Legislative Activity Congress Reacts to Administration’s Implementation Plan for Changes to Visa Waiver Program On January 21, the Administration announced plans to begin implementing changes to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) included in the omnibus appropriations bill funding the government through the end of FY 2016. The VWP permits citizens from approved countries to enter … Continue Reading
The Senate was in session last week, while the House of Representatives remained in recess in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. On 16 January, Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran took effect, as did a prisoner swap. Washington’s attention then quickly shifted to an impending historic blizzard … Continue Reading
Congress approved an Omnibus spending measure and tax extenders package last Friday, its final major hurdle before adjourning for the year. The House is expected to return for the new congressional session on Tuesday, 5 January 2016, with the Senate to follow on Monday, 11 January. President Barack Obama departed Washington late Friday for his … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Set to Finalize Major Cybersecurity Information-Sharing Legislation Before adjourning for the holidays, lawmakers could move on compromise cybersecurity legislation after weeks of informal negotiations to secure final language. The measure is expected to merge three separate bills aimed at increasing information sharing between the government and businesses. Ongoing debate over several privacy … Continue Reading
Congress reconvened last Monday to work on advancing several priority measures – such as an Omnibus spending measure to fund the federal government, a tax extenders package, and the customs bill, among others – in anticipation of adjourning later this week for the year. San Bernardino Shooting The Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Changes to Visa Waiver Program, While Attention Could Soon Turn to U.S. Visa System Overall House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has scheduled a vote this week on a measure to overhaul the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which permits citizens from approved countries to enter the United States visa-free. … Continue Reading
Combating ISIL On Sunday, in his third address to the nation from the Oval Office, President Barack Obama spoke of the terrorist attack last week in San Bernardino, California, where 14 Americans were killed. He sought to address the broader threat of terrorism and how to ensure the homeland is safe from threats such as … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Returns to Potential Showdown over Refugee Resettlement, Debate of Changes to Visa Waiver Program Congress returns to Washington this week, but the brewing battle over plans to resettle Syrian refugees threatens to complicate the few days remaining before the end of the legislative session. Just before the Thanksgiving break, the House passed legislation … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity In Wake of Paris Attacks, Lawmakers Consider Domestic Risks, Impact on Visa Waiver Program Lawmakers continued to react to the November 13 attacks in Paris, voicing concerns about risks to the homeland in light of elevated terror alerts across the world, including Brussels, where law enforcement officials conducted raids late Sunday. Members also … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Administration Announces It Will Accept At Least 10,000 Additional Syrian Refugees During FY 2016 This week, the Administration announced it would accept up to 10,000 additional refugees fleeing conflict in Syria during the next fiscal year. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations, has said … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Bill Would Tighten Requirements for Visa Waiver Program A proposed House bill seeks to strengthen requirements under the visa waiver program in place for nationals from certain countries. The Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R. 158), originally introduced by Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), aims to tighten requirements under the visa … Continue Reading
