Joint Release: Hatch, Leahy Introduce ARTS Act

Statement

Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., both members and former chairmen of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statements after introducing the ARTS Act, a bill that would require the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to treat as a premium processing case (15-day turn around) free of additional charge any arts-related O and P visa petitions that it fails to adjudicate within 14 days.

"All Americans benefit from greater access to the world's best performers and artists. However, because of unreliable visa processing delays, many of our nonprofit arts organizations risk financial harm if they are unable to present artists as planned,"said Senator Hatch. "This bill is a commonsense effort to simplify that process and I hope that it will move quickly to the President's desk."

"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," Senator Leahy said. "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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