Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
On September 12, 2013 Rep. Blumenauer asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding the issue of Special Immigration Visa program.
“Madam Speaker, in less than 3 weeks, the Special Immigrant Visa program expires. This is something we created to help bring people who served Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan as interpreters, guides, drivers, people who helped our soldiers, who put their lives at risk, to be able to escape to safety. Unfortunately there are people with long memories who are there seeking revenge against those who have helped us.”
“But sadly, this project has been hampered by what can only be charitably described as “bureaucratic ineptitude.” The State Department can’t even tell us how many thousands of people are in the backlog. Chairman Rogers just this week told me that an interpreter for one of his heroes is trying to seek refuge in the United States. The program will expire September 30. If we can’t help the State Department fix it, we can at least extend it in the continuing resolution so that we’ve got a chance for these people who gave so much for Americans to be able to get the refuge that they deserve”, he said (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/).
Rep Blumenauer is a member of the Budget Committee and Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittees on Health and Trade.