US Federal House Bill HB8013

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Keep Innovators in America Act

Summary

HB8013, titled the Keep Innovators in America Act, would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The bill would expressly allow certain F-1 student visa holders to include practical training and employment authorization as part of their course of study, so long as the work is related to their field of study and is authorized under terms set by the Secretary of Homeland Security. It also clarifies that this authorization can extend after completion of degree requirements. The bill further provides that a student may maintain F-1 status while being the beneficiary of a pending or approved immigrant petition filed under section 204(a)(1), so long as the student’s course of study remains consistent with existing statutory requirements. In effect, the measure would place the OPT framework into statute rather than leaving it solely to agency regulation and policy, while also addressing how student status interacts with certain employment-based immigration pathways.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would amend federal immigration law by directly modifying the F-1 student visa definition in the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would codify the legal basis for Optional Practical Training, preserve DHS authority to set terms and conditions for practical training, and affect international students, universities, employers, and immigration practitioners by making post-study work authorization more explicit in statute. It would also clarify the status of students with pending or approved immigrant petitions, potentially affecting transitions from student status to employment-based immigration categories.

Sentiment

Based on the bill title, sponsorship, and lack of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be presented as a pro-innovation, pro-student-work authorization bill. The framing suggests support from sponsors across party lines and an intent to retain international graduates in the United States. No formal vote history or transcript evidence is provided showing opposition or amendment activity.

Contention

The main likely point of contention is the policy choice to codify and potentially entrench OPT in statute, which could be viewed by critics as expanding work authorization for foreign students beyond what some believe Congress intended, while supporters would see it as providing certainty for U.S. employers and graduates in STEM and other fields. Another possible issue is the provision allowing students with pending or approved immigrant petitions to maintain student status, which may raise concerns about overlap between student and immigrant pathways. No specific objections or committee disputes are included in the provided record.