{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://higgins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/higgins-announces-house-passage-of-bill-strengthening-visa-waiver", "Higgins Announces House Passage of Bill Strengthening Visa Waiver Program", "2015-12-08", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Brian Higgins", "H001038", "higgins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26), a member of the House Committees on Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs, announced approval of H.R. 158, the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act.\nNational security is dynamic and influenced by lessons learned through experience and intelligence, said Congressman Higgins. This bill makes a number of changes that close potential gaps given the security concerns of today and utilize the latest technology to protect against threats.\nThe Visa Waiver Program currently allows citizens from 38 countries, most in Europe, to enter the U.S. for up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa, instead completing an online security screening.\nUnder this new bill:\n \nEffective April 1, 2016, travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries are required to have an electronic passport (e-passport), making it more difficult to falsify ones identity\n\tMakes those who have traveled to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan and other areas of concern ineligible for travel to the U.S. under the program\n\tCountries that do not share information on citizens traveling to the U.S. that represent a threat will be removed from the program\n\tRemoves countries that do not screen all travelers to the U.S. for unlawful activity against databases maintained by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)\n\tVisa Waiver Program countries must report stolen passports to the U.S. within 24-hours\n\tRequires a report that assesses the threat to U.S. national security of each country in the Visa Waiver Program.", 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": ["http://higgins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/higgins-announces-house-passage-of-bill-strengthening-visa-waiver"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1369120329618454, "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"}