[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 130 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AVERTING LOSS OF LIFE AND INJURY BY EXPEDITING SIVS ACT OF 2021

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                               speech of

                     HON. JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2021

  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
3985, the bipartisan Afghan ALLIES Act, and to speak on the imminent 
threat facing Afghan translators and their families.
  These translators played a critical role in serving the United States 
and helped ensure the safety and success of our troops abroad. Yet 
today our allies--and their families--are being hunted down and killed 
by the Taliban as it retakes Afghanistan. When our country goes to war 
with its allies, we make a decision to bring everyone home, and it is 
time to bring our allies home, Mr. Speaker.
  While I welcome President Biden's recent efforts, notably the 
initiation of Operation Allies Refuge and the announcement this week 
that military bases in Virginia and elsewhere will be used to 
temporarily house evacuating translators and their families, I remain 
concerned.
  First: I am concerned by the Administration considering temporarily 
housing evacuees in other countries, some of which cannot guarantee 
translators safety. We should not be shifting the burden of our 
responsibility to others, especially when so many communities around 
the United States stand ready to welcome these heroes with open arms.
  Second, I am concerned at the daunting task the State Department now 
faces. This task is exacerbated in no small part by the rushed 
withdrawal timeline set by the administration. There are thousands of 
individuals awaiting a safe home--a home that has been promised to them 
by our commonly held values and through legislation dating back to the 
early days of the War on Terror, legislation we now seek to amend.
  H.R. 3985 is designed to meet this moment. This bill increases the 
number of visas by 8,000 to ensure an adequate number of visas are 
eligible for applicants currently in the pipeline. The bill would also 
remove redundant paperwork while still ensuring applicants go through 
the necessary, strict background checks, and national security vetting. 
Finally, the ALLIES Act extends and strengthens protections for 
surviving spouses and children of deceased SIV applicants.
  Time is running out for our allies. We must pass this life-saving 
legislation before it is too late. I encourage our colleagues in the 
Senate to vote on this important legislation.

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