WASHINGTON (AP) – Top GOP lawmakers accused the Obama administration Wednesday of ignoring congressional intent and the spirit of the law in offering reassurances to Iran about new visa rules.
“There is no ambiguity,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. “The administration should follow the law as written and agreed to.”
At issue is a new law tightening visa-free travel to the U.S., enacted as part of a sprawling spending bill passed overwhelmingly by Congress last week and signed by President Barack Obama.
The legislation, a response to the Paris terror attacks, deals with the “visa waiver” program that allows the citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. without obtaining a visa. It makes a series of changes, including requiring a visa for anyone who’s visited Iraq, Syria, Iran or Sudan in the previous five years, as well as dual nationals with citizenship in any of those countries.
This could make travel back and forth to the U.S. more difficult for Iranian-Americans or for Europeans with business dealings in Iran.