Closing Deadly Loopholes: Zinke Votes for Visa Waiver Reform

Press Release

Today, Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted for H.R. 158 The Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015. Zinke was an cosponsor on the legislation; it passed the House with veto-proof, bipartisan majority (407-19-8) and goes to the Senate with the support of the White House.

This legislation addresses the vulnerabilities of the Visa Waiver Program by:

Barring nationals of VWP countries who are nationals of or have traveled to Iraq or any country that is a state sponsor of terrorism (currently Syria, Sudan, Iran) or is determined by the Secretary of DHS to pose a terrorist threat from using the VWP

Requiring participating countries to provide counterterrorism information and other critical intelligence

Requiring participating countries to use e-passports which are more secure and fraud resistant

Identifying and allowing for the suspension of high-risk countries, and denying visa waiver program status for those who have traveled to terrorist hotspots, like Iraq and Syria, since 2011

"Today I voted to strengthen national security and close the deadly loopholes found within our own visa system," said Rep. Zinke. "Today's vote is about identifying threats and vulnerabilities within our own system, and closing them as soon as possible. The fact that 5,000 E.U. citizens who have travelled to Iraq, Syria and other hotbeds of terror in order to fight with ISIS are able to come to the U.S. so easily is a testament to how desperately we need to update our entire immigration and visa system. This also brings to light the need to revoke passports of U.S. citizens who are fighting alongside ISIS. We know it's happening, and this Administration is doing nothing to stop it or prevent them from coming back to the states."

Zinke concluded, "I'm happy to see President Obama support the actions taken by the House today, and I urge quick passage in the Senate."

Source