Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications of the Homeland Security Committee. Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairwoman Miller for this thoughtful legislation. I rise today in support of H.R. 159. I was a proud member of the Committee on Homeland Security's task force on combatting terrorists and foreign fighter travel. The task force bipartisan report, which was a culmination of 6 months of investigative activities, contained many troubling findings related to the ease with which foreign fighters from Visa Waiver Program- participating countries could seek entry into the United States. Of the estimated 30,000 foreign fighters that we are aware of, at least 4,500 hold western passports. This is made even more alarming by the fact that 30 of the 38 Visa Waiver Programs are in Europe. I am pleased that this legislation that we are considering today takes steps to address many of the task force's findings related to this program. The bill prohibits individuals that travel to Iraq and Syria from using the program. It requires termination of a participating country for failing to screen against INTERPOL's criminal and terrorism databases. It authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to suspend participating countries when it is determined that they pose a high risk to the national security of the United States.…”