John Hostettler: “This amendment establishes, Mr. Chairman, requirements that must be met by foreign governments in issuing consular…”

“This amendment establishes, Mr. Chairman, requirements that must be met by foreign governments in issuing consular identification cards in the United States and authorizes the Secretary of State to regulate the issuance of those documents. In the last 2 years, foreign governments have issued more than 1.5 million consular cards in the United States. Recent testimony by the FBI before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims, which I chair, highlights the need for such requirements. The FBI explained that the most commonly issued of these cards are vulnerable to fraud and forgery, posing both criminal threats and a potential terrorist threat. The requirements set forth in the amendment will address these flaws. It is important to note that this amendment does not address the acceptance of these documents in the United States, nor does it prohibit their issuance so long as the foreign mission complies with the requirements of the amendment. Rather, it simply extends the Secretary of State's authority under the Foreign Missions Act to regulate consulates to include their issuance of consular ID cards. Further, this amendment does not violate our responsibilities under the Vienna Convention. In light of these facts, I urge passage of the amendment.”