Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), who reintroduced the bipartisan Doctors in Our Borders Act on Tuesday, said the new bill “will tackle the physician shortage we’re facing and ensure folks in communities across the country get the care they deserve.”
The bill will allow states to issue 100 waivers (instead of the current 30) to foreign graduates of US medial schools on J-1 visas. (J-1 visas allow people to participate in exchange visitor programs in the U.S., including categories that range from medical school matriculators to teachers to au pairs.)
Reintroducing the bill with his Democratic colleague, New York Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Lawler added: “With a projected shortfall of over 120,000 doctors in the next decade, we can’t afford to wait.”
The bipartisan Doctors in Our Borders Act will tackle the physician shortage we're facing and ensure folks in communities across the country get the care they deserve. pic.twitter.com/c92pUGBRhw
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) February 11, 2025
The U.S. Department of State has designated the nonprofit organization Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) as the only sponsor for all “alien physicians” who wish to pursue a program of graduate medical education or training in the U.S.
ECFMG reports there are currently more than 14,600 physicians from about 150 countries in residency and fellowship programs in the U.S.
In 2023, ECFMG sponsored the most foreign national physicians from India (2,942); Canada (2,872) and Pakistan (1,500). Most of the physicians (54%) practice internal medicine.
The U.S. state with the highest number of J-1 visa physicians is New York (2,687). Pennsylvania is second with 1,026; and Michigan is third with 1,023.
Note: The other Representatives co-sponsoring the Doctors in Our Borders Act are Beau Baird (R-IN), James Moylan (R-GU), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Don Davis (D-NC), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Josh Riley (D-NY), and Ashley Hinson (R-IA).
