subparagraph, the term `STEM field' means a 
     field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics 
     described in the most recent version of the Classification of 
     Instructional Programs of the Department of Education 
     taxonomy under the summary group of--

       ``(I) computer and information sciences and support 
     services;
       ``(II) engineering;
       ``(III) mathematics and statistics;
       ``(IV) biological and biomedical sciences;
       ``(V) physical sciences;
       ``(VI) agriculture sciences; or
       ``(VII) natural resources and conservation sciences.''.

       (b) Procedure for Granting Immigration Status.--Section 
     204(a)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1154(a)(1)(F)) is amended by striking ``203(b)(2)'' and all 
     that follows through ``Attorney General'' and inserting 
     ``203(b)(2), 203(b)(3), or 201(b)(1)(F) may file a petition 
     with the Secretary of Homeland Security''.
       (c) Labor Certification.--Section 212(a)(5)(D) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)(D)) is 
     amended by inserting ``section 201(b)(1)(F) or under'' after 
     ``adjustment of status under''.
       (d) Dual Intent for F Nonimmigrants Seeking Advanced STEM 
     Degrees at United States Institutions of Higher Education.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 101(a)(15)(F)(i) 
     and 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1101(a)(15)(F)(i) and 1184(b)), an alien who is a bona fide 
     student admitted to a program in a STEM field (as defined in 
     subparagraph (F)(ii) of section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1))) for a degree at 
     the master's level or higher at a United States institution 
     of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) accredited 
     by an accrediting entity recognized by the Department of 
     Education may obtain a student visa, be admitted to the 
     United States as a nonimmigrant student, or extend or change 
     nonimmigrant status to pursue such degree even if such alien 
     seeks lawful permanent resident status in the United States.
       (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may 
     be construed to modify or amend section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) or 
     214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1101(a)(15)(F)(i) or 1184(b)), or any regulation interpreting 
     such authorities for an alien who is not described in this 
     subsection.

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