Introducing The Secure Visa Waiver Travel Act Of 2007

Floor Speech

INTRODUCING THE SECURE VISA WAIVER TRAVEL ACT OF 2007 -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 23, 2007)

* Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, today, I am introducing the Secure Visa Waiver Travel Act of 2007. Dating back to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has been a highly successful program that allows nationals of designated countries to travel to the United States visa-free for up to 90 days for temporary business or tourism. VWP countries are required to grant reciprocal visa-free travel to Americans. The VWP has been a boost for tourism and commerce between the United States and the 27 countries that currently participate. For this reason, many other countries hope to join the VWP. There is strong support within the Administration, the business community, and among our allies and friends for Congress to take up legislation to expand the VWP.

* I also support expansion of the VWP, and that is why I am introducing this bill. The VWP has been beneficial to American tourism and businesses. However, the VWP also has serious security vulnerabilities; both ``shoe-bomber'' Richard Reid and convicted al-Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui traveled under the VWP. As we consider ways to expand the VWP, I believe security considerations must be foremost in our minds. The United States must enhance partnerships with VWP countries to ensure that terrorists and those who would violate our laws cannot travel visa-free. I believe my bill accomplishes this.

* As a prerequisite to expansion, my bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement an effective biometric air border exit system, US-VISIT air exit, so we can know at all times who is in our country. My bill also requires that VWP travelers be screened against terrorist and criminal watch lists and that VWP countries report all lost and stolen passports, so these passports cannot be used by terrorists and criminals. We must also improve information-sharing with our VWP partner countries to be able to know whether a traveler might present a threat to the U.S. In addition, before admitting new countries to the VWP, DHS must consider other security factors, such as the country's passport standards, airport security, whether the country has an effective air marshal program, and whether its nationals have a history of compliance with our immigration and other laws.

* My bill maintains the requirement that the nationals of a VWP country demonstrate they will comply with our immigration laws. Some who advocate expanding the Visa Waiver Program say that preventing terrorism should be our only concern and that we should not consider whether a country's nationals have a history of immigration violations or visa overstays. While preventing terrorist travel is our primary security concern, it is not our only security concern. As we have seen in recent worksite enforcement actions, persons living and working in the U.S. illegally can also present security risks to our citizens and our economy, such as engaging in identity theft, or they can be exploited by criminal or terrorist elements. Robust border security, where we have control of who enters and leaves our country and know they are here for legitimate purposes, must be central to any expansion of the VWP. To that end, I am pleased to offer an approach to accomplishing this goal--the Secure Visa Waiver Travel Act of 2007.

Source