Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation.

I want to thank Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, Ms. Lofgren, who worked very hard on this, and Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee and on the immigration policy and enforcement Judiciary subcommittee for their hard work to ensure that this bill will protect Americans from the threat of terror while we remain true to our highest principles and ideals.

House Democrats and House Republicans have no greater priority than keeping Americans safe. That is neither a partisan issue nor is it a partisan difference.

Many Americans are frustrated with the pace of progress against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. I want to see the administration and Congress working together to protect our Nation. The reforms in this bill are an excellent start. What we have before us today, Mr. Speaker, is an example of what we can achieve when both sides work together to craft responsible reforms in a spirit of unity and common purpose, which is: in the face of the threats we challenge, we ought to summons.

I want to thank the majority leader, Mr. McCarthy, for working with me and our side of the aisle, and I want to thank those on the Republican side of the aisle for working together to get this bill done.

The Visa Waiver Program has long been a tool to promote business ties and tourism, both of which are vital to our economy. We cannot--nor should we--simply shut our doors to the world if we want to continue to lead the world. This legislation will make it easier for law enforcement to vet those visitors who are coming from Visa Waiver countries, such as in Europe, to ensure that we are not admitting those who have traveled to places like Iraq and Syria and link up with ISIS.

This is now the third major bipartisan piece of legislation to come to the floor in the past 2 weeks after the highway bill, which included a provision to reopen the Export-Import Bank, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act. I hope--and I think the American people would expect--again, in light of the challenges that confront us, that we can build on this progress and complete a bipartisan agreement to keep government open before the week is done.

I want to thank, once more, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, who knows so much about this issue and who has been so faithful in her attention to both our values and the protection of the American people. I thank Bennie Thompson as well, the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, on our side of the aisle. I also want to thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee for his leadership on this issue as well as all of those who have worked on a number of issues.

This will not be the last word, but it is a good word, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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