[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 129 (Thursday, September 26, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H5835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, in 2007, I introduced the first 
legislation to help the Iraqi and Afghan nationals that helped 
Americans in those countries to get them to safety in the United 
States. These are the people who were interpreters, guides, and 
drivers--people who performed countless tasks without which our 
military, diplomatic, and redevelopment efforts would have been 
impossible. There was an implicit promise that, as they risked their 
lives to help us, we would work to protect them when the American 
presence was scaled down. Thousands of these people are now threatened 
on a daily basis by people with very long memories.
  It would seem as though this shouldn't be an impossible task. After 
all, these are people who risked their lives to protect and serve 
Americans. If they had wanted to harm us, they had countless 
opportunities to lead people down the wrong path, attack, assault, and 
mislead; but, by all accounts, thousands of these people performed 
critical tasks faithfully, if not flawlessly.
  What has not been flawless is how the State Department and Homeland 
Security have managed the Special Immigrant Visa program we fought so 
hard to establish. It takes incredible effort to fight bureaucracy, 
delays, and the procedural hurdles, which too often end in frustration. 
Approvals have been just a trickle, and there is no sign of 
improvement. Instead, the program could disappear.
  The authorization for the Iraqi Immigrant Visa expires in 4 days. And 
this is a country that is on the verge of collapse. Violence is on the 
upswing and these people have been left twisting. Many have been forced 
into hiding. Others, along with their families, have not just been 
threatened, but killed.
  We have been unable to get anything on the continuing resolution to 
keep the program alive. Frankly, given the state of play in Congress 
right now, the continuing resolution doesn't look like a very stable 
basis for hope.
  There is a possible solution: a unanimous consent provision that will 
extend the program, at no additional budget cost, which will keep the 
pipeline open to accept visas until we can get back to meeting our 
moral obligation.
  It should be a simple matter to pass the House. There is overwhelming 
bipartisan support that is led in the most articulate and forceful way 
by new Members in both parties, like Tulsi Gabbard and Adam Kinzinger, 
who are themselves veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. This bipartisan 
group of recent veterans has seen the invaluable service and sacrifices 
of these people, and they feel a deep commitment to their safety. 
Sadly, not everybody in Congress feels that commitment, that moral 
obligation. The House Judiciary Committee leadership has been passive, 
if not outright opposed.
  There's no guarantee that there will be a continuing resolution. In 
fact, the odds are getting a little more remote by the day. If this 
program shuts down for even a few hours, it will set back progress 
because of the cumbersome, convoluted nature of the program and 
security checks. People will be forced back to square one for approval, 
with their lives in great peril.
  I would hope the House Republican leadership does not allow one or 
two people to veto meeting our moral obligation that has such broad 
bipartisan support. It will be to the shame of this body if we can't 
come together and protect the people we counted on in battle--and who 
are now counting on us.
  This sad story is documented in Kirk Johnson's recent book, ``To Be a 
Friend is Fatal: The Fight to Save the Iraqis America Left Behind.'' 
The title really says it all: ``To Be a Friend is Fatal: The Fight to 
Save the Iraqis America Left Behind.''
  So far, we have failed them. I hope the House will rise to the 
occasion before it's too late.

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