Speech #1140064324

The people I represent dont believe we can just stand still in the wake of Paris. even if they believe the screening program is robust enough. They may be convinced of this. but they are certainly right that we cant accept the status quo. My worry over the past week is that this hyperfocus on the refugee program that has only brought in 2.000 immigrants last yearmostly women and childrenmisses the forest for the trees. The Visa Waiver Program brings in 20 million people a yearnot 2.00020 million people. It has background checks. too. but nothing like what is applied to refugees. There is a good reason for this difference. because the countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program are our alliescountries we can generally rely onbut with several of the Paris attackers bearing EU passports. making them eligible for the Visa Waiver Program. this sense of security we have had with these countries has been shattered. If we want to have a real conversation about changing our immigration laws to better protect this country. then focusing on 20 million lightly vetted visitors rather than 2.000 highly vetted visitors sounds like the better approach. There is absolutely room to make the Visa Waiver Program stronger. There are a myriad of security information sharing agreements between the United States and Europe and among countries within Europe that have not been executed. Now is the time to demand that these agreements. like the umbrella law enforcement agreement between the EU and the United States. be executed. be signed. Now is the time for both the United States and Europe to require that every EU nation modernize their protocols for uploading law enforcement and antiterrorism information onto the databases that we use to compile our nofly list. If these agreements arent signed or these protocols arent updated. then we need to consider whether an unreformed Visa Waiver Program is still in our national interests. If our goal is really to keep America safe from infiltration of terrorist groups. this reform is the most important one we can make to our immigration system. and it should bring together Republicans and Democrats. Every day that I go home to my 7yearold and my 4yearold. I am reminded that my most sacred duty here is to enact policy that keeps them safe and keeps my constituents safe.