[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 119 (Thursday, September 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S9406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMENDING THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1424, introduced earlier 
today by Senator Kennedy.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1424) to amend the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act to provide permanent authority for the admission of ``S'' 
     visa nonimmigrants.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to the consideration 
of the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, in this time of tragedy, there are a few 
things Congress can do to provide immediate assistance. Passage of this 
legislation is one of them.
  This bill restores the `S' visa, which Congress created as part of 
the 1994 Violent Crime Control Act. The visa allows foreign nationals 
with critical information about criminal cases, especially events of 
terrorism, to remain in the United States legally for the purpose of 
cooperating with law enforcement. An application for the visa must be 
made by a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency or by a 
court.
  The provision authorizing the `S' visa expired yesterday, so without 
this legislation law enforcement will be unable to take advantage of 
it. The State and Justice Departments have requested that we 
reinstitute the `S' visa. I urge the Senate to grant this request and 
to give law enforcement the support it needs in this area.
  This is a limited program, but it serves an important purpose. The 
number of `S' visas granted in a year is limited to 200 for those 
providing information about crimes and an additional 50 specifically 
devoted to those who can provide information about terrorism.
  Our law enforcement officials face a terrible responsibility in 
seeking out the perpetrators of these evil acts. I am pleased to 
cosponsor this legislation, and hope that it helps in this search.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1424) was read the third time and passed.
  (The text of S. 1424 is printed in today's Record under ``Statements 
on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

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