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HR 2181 114th Congress House

STAPLE Act

Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education in… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence and to be exempted from the numerical limitations on H-1B nonimmigrants.

Introduced: April 30, 2015 See on congress.gov
Immigration Foreign laborHigher educationImmigration status and proceduresScience and engineering educationVisas and passports
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 1, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Apr 30, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 30, 2015
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2670-2671)
Apr 30, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 1, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s From Leaving the Economy Act of 2015 or the STAPLE Act

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from: (1) direct numerical limitations aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) from a U.S. institution of higher education and who have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer in a field related to such degree; and (2) H-1B visa (specialty occupation) numerical limitations aliens who have a U.S. STEM Ph.D. and with respect to whom the petitioning employer requires such an education.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Quigley, Mike
Illinois · Apr 30, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2181: STAPLE Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2181/
MLA
"H.R. 2181: STAPLE Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2181/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2181, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2181/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2181: STAPLE Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2181/)
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