WASHINGTON, DC (JBANC) — The citizens of twenty-two European countries enjoy visa-free travel privileges to the United States. Notable exceptions to this policy are the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), and Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. All seven are members of both NATO and the EU. Recently, Congress took action to redress this discriminatory policy towards Eastern Europeans, but they haven't gone far enough. We need your help to make sure Congress takes the necessary steps to end discriminatory visa policies towards the citizens of these countries, including the Baltics.
Legislative Background - On May 17, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment to the Immigration Reform Act (S. 2611) to include Poland in the Visa Waiver Program for at least two years. The amendment does not apply to the Baltic countries or to other new European Union members.
Senate amendment (SA 4000), supported by Senators Santorum, Mikulski, and Frist, states that EU countries providing military (300 or more troops) and other support to U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan would qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. With this language, Poland would qualify, but not the Baltic countries, Hungary, the Czech Republic or Slovakia. This disparages the commitment and sacrifice of these other countries to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
House Baltic Caucus Co-Chair John Shimkus spoke out against the exclusion: http://jbanc.org/visa.html
The House of Representatives has already adopted its own version of the immigration bill (H.R. 4437), which does not include a visa waiver provision for Poland or any other country. A vote on the final version of the Senate bill is expected to take place as early as May 25. After the Senate passes its version, a House-Senate Conference Committee will reconcile the two bills (see list of possible conferees below).
While SA 4000 is a welcome step in the right direction, it would be appropriate to have not only Poland, but also the Baltic countries, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia included in the Visa Waiver Program. This is a window of opportunity to have these countries included.
Please urge Members of Congress to help include the Baltic countries in the Visa Waiver provision in the Immigration Reform bill.
¨ Congressional contact information is available from online sources such as: http://congress.org
¨ Other relevant contact information is on the JBANC “Baltic Links” webpage: http://jbanc.org/baltics.html
¨ Capitol switchboard, for the telephone number of your Member of Congress at: (202) 224-3121
(JBANC represents the Estonian American National Council, Inc., the American Latvian Association, Inc. and the Lithuanian American Council, Inc.)
Ask Congress to include Baltics in Visa Waiver Program (3)
Archived Articles | 26 May 2006 | JBANCEWR
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
...but why stop with the kids? Most of us adults could profit by a bit of language improvement as well.
Let's leave the question of ethnic pride aside for a moment and ask ourselves about the importance of this issue.
Are visas an impediment to visits by friends, relatives or business associates? No.
Are they an impediment to permanent "visits" by Estonian low-lifes who have become a nuisance in Estonian communities such as Lakewood? Only slightly.
Are they an impediment to the Russian underworld developing contacts and opportunities? Only slightly.
So, let's focus on what's important; such as teaching our kids to speak Estonian.
Are visas an impediment to visits by friends, relatives or business associates? No.
Are they an impediment to permanent "visits" by Estonian low-lifes who have become a nuisance in Estonian communities such as Lakewood? Only slightly.
Are they an impediment to the Russian underworld developing contacts and opportunities? Only slightly.
So, let's focus on what's important; such as teaching our kids to speak Estonian.
It is very important to realize the lengths that the EU is currently going in order to provide restriction-free travel to Russians. Very soon we will need to face the fact that Russian citizens will have almost the same rights to travel and find work in the EU as do EU citizens themselves. This is a very major concession, considering the fears many Estonians have about Russian interests in the near-abroad. But we must let our fears go by the wayside, since we are now an EU member state, and it is the EU's responsibility to ensure our protection. And if you believe this, you must be more naive than I thought you were! However, I fully understand the USA's fears about new immigrants. Baltic citizens have not proven themselves a communal body of citizens worthy of visa-free travel, because most US officials and general public continue to look upon Baltic people as Russians. I don't like this attitude and I don't think anyone else should either, and therefore I think we can wait a little longer- until such a time that the US treats Baltic people with the dignity they deserve.
Archived Articles
TRENDING
