[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   VISA SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY

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                            HON. LAMAR SMITH

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 25, 2010

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, this week, the Senate Intelligence 
Committee released a bipartisan report that identified the State 
Department's failure to revoke Abdulmutallab's visa as one of 14 
security failures leading to the attempted Christmas Day terror attack.
  This attack is not the first time terrorists have obtained U.S. 
visas. Several of the 9/11 hijackers did so as well.
  After 9/11, Congress created the Visa Security Program to increase 
the security of the visa process at U.S. embassies and consulates.
  My bill, the Secure Visas Act, mandates that the administration 
expand the Visa Security Program to the highest risk consular posts. 
And it requires that in the event a visa is revoked after it has been 
issued, consular, law enforcement, and terrorist screening databases 
are updated immediately.

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