# 119-hr-10799: Protecting American Workers Through H–1B Modernization Act

119-hr-10799, Protecting American Workers Through H–1B Modernization Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-30).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10799
- As of: 2026-10-30
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10799
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protecting American Workers Through H–1B Modernization Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-10-13
- Sponsor: Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-30

## Summary

**Set the exempt H‑1B wage floor to at least twice the National Average Wage Index (NAWI).** This would replace the current fixed-dollar exemption threshold with a standard that moves with national wages. - Exempt H‑1B applicants: Would need wages that meet the new floor, which must be at least twice the NAWI for the most recently calculated year. This changes who qualifies for exemption under the H‑1B rules. - Employers that hire H‑1B workers: Would face a wage requirement tied to a national wage measure instead of a fixed amount, so the minimum they must pay for exempt positions would scale with typical US wages.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Higher wage rule for some H-1B workers: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would raise the wage test for one H-1B exemption. Employers would need to pay exempt H-1B workers at least twice the latest national average wage index. This replaces the prior $60,000 threshold for that exemption. It would not change wage floors for all H-1B workers.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act
- 119-hr-4312: SCORE Act
- 119-hr-1229: United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1897: ESA Amendments Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-10799 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10799)

## Related
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-137)
- [119-hr-4312: SCORE Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4312)
- [119-hr-1229: United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1229)
- [119-hr-1897: ESA Amendments Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1897)
- [119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9298)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10799 (as of 2026-10-30).