BILL REQ. #:  S-1418.1 

Read first time 02/15/13.   Referred to Committee on Trade & Economic Development.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, International visitors to the United States are spending one hundred thirty-four billion four hundred million dollars annually and supporting one million eight hundred thousand jobs; and
     WHEREAS, The number of international visitors has remained flat over the past decade; and
     WHEREAS, Visa barriers make it difficult for not only leisure travelers, but also for local businesses' international customers and employees, foreign-owned companies located in Washington, and international students; and
     WHEREAS, The United States travel association has proposed increasing international visitors through visa reforms concentrating on Brazil, China, and India that would reduce visa wait times, extend visa expiration periods, allow the use of video-conferencing technology, and increase staffing; and
     WHEREAS, With travel visa reforms, Washington has the opportunity to be a top destination for travelers from these three countries due to our geographic location and existing partnerships with Asian and South American countries;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that congress pass and the president sign legislation implementing the United States travel association's visa reform recommendations.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of State, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.