{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=8E802A77-C276-4776-BB74-9B3686439E84", "A Bipartisan Bill Tightens Visa Waiver Program", "2015-12-09", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KELOLAND \r\n\tKeeping the United States safe from terrorists has been on many people's minds following recent attacks.The topic is a big one on Capitol Hill as well with the US House even passing a bill to add to the nation's security.\r\n\r\nThe bill had bipartisan support, and passed through the house by a vote of 407 to 19. It adds new restrictions on a visa waiver program that currently allows 20 million people into the country every year.\r\nAfter the attacks in Paris, and closer to home in San Bernardino, California, lawmakers across the country want to keep people safe. The new House bill doesn't allow Syrian and Iraqi nationals, as well as passport holders who have traveled to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan since March, 2011, to use the visa waiver program. US Representative Kristi Noem is happy with the legislation.\r\n\"Make sure the people traveling into the United States from other countries that have been terrorist hotspots or traveling through there are not able to come without a vetting process,\" Noem said.\r\nThe visa waiver program was launched in the 1980's to bring more tourists to America. Currently there are 38 countries that take part in the waiver program. This new bill would authorize the Department of Homeland Security to terminate any country's participation if it doesn't communicate with the US.\r\n\"It will also allow us to share information with other countries which help the process go much smoother,\" Noem said.\r\nLast month, the House approved a more controversial bill. That measure added new restrictions on accepting refugees from Syria and Iraq. This new bill isn't as strict, but Noem believes it still takes the right steps.\r\n\"It's critically important that we make sure that if there has been that kind of travel abroad that we do background checks and we make sure that we know who is coming into the United States in order to keep us safe,\" Noem said.\r\nThe people who used to be able to use a visa waiver program that would no longer be eligible would have to go through traditional visa approval process. That requires an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.", 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://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=8E802A77-C276-4776-BB74-9B3686439E84"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1188089847564697, "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"}