Visa Waiver Program Compliance Amendments of 2004

Visa Waiver Program Compliance Amendments of 2004 - Amends the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act to extend to November 30, 2006: (1) the date on or after which visa waiver program participants must comply with technology standards requiring machine-readable, tamper-resistant passports that include biometric and document authentication identifiers; and (2) the deadline for the Secretary of Homeland Security to install equipment to read such passports at all U.S. ports of entry.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2324 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2324

   To extend the deadline on the use of technology standards for the 
                 passports of visa waiver participants.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 20, 2004

  Mr. Chambliss (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Lugar, Mr. 
  Inouye, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Graham of Florida, Mr. Craig, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
Hagel, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Talent, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Brownback) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To extend the deadline on the use of technology standards for the 
                 passports of visa waiver participants.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Visa Waiver Program Compliance 
Amendments of 2004''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR USE OF TECHNOLOGY STANDARD.

    Section 303(c)(2) of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 
Reform Act (8 U.S.C. 1732(c)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Use of technology standard.--On and after November 
        30, 2006, any alien applying for admission under the visa 
        waiver program established in accordance with section 217 of 
        the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187) shall 
        present a passport that meets the requirements of paragraph 
        (1), unless the alien's passport was issued prior to that 
        date.''.

SEC. 3. CHANGE TO REQUIREMENT FOR READERS AND SCANNERS AT PORTS OF 
              ENTRY.

    Section 303(b)(2)(A) of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 
Reform Act (8 U.S.C. 1732(b)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than October 26, 2004, 
                the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation 
                with the Secretary of State, shall install at all ports 
                of entry of the United States, equipment and software 
                to allow biometric comparison and authentication of all 
                United States visas and other travel and entry 
                documents issued to aliens. Not later than November 30, 
                2006, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
                consultation with the Secretary of State, shall install 
                at all ports of entry of the United States, equipment 
                and software to allow biometric comparison and 
                authentication of passports issued pursuant to 
                subsection (c)(1).''.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1732) is amended by striking ``Attorney General'' each 
place that term appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
Security''.
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