Shaheen: Ending Afghan Visa Program "Would Be a Stain on Our National Honor"

This afternoon, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging Congress to extend the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program which is expected to run out of visas by early January. The Afghan SIV program allows Afghans who faithfully supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and are under threat because of their service to apply for refuge in the United States. In the past few years, the SIV program has been sustained through the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but this year the Senate failed to adopt language offered by Sen. Shaheen to extend the program and authorize additional visas. Senator Shaheen and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) are leading efforts to find a legislative solution to extend the program and providing additional visas.