Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, detailed the reasoning behind the inclusion of S. 2362, the “Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act,” in the December Omnibus bill.
“After the horrific attacks in Paris, the committee zeroed in on other U.S. vulnerabilities, holding hearings and roundtables on the Refugee Resettlement Program and the Visa Waiver Program,” Johnson said. “The committee heard consistently that the Visa Waiver Program must be thoroughly reviewed, particularly since the known attackers in Paris were nationals of countries that are part of the program.”
Johnson said that the provision’s inclusion would strengthen the waiver program while making it harder for radicalized individuals to enter the country by legal means.
Johnson also discussed other inclusions, including S. 754, the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. The measure aims to strengthen the critical cyber infrastructure pertinent to keeping American’s financial records safe against rising internet attacks.
The cybersecurity measure would also increase transparency between private companies and the government in sharing information about known attackers and how to stop them, Johnson said.
The Omnibus bill was signed by the president in December.