[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1733-H1734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING MAKING PORTUGUESE CITIZENS ELIGIBLE FOR E1 AND E2 VISAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me 
in fostering further investment in our United States economy by one of 
our oldest allies, Portugal.
  As a co-chair of the Congressional Portuguese Caucus, I am proud to 
join Congressmen Cicilline and Valadao in leading the AMIGOS Act, which 
will make Portuguese citizens eligible for E1 and E2 visas. These visas 
allow individuals to enter the United States to conduct substantial 
trade or invest a substantial amount of capital, which spurs investment 
in our economy and helps create jobs. That is, after all, what we do 
with our friends, with our allies.
  In 2015 alone, between Portugal and the United States, there was $4.2 
billion in trade. That created jobs here in the United States. It 
creates jobs in Portugal. It is good for both countries, and that is 
the way friends ought to work together.
  There is precedent here. Congress granted eligibility for Israel in 
2012 with the E1 and E2 visas, which allow for easier access for 
businesspeople who are engaged in these kinds of economic activities. 
What is more, Portugal was one of the first countries to recognize the 
United States after we declared our independence and won the 
Revolutionary War.
  For many of us, if we remember our history, after World War II, to 
defend

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Western democracies, Portugal, along with the United States, helped 
organize Western Europe to create NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization, that has been the bulwark of defense of Western ideals 
that are the foundation of our democracies.
  For these reasons and more, I call upon my colleagues to join me in 
supporting a commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation, the AMIGOS 
Act, which will further opportunities for business in America by 
creating more jobs and continue to enhance the relationship that has 
existed for over 200 years between the United States and Portugal.

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