Lamar Smith: “I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) for introducing this legislation. H.R. 3120…”

“I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) for introducing this legislation. H.R. 3120 helps prevent student visa fraud by requiring that any college or university that admits foreign students on F visas must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education. Accreditation of academic institutions ensures that foreign students in the United States on temporary visas receive the high-level education they deserve and expect as opposed to an education from a sham school only interested in the student's money. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a foreign national can get a student visa to study at a U.S. college or university. Those schools must be officially recognized, but that sometimes means that there's just a windshield check to see that the building actually exists. Foreign students were admitted to the US 1.5 million times on F visas during fiscal year 2010. We must ensure that the colleges or universities they attend are not simply visa mills that exist only to provide the students with a way to enter the United States. Examples of rampant student visa fraud can be found in many recent news reports. H.R. 3120 helps ensure a school's legitimacy for foreign students who want to come to the United States in order to receive an education. It also helps ensure the integrity of our immigration system by reducing the opportunities for visa fraud.…”