Details of Senate-Passed Bill to Implement the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission (Part III - Final - WHTI, Etc.)
On March 13, 2007, the Senate amended and passed S. 4, the "Improving America's Security by Implementing Unfinished Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007," by a vote of 60-38.
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(Although the Senate has passed S. 4, it is not in effect. Generally, in order for a bill to be implemented, identical versions of that bill must be passed by both the House and Senate and then the bill must be approved (enacted) by the President. On January 9, 2007 the House passed its own version of a bill to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission (H.R. 1), which is different from the Senate-passed bill.
See ITT's Online Archives or 03/16/07 news, 07031610, for BP summary of the Senate's passage of S. 4. See ITT's Online Archives or 01/11/07 news, 07011110, for BP summary of House-passed H.R. 1.)
This is Part III, the final partof a multipart series of summaries of S. 4, and highlights provisions regarding analysis of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the modernization and expansion of the Visa Waiver Program, and adding additional CBP officers to ports with high volumes of foreign visitors.
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, PASS Card
According to S. 4, the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) would be required to complete a cost-benefit analysis of the WHTI authorized under 8 USC 1185. The Secretary would also be required to conduct a study of the mechanisms by which the execution fee for a PASS Card could be reduced, considering the potential increase in the number of applicants.
(WHTI provides $252.5 million to support and implement a system requiring western hemisphere travelers to present a passport or equivalent documentation when entering the U.S. at 225 inbound lanes at ports of entry, covering 68% of land border arrivals.
The PASS Card, also referred to as a passport card, is being developed by the State Department to serve as a lower cost means of establishing identity for U.S. citizens when crossing U.S. land borders and traveling by sea between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.)
Additional CBP Officers at Airports with High Volumes of Foreign Visitors
The Secretary would be required to establish a "model ports-of-entry" program, initially at the 20 U.S. airports with the greatest number of arriving foreign visitors, in order to provide a more efficient, welcoming, and secure international arrival process.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary would also be required to employ by the end of fiscal year 2008, at least 200 Customs and Border Protection officers to assist at the 20 U.S. airports with highest foreign visitor volume.
Modernization and Expansion of the Visa Waiver Program
According to S. 4, it is the sense of Congress that the U.S. should modernize the Visa Waiver Program by enhancing security requirements and extending visa-free travel privileges to nationals of foreign countries that are allies in the war on terrorism.
S. 4 would also amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary to certify to Congress when an air exit system is in place that can verify the departure of not less than 97% of foreign nationals that exit through airports of the U.S
In addition, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, would be authorized to develop and implement a fully-automated electronic travel authorization system in which each alien traveling under the Visa Waiver Program would be required to electronically submit basic biographical data. Data collected in this system would be used by the Secretary to determine eligibility of an alien to travel to the U.S. under the program. The Secretary would also be required to issue regulations providing for possible fees as well as a period of eligibility to travel under the program, not to exceed 3 years.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 12/07/06 news, 06120799 6, for BP summary of the Visa Waiver Program fact sheet. See ITT's Online Archives or 02/12/07 news, 07021210, for BP summary of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
See ITT's Online Archives or 12/21/06 and 11/02/06 news, 06122130 and 06110210, for BP summary of the State Department's proposed PASS Card.
See ITT's Online Archives or 04/30/07 and 05/01/07 news, 07043005 and 07050110, for Parts I and II of this series of BP summaries.)
S. 4 is available by query at http://thomas.loc.gov