F-1 international students could work in jobs tied to their studies for up to 24 months. STEM and nursing students could work for up to 48 months, with the Department of Homeland Security setting many details.
Modern Action explains what the legislation does, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional Practical Training program. is a House bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Latest action on H.R. 8683: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects F-1 international students who want U.S. work experience tied to their degree. It also affects colleges, universities, employers, hospitals, clinics, and the Department of Homeland Security. Nursing students would get a special benefit because the bill treats nursing as STEM for this OPT rule.
Why this matters: This bill matters because it could make a major student work program more stable and easier to understand. Today, OPT is mainly run through agency rules. This bill would put key parts of it into the immigration law itself. The biggest open question is how the Department of Homeland Security would write the details that control employers, oversight, and applications.
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Officially: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional Practical Training program.
F-1 international students could work in jobs tied to their studies for up to 24 months. STEM and nursing students could work for up to 48 months, with the Department of Homeland Security setting many details.
Use this page to support, oppose, or ask Congress to amend HR8683. Modern Action explains what the bill does, helps identify the right senators or representative, and drafts a bill-specific message you can edit and send.
Where it stands
Sitting in House Committee
No vote scheduled. Constituent contact is what moves bills out of committee.
↓ Why your message matters here
This bill is sitting in committee with no scheduled vote — which means a small number of constituent messages can decide whether it moves forward or quietly dies.
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Where this bill is in the process
Introduced
Introduced in House
House Committee
Under House committee consideration
Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (5/7/2026)
House Floor Vote
Voted on by House
Passed House
Approved by House
Senate Review
Sent to Senate for consideration
Passed Both Chambers
Approved by both House and Senate
Signed into Law
Signed by the President
For more detail
Choose one clear position: support, oppose, or amend. Then pick any reasons or personal context you want included. Modern Action uses that input and the bill context to draft a message you can edit and send.
Congressional offices prioritize messages from their own constituents. Modern Action uses your address to route the drafted message to your House representative when that is the most relevant target for this bill.
The draft includes the bill number, your position, the reasons you selected, any personal context you added, and a direct ask such as voting yes, voting no, cosponsoring, opposing, or seeking changes. You stay in control because you can edit the message before sending.
This page gives you an opportunity to support, oppose, or ask for changes to To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional Practical Training program., then contact the elected officials who can act. Modern Action drafts the message from your position and the reasons you select.
Modern Action keeps the action tied to the bill itself: what it does, where it is in the process (committee), which office can still act, and what ask belongs in the message.
You are not starting from a blank form. Modern Action drafts the message around HR8683, your stance, and the reasons you choose, then lets you edit and send when ready.
