Rosen Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Visa Processing Capacity, Support International Tourism Advances Out of Committee

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen announced her bill to strengthen the State Department's visa processing capacity advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The bipartisan Expanded Consular Fellows Act would authorize the State Department to hire Consular Fellows in limited non-career appointments for eight years - an increase from the current maximum of five years.

The Consular Fellows Program recruits personnel to process visa applications for people to come to the United States for tourism, to study, or to work. Fellows also assist U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad and support efforts to address consular fraud. Extending the program's duration would allow the State Department to retain an experienced and highly trained workforce while reducing recruitment and training costs.

"Consular Fellows are critical to the efficiency of the visa application processing efforts. A smooth visa processing system enables increased international travel, bringing in a much needed economic boost to states like Nevada," said Senator Rosen. "I am proud that my bipartisan Expanded Consular Fellows Act has advanced out of committee. I'll continue fighting to boost America's tourism economy."

Senator Rosen continues to fight for Nevada's travel and tourism industry. This year, she introduced the bipartisan American Decade of Sports Act, which would direct the creation of a strategy for sports diplomacy through increased tourism to sporting events hosted in the United States. Senator Rosen also led Senate Democrats in demanding that the Trump Administration reverse a rule authorizing the State Department to conduct social media screenings of visitors because of concerns that it will harm international tourism. At the beginning of the year, Senator Rosen called for a Senate hearing on the state of American Tourism following a year of Trump's reckless economic policies.

###