I hank tih gentleman from North Carolina . for yielding to me. Mr. Chahman. today I rise to join my cullenirues on the Travel and ourlism Calucus It btretg iluppo ol Ii.It. 2578. which will extend the visa waiver pilir. program. Its well as provide for the collection of data related to the oversLay rates for visitors. Mr. Chairman. the vima waiver pilol. program deserves all of our support because it has served our country well. It In a carefully crafted program which wa. created in 191111 to allow for hasslefree travel between the country and countries offering simila privileges to U.S. citizens for periods of 90 days or less for business or pleasure. without having to obtain a visa. At a hearing before Ihe Subcommittee ott Immigratlon and Claims of the Committee on tile Judiciary. witnesses from tite Clinton administration and the travel and tourism Industry testified that the failure to extend tie visa waiver pilot program would cause disruptions in State Department operall.ns and hamper business travel and tourlsm li tIe United States. In addition. neither tihe Stale Departmint nor the INS reports a signifitant level of violations on the part of peisons entering the United States under tite current Visa Waiver Program. Mr. Chairman. the visa waiver pilot program works and continues to doserve our support. More than 46 million international ttravehrs visit. the United States every year. ptroviding a boost of $84 billion lit spending to our economy. Many of the small businesses li tite districts of my colleagues. and mine. benefit directly rom these visitors. aid lhey will feel Ilie effect of lost revnue aiid jobs if Milts program Is not renewed. li closing. I want to also mention that Iliy staff atil I for some lime now have been exploring like possibilty of extending a similar Visa Walver Prograim to the neighboring eastern Caribbean islands of my district of tite Vigin Islands. Allowing the residents of Antigua. St.
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visa Immigratlon Visa