By Balitang America Staff
The U.S. House of Representative approved a measure to expand the number of family visas for hopeful immigrants with relatives in the U.S. on Wednesday.
With a 389-15 vote, family-based visa limits is now raised from 7 percent to 15 percent per country. The measure is aimed to ease the backlog of immigrant applications, particularly from Mexico and the Philippines.
These visas cover such relatives as sons and daughters, over the age of 21, of U.S. citizens; spouses and minor children of legal U.S. permanent residents; and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, among others.
The newly approved measure was touted by proponents on both sides of the immigration issue, showing a rare sign of bipartisan unity, unlike the earlier immigration reform plan presented by President Obama which has met major opposition from the Republican Party.
The approved house bill will now go to the Senate for a vote.
- With reports from the Associated Press
