{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4847", "Case Opposes Onerous Additional Information Requirements For Visas To Visit The U.S.", "2026-03-09", "2026", "2026-03", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=1", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Homeland Security with funding and oversight jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is opposing a proposed DHS rule which would impose onerous additional data collection requirements on residents of various countries including our allies and partners applying for visas to travel to the United States.\n\n\u201cThese additional requirements represent a fundamental shift in the entry process for lawful travelers to our country,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThey would have the effect of chilling a broad range of travel to our country with indiscriminate blanket requirements that would unnecessarily harm key international-travel-related industries such as travel and tourism, education, and trade, especially with our closest allies and partners.\u201d\n\nIn his letter to soon-exiting Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney S. Scott (see attached), Case explained that \u201cwhile security enhancements are important, the breadth of these requirements risks creating a perception of complexity, intrusiveness and unpredictability,\u201d and \u201crisks imposing unnecessary burdens on lawful international travelers [which] could have disproportionate economic consequences for the State of Hawai\u2018i.\u201d\n\nCurrently, travelers applying for visas from countries designated for participation in the Visa Waiver Program (Program), which eases travel requirements from allies and partners with no significant security or overstay risks, use the Arrival and Departure Record (Form I-94) and the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to enter the United States. Under the proposed rule, these applicants would also have to disclose five years of social media data, extensive historical contact information, detailed biographical information about family members and expanded biometric identifiers.\n\nIf adopted, the proposed rule would affect travelers from 42 countries listed in the Program, including Japan and the Republic of Korea (full list here).\n\n\u201cTravel and tourism is and will remain Hawaii\u2019s primary economic driver,\u201d said Case. \u201cBecause of our geographic isolation and limited economic diversification, lawful domestic and international travel is foundational to our fiscal stability, workforce participation and small business ecosystem. In 2025, Hawai\u2018i welcomed approximately 9.6 million visitors and Honolulu\u2019s industry and visitor spending generated $12 billion in economic activity, supported 64,000 jobs and contributed $1.9 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue.\n\n\u201cInternational travel remains an important component of Hawaii\u2019s visitor industry. While overall visitor spending has increased, key international markets remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels. As Hawai\u2018i continues its recovery and works to rebuild these relationships, maintaining a predictable and efficient entry process for lawful travelers is critical to supporting jobs, small businesses and public revenues across our islands. The last thing we need now is unnecessarily restrictive travel requirements that send international travelers elsewhere with no return on our national security.\u201d\n\nCase urged DHS to \u201creconsider and revise this proposal to ensure that enhanced security measures are narrowly tailored and do not unintentionally deter lawful travel. I further request meaningful consultation with Hawaii\u2019s state and local leaders, hospitality industry representatives and economic stakeholders before finalizing any changes to ESTA or I-94 requirements.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4847"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8749659173190594, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}