[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5434 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5434

To suspend the visa waiver program in order for the Comptroller General 
of the United States to assess the national security risks posed by the 
                    program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2014

    Mr. Collins of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To suspend the visa waiver program in order for the Comptroller General 
of the United States to assess the national security risks posed by the 
                    program, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Visa Waiver Program Suspension Act 
of 2014''.

SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF VISA WAIVER PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
visa waiver program established under section 217 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187) is hereby suspended for 180 days in 
order for the Comptroller General of the United States to review the 
program for national security risks.
    (b) Renewal.--Notwithstanding the time period under subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall not allow the admission of an 
alien under the visa waiver program until--
            (1) the Comptroller General of the United States reports on 
        the results of the review described in section 3;
            (2) the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that the 
        national security recommendations from the review are 
        implemented; and
            (3) Congress certifies that the national security 
        recommendations have been met.

SEC. 3. GAO REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall report to the appropriate congressional committees.
    (b) Contents of Report.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include, at a minimum, a consideration of the following:
            (1) The number of terrorists from each country admitted 
        under the visa waiver program.
            (2) The potential national security risks currently posed 
        by each country admitted under the visa waiver program.
            (3) The number of persons permitted to travel without a 
        verified Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval.
            (4) The number of persons permitted to travel with a denied 
        Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
            (5) Whether terrorist organizations or other third party 
        groups that pose national security threats are paying the 
        Electronic System for Travel Authorization fees for persons 
        entering the United States through the visa waiver program.
            (6) The current visa overstay rate for each country 
        participating in the visa waiver program.
            (7) The impact on the travel industry, if any, of requiring 
        screening at U.S. consulates for visa waiver program countries.
            (8) The cost and feasibility of implementing the automated 
        biometric entry-exit control system authorized under section 
        110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
        Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1221 note).

SEC. 4. REMOVAL FROM VISA WAIVER PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Homeland Security shall remove from the visa 
waiver program any country that--
            (1) the General Accountability Office report determines 
        poses a national security threat to the United States;
            (2) exceeds the visa overstay threshold; and
            (3) the Secretary determines that continued participation 
        in the visa waiver program jeopardizes or could jeopardize 
        national security.

SEC. 5. VISA OVERSTAY WAIVER REPEALED.

    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy memorandum 
dated November 14, 2013, is repealed, retroactively to November 14, 
2013.

SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187) 
is amended by striking ``Attorney General'' each place the term appears 
(except in subsection (c)(11)(B)) and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
Security''.
                                 <all>