William F. Smith: “Mr. Speaker, the Visa Waiver Pilot Program allows aliens traveling from certain designated countries to come to the…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Visa Waiver Pilot Program allows aliens traveling from certain designated countries to come to the United States as temporary visitors for business or pleasure without having to obtain the nonimmigrant visa normally required. The program authorizes the Attorney General to waive the ``B'' visa requirement for traveling aliens coming from those certain countries that have qualified. There are currently 29 countries participating in this program. Since its initial enactment as a temporary program in 1986, the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, often referred to as the VWPP, has been regularly extended by Congress. The current legislation expires on April 30. Fourteen years is a long time for a pilot program. It is time to make the VWPP permanent. H.R. 3767, the Visa Waiver Permanent Program Act, will make the visa waiver program permanent, more secure, and end the need to permanently reauthorize the program. H.R. 3767 is a bipartisan bill. It was passed unanimously by the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims and the Committee on the Judiciary. The tourism and travel industry strongly supports this legislation. Visa-free travel under the program has increased tourism in the United States from participating countries. More than 17 million visitors enter the United States under the visa waiver program each year.”