{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s542-114/featured_counterterrorism-border-security-enhancement-act-1454547891.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s542-114/featured_large_counterterrorism-border-security-enhancement-act-1454547891.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/s542-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-02-24","title_override":"Keeping ISIS Out: Should the U.S. Tighten up the Visa Waiver Program?","summary_override":"

This bill would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to re-evaluate:

Necessary border security improvements for responding to domestic threats from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Specifically how to tighten up entry procedures.
The growing participation of U.S. and European nationals in terrorist activity as foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq.

All of these assessments focus on the Visa Waiver Program, and its requirements for travelers and covered countries. The VWP allows the citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism or business. Since 2008, DHS has denied over 26,000 applications for visa waivers, some of which were due to terrorism concerns.

If passed, this bill would expand pre-travel clearance procedures and increase information-sharing requirements. Countries who don't cooperate with the new requirements would be suspended from participating in the VWP.

If the State Dept. suspects that a U.S. citizen has (or plans to) engage in terrorist acts, this bill would give them the authority to revoke and confiscate that citizen's passport.

","official_title":"A bill to enhance the homeland security of the United States, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Counterterrorism Border Security Enhancement Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Counterterrorism Border Security Enhancement Act\n\n Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an assessment (which shall focus on the visa waiver program requirements for travelers and program countries) and report to Congress regarding: (1) needed border security and entry procedures improvements in response to homeland threats from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and (2) growing participation by U.S. and European nationals as foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq and in terrorist activity.\n\nAmends the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding the visa waiver program to: (1) expand pre-travel clearance procedures; and (2) increase information-sharing requirements, including suspension of countries not fully cooperating with such requirements.\n\nDirects the Department of State to submit a plan to Congress for training consular officers on visa interviewing techniques that emphasizes counterterrorism efforts.\n\nDirects DHS, the State Department, and the Attorney ...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable. ","impact":"People who wish to use the visa waiver program to travel to the U.S., people suspected of terrorist acts, communities at U.S. borders, domestic targets of terrorist acts, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Attorney General, Congress. ","argument_for":"The visa waiver program needs more safeguards to ensure that the people coming into the country are not terrorists planning attacks against Americans. Border security needs to be bolstered anyways, but especially against terrorism on U.S. soil. ","argument_against":"Allowing people from abroad to travel to the U.S. relatively easily benefits our economy, and no matter how many barriers we try to create there will always be loopholes that terrorists can take advantage of. 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Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. ","page_title":"California Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/california/black_california-1429042049.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/california/grey_california-1429042049.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/california/white_california-1429042049.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"counterterrorism","name":"Counterterrorism","slug":"counterterrorism","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Counterterrorism . Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Counterterrorism Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/counterterrorism/black_counterterrorism-1454596599.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/counterterrorism/grey_counterterrorism-1454596599.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/counterterrorism/white_counterterrorism-1454596599.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"government","name":"Government","slug":"government","description":"Federal legislation related to the operations of the US Federal Government. 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Keeping ISIS Out: Should the U.S. Tighten up the Visa Waiver Program?