AND Illinois. Mr. SIMON. introduced S. 825. a bill to provide visa waivers for nonimmigrant tourists from certain countries. We undertook this effort with the full recognition that Congressman ROMANO MAZZOLI and Senator SIMPSON intended to reintroduce the legislation before us today. Our objective in promoting visa waiver was not to detract in any way from the unyielding and devoted efforts of the distinguished Senator from Wyoming. Our objective was to provide additional momentum to help bring the Congress to grips with this very important issue. Today. we reaffirm our support for immigration reform legislation including visa waiver. and urge that when this bill goes to conference with the House of Representatives. every effort be made to retain visa waiver. With trade deficits running at such a high level. the United States must do everything it can to bolster its exports. Inbound foreign travelers represent the second largest export for the United States. In fact it is estimated that as many as 400.000 additional visitors from abroad would gladly respond to the aggressive marketing appeals of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration and Americas travel destinations were it not for the difficulties they face in obtaining nonimmigrant tourist visas. Through the cooperative efforts of the Senator from Wyoming the Congress can help alleviate this problem. The Senator from Virginia applauds the efforts and the leadership of the chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee. and is grateful to the Senator from South Dakota and others for their unyielding support of the visa waiver provisions of this bill. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that my statement which appeared in the RECORD on March 18 of this year regarding visa waiver be printed at this point in todays proceedings.
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Immigration immigration visas visa