Senator Kent Conrad has recently introduced Senate Bill S.1979. This bill, if enacted in its current form, would permanently extend the Conrad 30 program. The Conrad 30 program is the law which gives standing to all 50 states and the U.S. territories to recommend J-1 waivers for foreign physicians who are subject to the 2 year foreign residence requirements. J-1 waivers are given to physicians who agree to work in underserved areas of the United States for 3 years.This is the principal program by which many underserved areas in the United States are provided highly skilled, U.S. trained physicians. Traditionally, the Conrad 30 program has been extended periodically every 2-3 years. As proposed by Senator Conrad, S. 1979 would make the program permanent, it would increase the incentives for H-1B physicians to serve underserved areas, it would actually open up the waiver program to H-1B physicians and it would provide protection to foreign physicians from potential employer abuse.
We hope that the Senate will act positively on this bill. The United States will experience an increase in the demand for quality physicians as our population grows older. A permanent Conrad 30 program will help meet those chronic needs.
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