The US House of Representatives on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to tighten restrictions on travel to the US by citizens of 38 nations who are allowed to enter the country without obtaining a visa.
The bill, the second major piece of security legislation approved in the chamber in response to the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, passed by 407 to 19.
The measure would require visitors from the visa-waiver countries, which include much of western Europe, to obtain a visa to travel to the US if they had been to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan during the past five years.
Photo: AFP
The measure would also require countries participating in the program to share information with US authorities about suspected terrorists or risk being suspended from the scheme.
“This legislation will help close gaping security gaps and improve our ability to stop dangerous individuals before they reach our shores,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said.
Twenty million visitors per year enter the US under the program, which allows them to stay 90 days. It was started in 1986 to boost tourism and tighten the country’s relationship with its close allies.
US Congress has been focused on visa waivers since Paris because some of the militants behind the attacks were Europeans radicalized after visiting Syria.
The US Travel Association backed the House bill, rather than a Senate proposal from Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein and Republican Senator Jeff Flake that would also require the collection of biometric data. The industry group said that could discourage legitimate travelers from visiting the country.
Backing for the other security bill passed in the House, tightening screening of refugees from Syria and Iraq, was far more partisan. Just 47 Democrats joined 242 Republicans who voted for it and President Barack Obama, a Democrat, promised a veto.
Debate about border controls has grown more acrimonious since last week’s attacks in San Bernardino, California, by a Muslim couple.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump proposed banning Muslims from entering the US, remarks that drew international condemnation.
The Senate has not scheduled a vote on either measure. Both could be included in a trillion-dollar spending bill that Congress must pass in the next few days in order to keep the government open.
Obama called on Congress to tighten the visa-waiver program in a national security speech to the nation on Sunday night.
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