Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. House Speaker (D-CA), speaks at a weekly news conference held at the U.S. Capitol on June 24, 2021 in Washington DC.Tuesday's House approval of legislation will expedite the visa process for Afghans who have worked for NATO or the American military to travel to the U.S.The measure was passed by 366-46 votes and will now be sent to the Senate.The legislation will mean that Afghans who have worked as translators, drivers, or other positions with U.S. troops won't need to go through a medical exam in Afghanistan in order to be eligible for a special immigrant visa (SIV). They will instead be permitted to have an exam in the U.S. within thirty days of their arrival.According to May's statement, many Afghans had to travel far to receive a medical examination at one clinic in Kabul. This is dangerous, expensive, and causes a serious delay in their visa application process. The SIV process will be accelerated and Afghans will be able to get a medical exam safely if the Afghan requirement is waived.This legislation is the first in a series bipartisan bills. It aims to simplify the visa process under Afghanistan's SIV Program and protect Afghans, their families and those who are at risk of being retaliated by the Taliban. The legislation was introduced by Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-O.H.), in May."We can't allow slow bureaucracy cost Afghans who served alongside us. Every hour counts in combat or in war zones. Minutes can seem like hours and days like weeks. Crow stated Tuesday in a statement that a month can save many, many lives.Crow and other members of the Honoring our Promises Working Group introduced a separate bill earlier in the month that would increase the Afghan SIV limit by 8,000 visas. It also removes certain application requirements, such as the "credible swear statement" that requires applicants prove that they are under threat to work for the U.S. government. The House will vote on the bill as soon as possible.The U.S. Embassy in Kabul was put on lockdown earlier this month as Covid cases rise in Afghanistan. This has pushed the nation's fragile healthcare system to its limits, and hindered the visa status of thousands of Afghans who have aided the U.S. military in the conflict.Capitol Hill lawmakers have expressed concern about clearing the backlog of over 10,000 Afghan translators and their families before the U.S. troops leave the war-weary nation.
