President. I desire to make a statement with reference to the bill. The bill is designed to strengthen the administration of the laws relating to the issuance of visas and passports in the interest of the internal security of the United States. To this end the bill establishes in the Department of State a Bureau of Passports and Visas to be headed by a director with rank and compensation not less than that of an Assistant Secretary of State. The director would be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Under the present practice the Visa Division is frequently overruled by other Divisions of the State Department in cases in which the Visa Division has disapproved visas on security grounds. Moreover. the Visa Division and the Passport Division do not under the present practice have direct liaison with the intelligence agencies. The bill provides. among other things. that the director shall have authority to maintain direct and continuous liaison with the directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Central Intelligence Agency. and other internalsecurity officers of the Government for the purpose of obtaining and exchanging information in enforcing the provisions of the act.
Keywords matched
Visas visas Visa