House passes legislation to tighten visa waiver restrictions with strong majority

US House of Representatives on 8 December 2015 passed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015.

The House approved the bill in an overwhelming 407-19 vote, with strong support from both parties.

“We must ensure that the Visa Waiver Program doesn’t turn into an easy entrance fast-track for foreign nationals who wish to harm us”, said Rep. Billy Long, (R) Missouri-7th District. They will have to go through the usual process of applying for a visa through a consulate or embassy if they want to go to the U.S. Visas would also be required from people who have visited Sudan and Iran. It’s a rare area of bipartisan agreement after the Obama administration’s fury when the House passed legislation last month cracking down on the Syrian refugee program in the immediate aftermath of the Paris attacks.

“As we make it harder for certain people to take advantage of the program, there are people who are going to be deterred from travelling here, and not necessarily terrorists, but travellers”, he says.

The US Travel Association backed the House bill, rather than a Senate proposal from Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Republican Jeff Flake that would also require the collection of biometric data. However, US President Barack Obama has promised to veto that.

“This legislation will help close gaping security gaps and improve our ability to stop risky individuals before they reach our shores”, said Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

The program allows citizens of those countries, which includes most of Europe as well as Pacific Rim countries like Australia and Japan, to visit the U.S. for 90 days without a visa.

The bill also requires countries to report lost or stolen passports to the United States within 24 hours of receiving notification of that that loss or theft. Countries within the visa waiver program would even be required to share counterterror info with the USA …

Applicants must give at least one in-person interview, fingerprints, be checked against USA terrorist watch lists and have their family members and travel and work histories reviewed.

“There are a lot of things that we can do to make it work better, and I would support that”, Session said, adding that “fundamentally I don’t know that any program is going to catch terrorists completely”.

The travel industry supports Miller’s bill, saying it strikes a balance that allows a successful program to continue.

Congressman Tim Walberg: “It is common sense to prioritize the safety of the American people and increase our defenses against the threat of terrorism”.