[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 65 (Monday, April 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E823-E824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCING THE SECURE VISA WAIVER TRAVEL ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 23, 2007

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, today, I am introducing 
the Secure Visa Waiver Travel Act of 2007. Dating back to the 
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the Visa Waiver Program 
(VWP) has been a highly successful program that allows nationals of 
designated countries to travel to the United States visa-free for up to 
90 days for temporary business or tourism. VWP countries are required 
to grant reciprocal visa-free travel to Americans. The VWP has been a 
boost for tourism and commerce between the United States and the 27 
countries that currently participate. For this reason, many other 
countries hope to join the VWP. There is strong support within the 
Administration, the business community, and among our allies and 
friends for Congress to take up legislation to expand the VWP.
  I also support expansion of the VWP, and that is why I am introducing 
this bill. The VWP has been beneficial to American tourism and 
businesses. However, the VWP also has serious security vulnerabilities; 
both ``shoe-bomber'' Richard Reid and convicted al-Qaeda operative 
Zacarias Moussaoui traveled under the VWP. As we consider ways to 
expand the VWP, I believe security considerations must be foremost in 
our minds. The United States must enhance partnerships with VWP 
countries to ensure that terrorists and those who would violate our 
laws cannot travel visa-free. I believe my bill accomplishes this.

[[Page E824]]

  As a prerequisite to expansion, my bill requires the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) to implement an effective biometric air border 
exit system, US-VISIT air exit, so we can know at all times who is in 
our country. My bill also requires that VWP travelers be screened 
against terrorist and criminal watch lists and that VWP countries 
report all lost and stolen passports, so these passports cannot be used 
by terrorists and criminals. We must also improve information-sharing 
with our VWP partner countries to be able to know whether a traveler 
might present a threat to the U.S. In addition, before admitting new 
countries to the VWP, DHS must consider other security factors, such as 
the country's passport standards, airport security, whether the country 
has an effective air marshal program, and whether its nationals have a 
history of compliance with our immigration and other laws.
  My bill maintains the requirement that the nationals of a VWP country 
demonstrate they will comply with our immigration laws. Some who 
advocate expanding the Visa Waiver Program say that preventing 
terrorism should be our only concern and that we should not consider 
whether a country's nationals have a history of immigration violations 
or visa overstays. While preventing terrorist travel is our primary 
security concern, it is not our only security concern. As we have seen 
in recent worksite enforcement actions, persons living and working in 
the U.S. illegally can also present security risks to our citizens and 
our economy, such as engaging in identity theft, or they can be 
exploited by criminal or terrorist elements. Robust border security, 
where we have control of who enters and leaves our country and know 
they are here for legitimate purposes, must be central to any expansion 
of the VWP. To that end, I am pleased to offer an approach to 
accomplishing this goal--the Secure Visa Waiver Travel Act of 2007.

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