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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt July 16, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 14 19103 temporary dip either. Ever since Janu- gia said ‘‘no’’ to the bill that was being under the visa waiver program. At first ary, their approval ratings have con- cooked up on the Senate side and could it was just a temporary program in sistently trended negative, dropping not be amended to their satisfaction. I 1986, and then it was expanded to more from 37 percent to a low of 23 percent. am proud of them for that. countries. And finally it was made per- These sorts of ratings are so low that But there is another problem, Mr. manent in about the year 2000, this visa they have even turned heads in Wash- Speaker and my colleagues, something waiver program. But we began to real- ington, where unpopularity in the polls that maybe the American people are ize maybe there was a little bit of secu- seems to be a way of life. I will submit not sufficiently aware of, and that is rity risk, and so we said, look, we want for the RECORD a chart showing the the fact that so many people come into to make sure these passports that we plummeting of the Democrat job ap- this country every year on a program are just looking at and stamping and proval. called the visa waiver program. I want letting folks come in from these so- But I am concerned about the public to repeat that because I want each and called friendly countries, that these dialogue at stake. If Congressional every one of you to remember this, the are legitimate passports, that these are leaders can’t be trusted with the basic visa waiver program. It too was started not fraudulent documents. facts and insist on creating a track back in the mid-1980s, about the time Those of my colleagues, and most of record of truth distortion and promise of the amnesty bill we were talking you are either parents or grandparents, breaking, I see it as my duty to voice about. What it does is this: it allows and you have gone through those teen- opposition. Even if I am the only one citizens from 27 countries, mostly age years yourself and with your chil- raising the alarm, I will continue to Western European, and it didn’t start dren and grandchildren, and you know call for integrity in all aspects of pub- as 27, but basically the initial coun- it is pretty darn easy to get a fake lic life, and especially in that most im- tries were the United Kingdom, Ger- driver’s license. And of course my chil- portant of arenas, communicating with many, France, some of the countries dren, adult children now, never did the American people. that are really our best friends and that. They wouldn’t do anything like The facts are important. The Amer- best allies, there is no denying that. that, Mr. Speaker. But some of their ican people deserve the respect that Without question, over the history of friends did, and they showed me how it comes with not taking liberties with our great country, we have had wonder- was done. You can go on the Internet the facts. ful friendships in Western Europe. and just take your picture and paste it So the thinking back in 1986 was we on. That is the kind of thing that is f need to not spend our time on worrying bad enough if it is a fake driver’s li- b 2100 about doing background checks and cense in this country, but when we are AMNESTY our consulates, and those are the of- talking about a fake passport, and they fices of our Department of State that are pretty easy to fraudulently pre- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under exist in all of the other countries. They pare, that is where the danger arises. the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- are part of our embassies. There are Some of the countries, the 27 coun- uary 18, 2007, the gentleman from Geor- more consulates in a country than em- tries that are participating with us in gia (Mr. GINGREY) is recognized for 60 bassies. My colleagues know what I am the visa waiver program, have reported minutes as the designee of the minor- talking about, and hopefully folks lis- that they have had literally hundreds ity leader. tening understand that you have State of passports stolen, and we don’t really Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I come Department employees in all of these keep a close record on that but we to the well this evening to talk about countries so when people come and should. We should be very worried a very, very important subject that we apply for a visa and they want to come about that, as a matter of fact. just went through some very conten- visit the United States or come over So in 2000 we said, look, here is the tious debate on, and my colleagues are here to study, or get permanent legal way we prevent passport document familiar with that, and it is the immi- resident, a so-called green card, they fraud when people are coming into this gration issue. The American people are have to go through our consulates. country under the visa waiver pro- familiar with it. And the people in the They have to fill out forms and pay an gram. It is a passport issued by Spain, great State of Georgia, the 11th Con- application fee. They are all checked to France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, gressional District that I serve, are fa- a fare-thee-well, as the old Georgia ex- Australia, and I’m not going to name miliar with it as well. pression goes, but it was decided in all 27 of the countries, but we want to And the big concern was to not do 1986, you know, for the countries where say, look, we want a digital photograph something in a, quote, ‘‘comprehensive these are our friends, they look like us that we can scan. We don’t want some way’’ that resulted in granting am- and in some instances they speak our fake overlay laminated on a passport, nesty to up to 12 million people, pos- own language, we don’t need to worry and we also want to be able to machine sibly more than that, that have over about them, and so let’s just let them read this document. the last 20 years, since 1986, the last come in without a visa. Therefore, the So, therefore, all of you countries time we granted amnesty to 3 million visa waiver program. that are participating in this program, at that time, we have not secured our Now it has been expanded to 27 coun- that is promoting business and tourism borders and because of porous borders, tries and growing. So they just show a in exchange between countries, you are it is estimated that something ap- passport. Our customs agents at our going to have to prepare your passport proaching 400,000 a year, and some are ports of entry, airports mainly, simply in that manner so we know that you turned back, obviously, but approxi- look at the passport. If the passport is have done a background check and we mately 400,000 get through. I am talk- from one of the 27 countries, they put can do a background check. We look at ing about illegal immigrants now. And a stamp on it and in the person comes. that passport. We know we have a when you do the math over 20 years, The thinking is this is good for rela- watch list, a terrorist watch list, a that is how we got to the 12 million tions with other countries and we want criminal felon watch list, so that we do that are here today. So that bill was to be on a friendly level with them. not just let them come in that minute, all about we need to have the triggers. And of course it promotes tourism. And 11⁄2 minutes that a busy custom agent I am very proud of my Senators, our certainly folks involved in the travel has at the Atlanta Hartsfield Inter- senior Senator SAXBY CHAMBLISS and industry, and maybe it is businessmen national Airport. They have to do this JOHNNY ISAKSON. JOHNNY ISAKSON who coming over for a 2-week or 2-month quickly. If you spend 10 minutes per obviously had the trigger so you period of time. Actually, under the visa passport, you are going to have some couldn’t do any of this stuff even if you waiver program, the maximum amount people outraged, and that is not ac- didn’t call it amnesty, you had to se- of time that can be spent here under ceptable. They have to be able to do cure the borders first. that program is 90 days. that quickly. In the final analysis, because of their In the year 2005, Mr. Speaker, 15 mil- We knew this back in 2000, and keep great concern, our Senators from Geor- lion people came to the United States in mind, my colleagues, I am talking VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:26 Jun 17, 2010 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR07\H16JY7.001 H16JY7 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD 19104 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 14 July 16, 2007 about a year, a year and a half before those things that the 9/11 families the things that we’ve really recognized 9/11 occurred.
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