To extend eligibility for refugee status of unmarried sons and daughters of certain Vietnamese refugees.
Public Law 107-185 · H.R. 1840 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on May 30, 2002 · Immigration
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA-11)
Cosponsors (5): Rep. Tom DeLay, Rep. Chris Smith,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Extends through FY 2003 authority to process in-country certain unmarried sons and daughters of qualified Vietnamese nationals for U.S. admission as refugees of special humanitarian concern. Requires such an alien to be at least 21 years old, and to have been unmarried as of the date of acceptance of the alien's parent for resettlement under the Orderly Departure Program or through the United States Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City (Consulate).
Defines "qualified national" as a Vietnamese national who: (1) was interned in a reeducation camp by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, or is the widow or widower of such a person; (2) qualified and is or was accepted under the Orderly Departure Program or through the Consulate for U.S. admission as a refugee or immediate relative status immigrant; and (3) is presently maintaining a U.S. residence, or is awaiting departure formalities from Vietnam.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- May 30, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-185.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 20, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 10, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 13, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 31, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 30, 2001FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 29, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Oct 10, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 27, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- May 30, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- May 15, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.