[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 36 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                EXTENDING THE VISA WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2578) to 
     amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend the visa 
     waiver pilot program, and to provide for the collection of 
     data with respect to the number of nonimmigrants who remain 
     in the United States after the expiration of the period of 
     stay authorized by the Attorney General:

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of HR 
2578, a bill to extend the visa waiver pilot program till the year 
2000. The current law is a good measure and is expected to red line 
this April 30, 1998.
  I think it is important to allow tourists and business travelers from 
many Western European countries as well as Australia and Japan to come 
here for business and for pleasure. It boosts the economy and it allows 
people to see our great country first-hand. However, I also believe 
that the visa waiver pilot program should be extended to other 
countries, such as; Greece, Portugal, and South Korea. Thus, I support 
the Pombo-Frank-Kennedy-Pappas amendment.
  Furthermore, this amendment supports an increase in the visa refusal 
rate from 2% to 3% in order to support other countries taking part in 
the tourist visa waiver program. However, I would like to mention that 
the refusal rate process is in need of new measures in deciding who 
receives a visa waiver.
  I cannot tell you how many letters I write every single day to U.S. 
Embassies abroad, asking them to reconsider their visa denials of my 
constituents. In many cases, there is no solid basis for the denial, 
rather it is a class issue. They want to make sure that those 
individuals traveling abroad are leaving behind property, bank 
accounts, jobs, etc. If not, often times their visas are denied. Are 
these people not coming here to visit family and friends? Are these 
people not going to visit our country and spend money--will this not 
boost the economy? We cannot deny visas to those individuals wanting to 
come to this country at face value. What substantive basis does this 
derive from?
  Mr. Speaker, for the aforementioned reasons, I rise in support of the 
bill coupled with the Pombo-Frank-Kennedy-Pappas Amendment.

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