Cole Supports Changes to Visa Waiver Program

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 158, the Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015. The legislation relates to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which currently has 38 participating countries and uses background information shared by those countries with the United States for screening individuals seeking entry and short-term travel to America.

The bill passed today by a vote of 407-19 and reforms VWP by making participating countries also share counterterrorism and relevant intelligence—including biometric information—about potential visitors to the United States. If deemed necessary, it gives the United States the ability to suspend country participation in VWP and deny VWP status to those who have recently traveled to high-risk countries, like Iraq and Syria.

"Without question, the American people deserve the utmost diligence in preventing acts of terrorism by visitors to the United States," said Cole. "Clearly, there are real adjustments that must be made to the Visa Waiver Program to ensure we adequately screen potentially threatening individuals and discontinue partnerships with countries not gathering or sharing critical intelligence. I am pleased that the House strengthened the requirements for partners and qualifications for participants in the Visa Waiver Program and showed that the safety of our own citizens remains the highest priority."

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