[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 132 (Monday, September 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7049-S7050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IRAQ SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Madam President, I rise today to discuss a small, but 
critical program that represents a test for this body and for this 
country: The Iraq Special Immigrant Visa program. It is a test of 
whether we stand behind our commitments abroad. It is a test of whether 
we help those who help us. And for others out there who might consider 
assisting the U.S., it is a test to see if we follow through on our 
promises. If we don't act now, the Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa program 
will expire along with our obligation to thousands of Iraqis who risked 
their lives to help U.S. troops at war.
  The latest version of the Iraq Special Immigrant Visa program was 
initiated by Congress in the fiscal year 2008 National Defense 
Authorization Act. It was originally designed to allow for certain 
foreign nationals in Iraq who served alongside U.S. forces to receive 
special visas to come live and work in the United States. The visa 
program was created to help secure a path out of harm's way for those 
Iraqis and their families that provided important skills to Americans, 
like translation services, and are now targeted because of their 
affiliation with us.
  The Iraq visa program is currently set to expire today on September 
30, 2013. Without action by the Congress to extend this program, 
thousands of Iraqi applicants, already under threat due to their 
faithful assistance and valuable service to the U.S. Government, will 
see consular work on their cases stopped and their dream of escaping 
the daily threat of violence will be suspended.
  Even if we eventually decide to reauthorize the program at a later 
date, the stoppage will result in delays of months or even years for 
these applicants as they completely restart an already long and overly 
arduous process. Many of these interpreters and assistants who risked 
their lives for Americans are now in hiding running from place to place 
to escape retribution attacks against them and their families, any 
delays could mean their lives.
  Now, since I started working on this special immigrant visa issue, I 
have come across countless stories of bravery demonstrated by Iraqi 
interpreters who stand shoulder to shoulder fighting with our military 
men and women. My office has also heard directly from retired military 
officers who served alongside these Iraqis and are now fighting to get 
them out of Iraq to the safety of the United States. I would like to 
just briefly read a few excerpts from these tremendously inspiring 
stories:
  From one retired Marine Corps captain:

       I am a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, who served 
     proudly in Iraq between 2004-2005. Among our tasks was 
     conducting nightly kill and capture raids in Anbar Province . 
     . . Our interpreter was our lifeline to the local population 
     . . . He became an invaluable member of our team, and our 
     close friend . . . Because of his nearly four years of 
     service to U.S. forces in Iraq, he was left imperiled and at 
     risk of death at the hands of Iraqi militia . . . We came to 
     trust him and treat him as one of our own.

  From a Marine Corps infantry officer who did two tours in Iraq:

       I owe my life and the lives of my Marines to [my 
     translator] . . . During high intensity combat operations 
     throughout the second Battle of Fallujah, [he] constantly put 
     his life in danger to protect Marines and civilians . . . 
     Over the course of that deployment, [he] not only served 
     heroically alongside Marines, but he also became a second 
     father and a close friend.

  From that same marine:

       I have had the opportunity to meet many other Iraqi 
     refugees. They represent the best of our Nation. They chose 
     to put themselves in harm's way because they have always 
     believed in what our country is supposed to stand for . . . 
     They are eager to share in the American dream and to 
     contribute in meaningful ways on the home front as they did 
     overseas. They've earned that opportunity.

  I could not agree more. But, unfortunately, thousands of Iraqis who 
have earned the chance to come to the United States might not make it, 
and simply because we failed to act. That is unacceptable.
  Now, a number of Members on both sides of the aisle, including 
myself, have been working hard for the last 6 months to find a way to 
extend this critical program. Senators McCain, Leahy, Graham, Levin, 
Durbin, and others have been champions of this effort. We have 
extensions of this program in the comprehensive immigration bill, the 
current version of the National Defense Authorization Act, and in the 
annual State Department appropriations bill. Unfortunately, none of 
these will be signed into law by the deadline.

[[Page S7050]]

  I was hoping that the House of Representatives would include an 
extension in their original continuing resolution legislation, but, 
unfortunately, they did not, leaving the Senate with few procedural 
opportunities to include it. However, we may have a second chance here 
in the hours ahead, and I would urge my colleagues in the House and 
Senate to find a way to extend this program.
  Now, there is no doubt that the administration needs to do more to 
actually process the visa applications. The stories we are hearing 
about the backlog are entirely inexcusable. Applicants ought to be able 
to cut through the redtape and bureaucratic nightmare to get their 
visas processed quickly and more efficiently, while still ensuring 
proper vetting and background checks. However, we have no hopes of 
improving the program if we don't extend it.
  We have a responsibility to fulfill our obligation to the thousands 
of civilians who risked their lives to help our country during a time 
of war. The contributions that Iraqi and Afghan civilians made to our 
military efforts have been tremendous. Those who served as translators 
were an invaluable resource and ally to our men and women in uniform. 
We can't turn our back on them now, particularly as terrorist 
organizations target these civilians for retribution. We made a promise 
to Iraqi civilians and now we must honor it.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the bill be read 
three times and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1566) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1566

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT-TERM EXTENSION OF SPECIAL IMMIGRANT PROGRAM.

       Section 1244(c)(3) of the National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1157 note) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) Fiscal year 2014.--
       ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clauses (ii) and 
     (iii), the total number of principal aliens who may be 
     provided special immigrant status under this section during 
     the first 3 months of fiscal year 2014 shall be the sum of--

       ``(I) the number of aliens described in subsection (b) 
     whose application for special immigrant status under this 
     section is pending on September 30, 2013; and
       ``(II) 2,000.

       ``(ii) Employment period.--The 1-year period during which 
     the principal alien is required to have been employed by or 
     on behalf of the United States Government in Iraq under 
     subsection (b)(1)(B) shall begin on or after March 20, 2003, 
     and end on or before September 30, 2013.
       ``(iii) Application deadline.--The principal alien seeking 
     special immigrant status under this subparagraph shall apply 
     to the Chief of Mission in accordance with subsection (b)(4) 
     not later than December 31, 2013.''.

     SEC. 2. TEMPORARY FEE INCREASE FOR CERTAIN CONSULAR SERVICES.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary of State, not later than January 1, 2014, 
     shall increase the fee or surcharge authorized under section 
     140(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal 
     Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103-236; 8 U.S.C. 1351 note) 
     by $1 for processing machine-readable nonimmigrant visas and 
     machine-readable combined border crossing identification 
     cards and nonimmigrant visas.
       (b) Deposit of Amounts.--Notwithstanding section 140(a)(2) 
     of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 
     and 1995 (Public Law 103-236; 8 U.S.C. 1351 note), the 
     additional amount collected pursuant the fee increase 
     authorized under subsection (a) shall be deposited in the 
     general fund of the Treasury.
       (c) Sunset Provision.--The fee increase authorized under 
     subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 2 years 
     after the first date on which such increased fee is 
     collected.

  Mr. REID. Madam President, this is so important. People who worked 
with our military in Iraq as interpreters and doing other things that 
were essential are now targets in the civil war that is going on in 
Iraq. Some of them have been wanting to leave for 2 years, and this 
will allow them to do that. I am so glad we are able to extend this.
  Every day these people who helped us are subject to arrest, being 
killed, as are their families. It is so important we did this.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.

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