[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2783-S2784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 674. Ms. KLOBUCHAR submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1083. SUPPORT FOR NATIONALS OF AFGHANISTAN APPLYING FOR 
                   SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS OR REFUGEE STATUS.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the United States should increase support for nationals of 
     Afghanistan who--
       (1) aided the United States mission in Afghanistan during 
     the past 20 years and are now under threat from the Taliban, 
     specifically such nationals of Afghanistan who--
       (A) are special immigrant visa applicants; or
       (B) have been referred to the United States Refugee 
     Admissions Program, including through the Priority 2 
     designation for nationals of Afghanistan; and
       (2) remain in Afghanistan or are in third countries.
       (b) Requirements.--The Secretary of State, in coordination 
     with the Secretary of

[[Page S2784]]

     Homeland Security and the head of any other relevant Federal 
     department or agency, shall further surge capacity, including 
     by increasing consular personnel at any United States embassy 
     or consulate in the region that processes visa applications 
     for nationals of Afghanistan--
       (1) to better support nationals of Afghanistan who--
       (A)(i) are special immigrant visa applicants who have been 
     approved by the Chief of Mission; or
       (ii) have been referred to the United States Refugee 
     Admissions Program, including through the Priority 2 
     designation for nationals of Afghanistan; and
       (2) to reduce application processing times for such 
     nationals of Afghanistan while ensuring strict and necessary 
     security vetting, including, to the extent practicable, by 
     enabling such nationals of Afghanistan who have been referred 
     to the United States Refugee Admissions Program to initiate 
     application processing while still in Afghanistan.
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed to require the Secretary of State to decrease the 
     capacity to process visa applications at United States 
     embassies or consulates worldwide.
                                 ______