Senate Passes Iraqi Visa Program Bill. By Joanna Anderson, CQ Roll Call, 1 Oct. 2013. The Senate backed a measure late Monday to extend a special visa program for Iraqis who have helped the United States. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., received unanimous consent to pass the bill (S 1566) that would extend the authority for the United States to issue special immigrant visas to Iraqis who worked for the U.S. cause in Iraq from March 2003 and beyond. On Saturday, the House added the visa proposal to a version of a continuing resolution (H J Res 59), which continues to bounce between the chambers with a government shutdown in effect. The visa program lets the State Department issue up to 5,000 visas annually to Iraqi nationals who have worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq. It was created by a provision of a 2008 defense policy measure (PL 110-181) that lapsed Monday. The visas are given to Iraqi employees and contractors who worked for the United States for a period of one year or more, and who have experienced or are experiencing a serious threat as a consequence of that employment.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:12:04 +0000
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