[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 161 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       VISA WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 13, 1997

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference 
report on H.R. 2267, the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill.
  One of the provisions included in the bill is a 6-month extension of 
the State Department's Visa Waiver Pilot Program [VWPP]. This is the 
mechanism by which our country allows visitors from approximately 26 
nations to enter the United States without visas. Passports are 
sufficient for entry.
  And this is a good program. Obtaining visas is a time-consuming 
endeavor, from applications, screening, approval, and to issuance. We 
do not need to require visas of every visitor from abroad, and the Visa 
Waiver Pilot Program has been a tremendous success for years in 
expediting foreign visitors, whether for employment, tourism, family, 
or business purposes.
  I have been working closely with Congressmen Barney Frank, Jay Kim, 
and others with the leadership of the Immigration and Claims 
Subcommittee, particularly Chairman Lamar Smith and ranking Democrat 
Mel Watt, to resolve a problem--specifically whether Portugal and the 
Republic of Korea should be included in the visa waiver program. They 
have exerted tremendous time and energy and effort to identify and 
resolve problems in the program and we are committed to working 
together in the months ahead to adjust the program so that citizens of 
these countries can travel to the United States with only a passport.
  Mr. Speaker, during the hearings and committee consideration of the 
visa waiver program, concerns were raised by some Members and the State 
and Justice Departments. I do not believe those concerns are 
insurmountable, and we are working with those agencies to address 
security and other concerns. We all feel that the current waiver 
criteria should be reformed, and I will be working in the months ahead 
with my colleagues to craft a visa waiver system that expands visitor 
opportunities.
  As you know, tourism is the dominant industry in Hawaii, and it is 
crucially important that we have a visa waiver system for tourists that 
allows a maximum number of visitors to enter the United States. 
Thousands of Hawaiian families and individuals are dependent on tourism 
and on the number of visitors using hotels, restaurants, transportation 
facilities, and retail businesses. A strong case has been made that 
citizens of Korea, one of our strongest allies in the world, should be 
given the waiver consideration that we have afforded 26 other nations.
  The 6 months extension of the existing Visa Waiver Pilot Program is a 
prudent decision, and reflects a good-faith effort being made to 
address constructively the issues facing the future of the program. I 
look forward to working with Chairman Smith, the members of the House 
Judiciary Committee, and those seeking an expansion of the program to 
develop an effective and workable program addressing all concerns.

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