Buddy Carter, U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia First District

WASHINGTON — The House passed legislation this week with my support to close security gaps in the Visa Waiver Program to combat terrorist travel. ISIS and other terrorist organizations are looking for any opportunity to exploit the hospitality of a nation to cause devastating harm and the security gaps in the Visa Waiver Program are yet another opportunity for them to infiltrate our homeland.

The Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Protection Act gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to suspend a country’s participation in the program if they fail to share counterterrorism information with the US, denies Visa Waiver Program status to citizens from participating countries that have traveled to certain terrorist hotspots, and requires all Visa Waiver Program countries to use fraud resistant e-passports.

The largest convergence of jihadists in world history is happening right now in Syria and Iraq and many hold Western passports allowing them to get into the United States without a visa. We must act immediately to close this dangerous loophole to ensure terrorists are not able to hop on a plane and cross our borders.

This legislation should be signed into law as soon as possible for the safety of the American people.