S. 1298: Religious Workforce Protection Act
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-04-03 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] |
| Policy area | Immigration |
| Cosponsors | 7 |
| Latest action | 2025-04-03 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. |
| Last updated | 2026-02-14 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-04-03):
Religious Workforce Protection Act
This bill allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend the nonimmigrant visa status of certain religious workers.
Under current law, if specified conditions are met, nonimmigrant religious workers may receive a visa for a period not to exceed five years. The bill allows DHS to grant an extension until the individual’s application for adjustment of status to permanent resident or an immigrant visa has been processed and a decision has been made. To be eligible for the extension, the individual must be (1) the beneficiary of a certain type of immigrant petition, and (2) eligible for such immigrant status absent the application of certain numerical limitations.
Such individuals who have pending adjustment of status applications are also granted certain job flexibilities, such as the ability to change employers. Individuals who have previously departed the U.S. due to the expiration of their visa are exempt from the one-year foreign residence requirement to renew their visa.
Cosponsors (7)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Susan M. Collins | R ME (original cosponsor) 2025-04-03 |
| James E. Risch | R ID (original cosponsor) 2025-04-03 |
| Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] | R SC 2025-05-15 |
| Christopher A. Coons | D DE 2025-05-21 |
| Lisa Murkowski | R AK 2025-06-12 |
| Mike Crapo | R ID 2025-06-17 |
| Amy Klobuchar | D MN 2025-12-17 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 1298 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
View S. 1298 on congress.gov →
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 1298?
S. 1298 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Religious Workforce Protection Act.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 1298 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).