[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17031]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       SPECIAL IMMIGRATION VISAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, since 2006, when I offered the first 
legislation that ultimately became the Iraqi special immigrant visa, I 
have been haunted by the prospect of the brave Iraqi and Afghan 
nationals that risked their lives to help American efforts in these 
troubled countries, that they themselves would be victims because of 
their trust in us.
  As my friend Kirk Johnson eloquently stated in the title of his 
recent book, ``To Be a Friend is Fatal: The Fight to Save the Iraqis 
America Left Behind'':

       For 7 years, it has been a battle to have the United States 
     honor its obligations to those who put their trust in us when 
     they helped us.

  As the United States has withdrawn from Iraq and is winding down in 
Afghanistan, people with very long memories are searching out, hunting 
down, and killing people they regard as traitors because they helped 
America as interpreters, as guides, as drivers.
  We have seen some bright spots. One was where the program we fought 
so hard to establish was going to expire September 30, at the height of 
the government shutdown. In a reaffirmation of our ability to get 
something important done, we were able, on a bipartisan basis, to 
secure unanimous consent to keep the special immigrant visa program 
alive, at least through the end of the year, so we can work the 
problems out.
  Another bright spot for me was being able to be at National Airport a 
couple of weeks ago, late at night, watching Janis Shinwari, the Afghan 
interpreter who saved the life of Captain Matt Keller, walk out of that 
causeway with his young wife and two children. It was a storybook 
effort of the will of Captain Keller, whose life Janis saved in a 
firefight, who wouldn't give up after 5 years. At times we didn't think 
it was possible, but after false starts and great danger to the family, 
they are now safe in America. This is an illustration of what can 
happen with effort and, candidly, a little media attention.
  But now we are watching the State Department drag its feet on these 
visas for Afghans who risked their lives, creating impossible burdens 
for them to establish whether or not they are actually at risk.
  Recent news accounts make it clear that there is a committee at the 
U.S. Embassy in Kabul that is placing inordinate roadblocks for people 
who we know are at risk, some of whom have already been hunted down and 
killed. We failed to establish a process that works for them.
  We have only approved a trickle of the special immigrant visas out of 
the almost 9,000 that were authorized. It is unnecessary, it is 
shameful, and it is dangerous to long-term American interests. Who is 
going to trust us in the future if we need their help?
  I was able to congratulate Secretary Kerry a few weeks ago for the 
State Department's rapid action to save the life of Janis, but every 
one of these thousands of cases should not require congressional 
intervention, extraordinary news coverage, and a major 5-year 
commitment from people like Captain Matt Keller.
  There is no excuse to fail to make the SIV program work. Innocent 
lives are at stake, American honor is on the line, and our future 
actions could be compromised.
  I would urge my colleagues to attend a session we are having next 
week to meet Kirk Johnson, who has dedicated his life for years to help 
these desperate people and for America to restore its honor. Join us 
next week in room 2168 in Rayburn on Wednesday for a special screening 
and discussion of the documentary ``The List.''
  It is our duty now to save those who risked so much to help us when 
we needed them. They must not be left behind to the tender mercies of 
the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

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