Washington, DC – This week IIUSA conducted its first advocacy fly-in of 2024. Every advocacy fly-in gives Congressional staff and Members of Congress the opportunity to learn about EB-5 visas, the Regional Center Program, and the economic impacts EB-5 investments have on communities across the country.
(Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-03) discussed the EB-5 Program with IIUSA Leadership Circle members at the IIUSA PAC dinner)
Educating Congress & Building Consensus
Every conversation we have brings EB-5 that much closer to home for Members and their staff; and helps them understand and appreciate the EB-5 ecosystem and what it means to the economy. That alone is a powerful tool as we build toward the next (re)authorization, but this fly-in included new ideas and information about a new bill. During this fly-in House and Senate officers heard about the EB-5 Regional Center Program Advisory Committee Authorization Act.
The EB-5 Regional Center Program Advisory Committee Authorization Act
The EB-5 Regional Center Program Advisory Committee Authorization Act would establish an advisory committee inside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to communicate, coordinate, and advise USCIS on administering the Regional Center Program.
The Advisory Committee would be composed of experts in the EB-5 Regional Center Program space and bring together Regional Centers from across the country that have completed or are engaged in projects in high unemployment areas, rural areas, and infrastructure initiatives. The advisory committee will also include state and local officials including mayors from large, midsize, and small cities as well as state and county economic development officials.
An Impactful Day
IIUSA staff, its lobbying team, and members of the IIUSA Leadership Circle met with 18 Congressional offices to discuss the impact of EB-5 in their Congressional Districts and states and to begin the push to pass the EB-5 Regional Center Program Advisory Committee Authorization Act. It is the first of many efforts this year to educate Congress about the importance of EB-5, to pass the bill into law, and to improve the communications and cooperation between the EB-5 industry and USCIS.
