The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“VISA WAIVER PROGRAM ENHANCED SECURITY AND REFORM ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S256 on Feb. 1, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
VISA WAIVER PROGRAM ENHANCED SECURITY AND REFORM ACT
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, Senator Kirk and I have introduced the Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act.
This is a piece of legislation near to my heart. For those who have known me, they have known I have fought long and hard for Poland to become free and independent. I think about the dark days of martial law in Poland, when we worked to support the solidarity movement in Poland and remove the yoke of communism. And after Poland emerged from the Iron Curtain, I worked with many of my colleagues to secure Polish democracy and bring them into NATO, securing their future in Western Institutions.
This legislation would help provide Poland a path to entry into the visa waiver program. It would eliminate the need for Polish citizens to obtain a visa to travel to America. As the granddaughter of a woman who came to America from Poland over 100 years ago, it would warm my heart to know a grandmother from Gdansk would no longer need a visa to visit her grandchildren in Baltimore.
This legislation does much more than just strengthen our relationship with Poland. It is a jobs bill. The visa waiver program makes America open for business for more tourists from allied countries. This can have a profound impact. South Korea entered the VWP in early 2009. In 2010, there was an increase of 49 percent in arrivals to the United States from South Korea, which created $789 million in new spending and supported 4,800 new jobs.
If Poland becomes eligible for the visa waiver program and has a similar increase in visitors, it would create $181 million in new spending and 1,500 new jobs. It's good for business and good for the economy.
Finally, it would strengthen America's national security by improving how we protect our borders. To participate in the visa waiver program, countries must agree to stronger passport controls, border security, and cooperation with American law enforcement--making it harder for terrorists to use these countries as entry points to the United States.
This legislation reinforces the program as an important component of national security by placing member countries on probation if any of the VWP requirements are not met and requiring a country's removal if it does not fulfill its requirements within two years.
The legislation also reinstates the Secretary of Homeland Security's Waiver Authority and a new cap on visa refusal rates will be set at no more than 10 percent, allowing the Secretary to recognize those nations that have met U.S. concerns on passport security, law enforcement cooperation, and border security. By admitting countries that have greater security standards for their travelers, the State Department can focus its limited consular resources on higher risk nations.
Poland has long been a friend to the United States, sending two of its finest heroes, Kosciusko and Pulaski, to fight in the Revolutionary War for America's freedom. In recent years, Poland has stood besides the United States in the aftermath of September 11, sending troops to fight alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Poland has overcome a melancholy history to become a vibrant and growing democracy. This legislation helps cement that relationship while improving America's security and creating new jobs. I look forward to working with my colleagues to secure its passage.
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