Speech #1050119655

Chairman. I yieli myself such time as I may consure. I would like to make tim poin. that today we have a very rare allganent. where we have the JusUce Department. the State Department. the administration as a whole. as well as the full committee chairman of the committee of jurisdiction and the subcommittee chairman of the subcommittee of jurisdiction all In favor of this bill. but all opposed to any weakening amendments that woul expand this program to Include any other country. and the reason for ihisl blparlisan alignment that would oppose any weakening amendments is simply because of nor very. very serious concerti that expanding the program would lead to a dramatic Increase In illegal immigration to America. Mr. Chairman. what I would like Co do is to read Into the RECOnD tile staLtement of administration policy that we just received yesterday. These are diretl quots. "The administration would oppose any changes to the Current program riteria used to determine country particlpatlon In tie Visa Waiver Program. The current prograin crteria are objective. noncountlyspenific. and hel) to maintain the security andlaw enforcement Interests of tile United States." From ALorney General .]anet Ieno we have a letter that. says. "1 ask you to join me in supporting pending legislation that will extend the Visa Waiver Program for 2 years In Its current form. that Is. without amendments." We have another letter from tile Department of Justitce saying that. "ie Department also endorses .ie rouommendatlon that the quallfltttion criteria for designating countries to p.trticipate li the Visa Waiver Program not be changed at l.hl1 tim. And a letter from tile State Department says. "As laid out in existing law. the criteria for participating in the program. which are objective and not country specific. have worked out extrmely well. The established requirements have ensurd that only lowfraud. lowrisk countries have boon dlmignatei as participants." Mr. Chairman. I have Lo admit .hat at some times in the past the administration has. in fact. politicized the linmigration policy. But today we see min administration willing to take a principled stand. willing to stand for and proiert. tile Integrity of the immigration process by supporting this extonsion without any weakening amendments to luclude any other countries. Mr. Chairman. I think that we should compliment the administration for their stLand and support. their recomm ndaloli. as well its Clio recommondation of mulny of us who are concerned nbout Increased Illegal fillmigration in America. were we to bring any other countries into thl Visa Waiver Program. until we have addiLionel dal. Mr. Chairman.