[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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