[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 2178. A bill to expedite the adjudication of employer petitions 
for aliens with extraordinary artistic ability; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, one of the best ways that the United States 
can gain understanding and appreciation of other cultures is through 
the arts. Exposing children and adults alike to the creativity of other 
countries enriches our own artistic talents and helps bridge the gap 
between nations. It is for those reasons my colleague Senator Hatch and 
I have introduced the Arts Require Timely Service, ARTS, Act.
  This legislation helps streamline the visa process and waive fees so 
that foreign artists and musicians can share their talents in the 
United States. Currently, the visa process for visiting artists is slow 
and costly, often times prohibiting artists from coming to the United 
States to share their talents. Breaking down these barriers is 
important and we shouldn't let the politics of immigration interfere 
with expanding our cultural horizons.
  I am proud to stand with Senator Hatch and the Performing Arts Visa 
Task Force to try and help artists visit our country and inspire our 
communities. I hope our colleagues will join us and pass this sensible 
reform to expedite cultural exchanges and artistic expression.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to join with Senator John 
Kerry in introducing the Arts Require Timely Service, ARTS, Act. The 
ARTS Act would reduce the current processing times for ``O'' and ``P'' 
arts-related visa petitions filed by, or on behalf of, nonprofit arts-
related organizations to a maximum of 45 days.
  Unfortunately, delays by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services are making it increasingly difficult for international artists 
to appear in the U.S. Nonprofit arts organizations confront long waits 
and uncertainty in gaining approval for visa petitions for foreign 
artists. Most nonprofit arts cannot afford the Premium Processing 
Service, guaranteeing processing within 15 days upon payment of an 
additional $1,000 fee per petition. This is burdensome for many 
nonprofit arts organizations leaving them to await the unpredictability 
of the regular visa process.
  Performances and other cultural events are date, time and location-
specific. The nature of scheduling, booking, and confirming highly 
sought-after guest soloists and performing groups requires that the 
timing of the visa process be efficient and reliable. There is a 
continuing risk that foreign guest artists will be unable to enter the 
U.S. in time for their engagements, causing burdens on nonprofit arts 
organizations, international artists, and the local artists who were 
scheduled to perform alongside the international guest.
  In my home State of Utah, the Utah Symphony & Opera has witnessed 
first-hand how delays and unpredictability in artist visa processing 
have denied Utahns the opportunity to experience international 
artistry. To make matters worse, cancellations create high economic 
risks for these nonprofit arts institutions as they must sell tickets 
in advance, creating a financial obligation to their audiences.
  Congress has already indicated strong, bipartisan support for the 
ARTS Act. In fact, the provision enjoys support from key House and 
Senate Judiciary Committee members and it was included in the 2006 
Senate comprehensive immigration reform bill. I agree with Homeland 
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff when he said, ``Our heritage and 
our national character inspire us to create a more welcoming society 
for those who lawfully come to our shores to work, learn, and visit.'' 
Indeed, this noncontroversial improvement to the artist visa process 
will strengthen our ties with other countries, enrich our Nation's 
culture, and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn from foreign 
artists.
  I encourage my colleagues to support the ARTS Act.
                                 ______