[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 135 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             EXTENDING THE SPECIAL IMMIGRATION VISA PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, the floor of this House has been the 
scene of many heated exchanges of late--the shutdown controversy around 
the Affordable Care Act and budget differences--but in the midst of 
some real tension and frustration, there was a bright spot last 
evening.
  I was pleased that there was a unanimous consent agreement to approve 
H.R. 3233 that I introduced with Representative Adam Kinzinger that 
kept the Special Immigrant Visa program alive for Iraqi nationals who 
helped the United States during the war effort at great peril to 
themselves and their families. These are the interpreters, the guides 
and drivers, people who performed a myriad of functions that were 
essential for American operations both militarily and diplomatically 
and for our development efforts.
  Since I introduced the first legislation on these refugees 6 years 
ago, I have watched impatiently as the flawed Special Immigrant Visa 
program has sputtered, leaving Iraqis and Afghans twisting in the wind 
trying to escape those countries, away from people with long memories 
who seek to do them harm.
  Then, Monday night, it died. September 30, the visa program for the 
Iraqis expired. After 72 hours of furious activity, last night, the 
United States sent a signal that we were not going to leave them 
behind. Last night, Congress came together--the House and the Senate, 
Republican and Democrat--to make it possible to uphold our end of the 
bargain. But, unfortunately, the program still is horribly flawed, 
disastrously slow, and in dire need of reform. But we can take heart 
that the bipartisan leadership displayed on this issue might make it 
possible for us to actually make it work.
  I would thank my colleagues, Adam Kinzinger, Tulsi Gabbard, Chris 
Gibson, Steve Stivers, and Steny Hoyer and others who stepped in during 
this tumultuous time to make sure the project continued.
  Despite what was going on behind the scenes, there were many staff 
without whose tireless dedication to doing the right thing this would 
never have happened. I would like to thank Robert Karem in Leader 
Cantor's office; Mariah Sixkiller in Steny Hoyer's office, Dimple Shah 
in Chairman Goodlatte's office, and Chad Kreikemeier in Senator 
Shaheen's office. The Senator helped spearhead that effort on the other 
side of the Capitol.
  And off the Hill there were veterans, veterans like Matt Zeller, who 
was not going to let the person whom he depended on in Iraq suffer that 
fate. Organizations off the Hill, like the Iraqi Refugee Assistance 
Project and their staff, Katie Reisner and Becca Heller, were 
invaluable in keeping the progress going.
  It was kind that Chairman Goodlatte, the Judiciary Committee chair, 
introduced the unanimous consent request. There was lots of scrambling 
and many items at loose ends, but somehow we were able to follow 
through with this small but critical step to keep the program alive. 
Now the challenge is to finally make it work for these desperate Iraqis 
and Afghans.
  Kirk Johnson's book, ``To Be a Friend Is Fatal: The Fight to Save the 
Iraqis America Left Behind,'' is a call to action. It details what we 
need to do to meet our obligations.
  In the midst of all the controversy and frustration here on Capitol 
Hill, we were able to come together for a brief moment this evening. 
Let's not let the shutdown overshadow the myriad of details that are 
important--even life and death--for people at home and abroad. Those 
who risked their lives for the American mission in Iraq and Afghanistan 
deserve our best efforts. Last night we saw a glimpse of it. I hope we 
are able to follow through.

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