[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2582 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2582

 To designate the Republic of Korea as a pilot program country for one 
            year under the Immigration and Nationality Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 2, 1995

   Mr. Kim introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To designate the Republic of Korea as a pilot program country for one 
            year under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Republic of Korea and the United States have close 
        historical and military ties.
            (2) The Republic of Korea has been designated as a major 
        non-NATO ally.
            (3) The Republic of Korea is the sixth largest trading 
        partner of the United States.
            (4) In 1994, total United States exports to the Republic of 
        Korea were $14,800,000,000, with imports of $17,100,000,000, a 
        trade surplus of $3,700,000,000, and cumulative direct 
        investment of $1,200,000,000.
            (5) There is an increasing demand by citizens of the 
        Republic of Korea to visit the United States, with an increased 
        demand for nonimmigrant visas from a 1982 total of 800 to a 
        1995 total of over 2,000 applications daily.
            (6) During fiscal year 1993, a total of 408,213 Korean 
        citizens visited the United States as tourists, making the 
        Republic of Korea the twelfth highest source country for 
        tourism in the United States, an increase of 20 percent over 
        fiscal year 1992.
            (7) According to the United States Department of Commerce, 
        overall tourism dollars spent in the United States by tourists 
        from the Republic of Korea exceeded $680,000,000 in fiscal year 
        1993.
            (8) It is estimated that for fiscal year 1995, arrivals 
        from the Republic of Korea will reach more than 600,000, an 
        increase of over 900 percent from fiscal year 1987 arrivals, 
        and more than $1,000,000,000 in tourist spending.
            (9) Currently, all potential Republic of Korea travellers 
        seeking to obtain a travel visa must apply at the United States 
        Embassy in Seoul, regardless of their place of residence in the 
        Republic of Korea.
            (10) The United States consular affairs office at the 
        United States Embassy in Seoul has not been able to meet the 
        growing demand for nonimmigrant visas to the United States due 
        to lack of space and personnel, resulting in unnecessary 
        delays, frustration, and loss of economic opportunity for the 
        United States.
            (11) During the past several months, numerous press reports 
        and media stories have centered around the growing 
        dissatisfaction of the South Korean people in relation to such 
        delays and the lack of adequate protection against the natural 
        elements.
            (12) The commitment of the United States to the Republic of 
        Korea has been enhanced and solidified by the recent visit of 
        President Kim to the United States.
            (13) The Republic of South Korea has a unique place of 
        importance with respect to the United States under the 
        provisions of the United States-North Korea Agreed Framework.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AS VISA WAIVER PILOT 
              PROGRAM COUNTRY.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
beginning 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Republic of Korea shall be designated for one year as a visa waiver 
pilot program country for purposes of section 217 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act.
    (b) Authority to Designate.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the requirements for designation of a country under section 217 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act shall not apply to any designation 
of the Republic of Korea as a visa waiver pilot program country under 
such section.
    (c) Report Requirements.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Attorney 
General shall compile and submit to the Congress a report evaluating 
the visa waiver pilot program country designation under subsection (a) 
and the qualifications of the Republic of Korea for designation under 
the provisions of section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
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