They must conceal and vary their daily routines to preserve their safety. Most do not tell their immediate family about their work. In 2006. the Defense Department authorization bill established a program that allows translators and interpreters who have worked for the U.S. military for at least 12 months to come to the U.S. on special visas. The program. as we have heard. allows up to 50 visas for Iraqi and Afghani translators each year. But since midApril of this year. 510 applications have been received. 440 have been approved. 16 denied. and 54 are pending. Under the current cap of 50 allowable applicants per year. it will take until approximately the year 2016 to admit those currently in the queue for entry into the U.S. To correct this problem. I. in partnership again with my distinguished colleague Mr. BERMAN of California. recently introduced legislation that would increase the annual limit for these visas from 50 to 500. The Senate bill before us today does exactly that for the next 2 years. I believe it is right and just to offer refuge to those who have risked their own lives to help our troops and our Nation.