{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-supports-visa-waiver-program-reform", "Fortenberry Supports Visa Waiver Program Reform", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here to listen to an audio version of this press release.\nWashington, D.C.  Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today announced his support of reforms to the U.S. visa waiver program, joining a bipartisan group of his colleagues in cosponsoring the Visa Waiver Program Improvement & Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 (H.R. 158).\nThe visa waiver program is an important tool to invite visitors from trusted countries to America. However, it also has loopholes that could pose national security threats. The recent Paris attackers had passports that could have allowed them into the United States without the necessary vetting. Congress must determine the extent to which the program makes us vulnerable to terrorist threats and take action to reform it.\nThe Visa Waiver Program Improvement & Terrorist Travel Prevention Act is the first step in the right direction to fix loopholes and strengthen our national security. This legislation is one of a host of immigration reforms that should be undertaken.\nThe Visa Waiver Program Improvement & Terrorist Travel Prevention Act enhances national security by limiting Visa Waiver Program access for travelers who are nationals of or have recently visited countries with significant terrorist activity, including Iraq and Syria. The legislation increases security screening procedures for persons traveling to the U.S. and takes additional steps to ensure provided background information and travel documents are accurate.\nFortenberry is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-supports-visa-waiver-program-reform"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8493601344525814, "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"}