Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011

Floor Speech

FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 2010 AND 2011 -- (House of Representatives - June 10, 2009)

Mr. LYNCH. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Before I begin, Madam Chair, I would like to thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Berman for considering my amendment. I congratulate the committee for drafting a bill that, I think, will truly strengthen our Foreign Affairs profile overseas as well as strengthen our capabilities.

I rise in support of my amendment, which will direct the State Department to assess and to report to Congress on the Special Immigrant Visa Program for certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals employed by or on behalf of the United States in both Afghanistan and in Iraq.

As a member of the House Oversight Committee and as a member of its National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, I've been to Iraq and to Afghanistan on numerous occasions. I've had the pleasure of meeting with some of the brave Iraqi and Afghan workers who actually serve right beside our own men and women in uniform as interpreters, as assistants in military operations and also in the civil operations that are going on in both of those countries. It is extremely dangerous work, and they do deserve incredible recognition for taking a very difficult position in aiding our troops in their mission. They are deserving of our admiration.

There is a sad truth, however, that, in choosing to support U.S. forces in Iraq and in Afghanistan to rebuild their countries, they are also putting their lives on the line and those of their families. The insurgents in Iraq and in Afghanistan have targeted these hardworking patriots and their families in the hopes of terrorizing the local people and in discouraging cooperation.

It is because of this very real danger that Congress created the sections 1059 and 1244 Special Immigrant Visa Programs. They allow for certain Iraqis and Afghans who actually serve as translators--these are the folks who are actually protecting our young men and women in uniform as translators or as interpreters or who are otherwise employed by the U.S. or its contractors--to come to the United States to escape the targeting by these terrorists and insurgents.

I am aware that the State Department prepared a study of these programs in July 2008, but I believe it is necessary, actually, to follow up on this previous study in light of the troubling reports that I received earlier this year. I was informed by our State Department folks in Iraq and in Afghanistan and I was informed by General Ray Odierno, the commander of the United States forces in Iraq, that they are still dealing with unclear eligibility requirements, that they're having difficulty processing these Iraqis with visas and that they're facing long processing times, which has worked to the detriment of these individuals and has also hampered our effort to recruit others to take their places.

With wait times up to a year, these applicants are in constant danger while their applications are sorted out. I think we owe it to these brave men and women, who are doing the right thing, to ensure that any delays are only as long as is absolutely necessary.

Through this study, we will be able to determine the root causes of these difficulties. Then, based on the findings, Congress can act to ensure that these programs are run efficiently and effectively while protecting the applicants' lives, our national security and our men and women in uniform.

I urge my colleagues to support both this amendment and the underlying bill.

I reserve the balance of our time.

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