Complicated Immigration Bill Amends, Refers to 52 Other Federal Laws

The “Gang of Eight” immigration bill amends or refers to at least 52 other current laws, Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) noted in his opening statement at Thursday’s committee markup of the bill.

“This bill is complex,” Grassley said. “Any of us can read 900 pages, but it’s another thing to understand it all and to know the consequences of such an undertaking.”

Grassley then said that since the bill “amends or refers to at least 52 other laws,” the Senate Judiciary Committee being the vehicle to handle it makes the committee, chaired by Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT), “the most powerful committee in the Senate.”

As compiled by Grassley in his written opening statement, a full list of the 52 laws the bill amends or refers to is as follows:

The Travel Promotion Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Homeland Security Act, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Military Selective Service Act, the E-Government Act, the Class Action Fairness Act, the Social Security Act, the Internal Revenue Code, the Foreign Service Act, the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1996, the Legal Services Corporation Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the United States Housing Act, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, the Child Status Protection Act, the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007, the Department of State Authorization Act, the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, the REAL ID Act of 2005, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2001,  the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Statutory Pay as You Go Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1990, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, the American Competitiveness and 21st Century Act of 2000, the National Science Foundation Act, the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999, the Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, the Commodity Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, and–last but not least–the Immigration and Nationality Act.