Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today, Senator Hatch and I are reintroducing the Arts Require Timely Service Act or ARTS Act. This bipartisan measure would assist nonprofit arts organizations in obtaining visas for visiting foreign artists. For many renowned artists abroad hoping to share their talent with American audiences, our visa system is often inconsistent and unreliable. Although current law establishes a specific processing period for artist visas, petitioners regularly confront prolonged and uncertain wait times. This delay and uncertainty carries great costs for the nonprofit organizations that seek to bring foreign artists to American audiences.

While expedited visa processing is available, many of these organizations are unable to afford those fees, and the resulting delays in regular processing lead to interruptions and cancellations in performance schedules. Ultimately, the inefficiencies in obtaining foreign artist visas stifle the promotion of international cultural exchange and impede the mission of great American cultural institutions.

The ARTS Act addresses these challenges by requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide expedited processing services, without a fee, if an O- or P- artist visa is not adjudicated within a 14-day time frame, and the petition is filed by or on behalf of a nonprofit organization. The legislation ensures that nonprofit arts organizations do not have to choose between making adjustments to their programming and incurring additional unexpected costs. We should be encouraging international participation in the performing arts, not thwarting it. That is why more than 80 national organizations consisting of musicians, orchestras, museums, performing artists, and local arts organizations such as the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, support the ARTS Act.

I have long been a supporter of the arts and am proud of the great contributions the arts community has made in my home state of Vermont. Organizations such as the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Performance Lab, and Burlington City Arts enrich our State's dynamic culture, are integral to our economy, and ensure that all communities benefit from the remarkable power of the arts. The ARTS Act acknowledges the unique challenges that nonprofit arts organizations confront with our visa system and would assist them in their effort to bring international arts and culture to our communities.

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