Speech #1050119653

Mr. Chairman. I rise in supped of this bipartisan amendment. which would broaden the visa waiver pilot program to mhke tourists from Portugal and Greece olgible to paricipate on equal terms with their European neighbors. Those two countries are presently the only members of the European Union who do nol beneit from this program. and it is high timo that Congress corrocted that inequity. There is only one fair jusltication (or excluding these or any other countries trom the waiver program: namely. where there Is a high rate of abuse. Yet there is no evidence that visitors from Portugal are any likelier than olhers to overstay Iheir welcome in the ijnited States once their visas have expired. In fact. the ovidance refutes any suggestion that ihoro has been an Increase In Illegal Immigration from Portugal In recent years. Yet the continued exclusion of these countries from the pilot waiver program creates a hardship for the many visitors who wish to come 1o this country and enhance our local economies. 1i creates a hardship for the many families in this country with relatives in Portugal who seek to travel here to see them. Many of those families aro from soulheastern Massachusetts. whore the Podugoso.