The House of Representatives just has passed a reauthorization of the H-1C visa program. HR 1933 was first introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) this past spring. Rep. Smith quietly has been securing votes since the bill's introduction. The H-1C expired in December 2009.

HR 1933 looks similar to past iterations of the H-1C visa. Notably it appears to only apply to 14 hospitals in the U.S., many of which are in Rep. Smith's home state of Texas. Only 300 RN positions per year are authorized under the H-1C. The H-1C also includes wage protections for U.S. workers.