[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 77 (Thursday, May 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONGRESS NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN FOREIGN STUDENT VISA SECURITY

  (Mr. BILIRAKIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, recent events have highlighted gaps in 
our student visa laws that can be exploited by terrorists who attempt 
to enter our country under false pretenses and then disappear as they 
plot to attack us.
  Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security disrupted 
schemes involving individuals holding student visas despite their 
violation of the terms. In addition, the recent Times Square bomber 
reportedly first entered the United States on a student visa in 1998. 
On top of that, several of the 9/11 hijackers had violated the terms of 
their student visas.
  Foreign students play an important role in our society, but we must 
ensure that terrorists do not use our student visa process as a back 
door into our country. The need to improve the system is clear.
  I introduced the Student Visa Security Improvement Act in order to 
improve screening of foreign students before they enter the U.S. and to 
ensure that they abide by the terms of their visa once they are here. 
Congress must act now to strengthen student visa security and pass H.R. 
5208.

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