113 STAT. 1318 PUBLIC LAW 106-95—NOV. 12, 1999 equivalent credentialing organizations which have been approved under subsection (a)(5)(C) for the certification of nurses under this subsection; and "(C)(i) which was in operation on or before the date of the enactment of the Nursing Rehef for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999; or "(ii) has been approved by unanimous agreement of such commission and any equivalent credentialing organizations which have been approved under subsection (a)(5)(C) for the certification of nurses under this subsection.". (2) Section 212(a)(5)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)(C)) is amended by striking "Any aUen who seeks" and inserting "Subject to subsection (r), any alien who seeks". 8 USC 1182 note. (b) EFFECTIVE DATE. —The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, without regard to whether or not final regulations to carry out such amendments have been promulgated by such date. Deadline. (c) ISSUANCE OF CERTIFIED STATEMENTS. —The Commission On 8 USC 1182 note. Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, or any approved equivalent independent credentialing organization, shall issue certified statements pursuant to the amendment under subsection (a) not more than 35 days after the receipt of a complete application for such a statement. SEC. 5. NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVERS OF JOB OFFER REQUIREMENTS FOR ALIENS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONS HOLDING ADVANCED DEGREES OR ALIENS OF EXCEP- TIONAL ABILITY. Section 203(b)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows: "(B) WAIVER OF JOB OFFER.— "(i) NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVER.— Subject to clause (ii), the Attorney General may, when the Attorney General deems it to be in the national interest, waive the requirements of subparagraph (A) that an alien's services in the sciences, arts, professions, or business be sought by an employer in the United States. "(ii) PHYSICIANS WORKING IN SHORTAGE AREAS OR VETERANS FACILITIES.— " (I) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall grant a national interest waiver pursuant to clause (i) on behalf of any alien physician with respect to whom a petition for preference classification has been filed under subparagraph (A) if— "(aa) the alien physician agrees to work full time as a physician in an area or areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as having a shortage of health care professionals or at a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and "(bb) a Federal agency or a department of public health in any State has previously determined that the alien physician's work in
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