WASHINGTON -- The Senate passed a spending bill that would require
the State Department to report regularly to Congress on the status
of visa backlogs at U.S. embassies and whether it devotes enough
resources to processing visas for "legitimate foreign tourists."
The language was added on the Senate floor by Sen. Bob Graham
(D-Fla.), who said he supports tight immigration controls "but at
the same time, we must recognize the economic importance of tourism
in this country and ensure that legitimate foreign travelers are
not penalized by an overwhelmed consular service." The bill
(S.2260) would fund the State, Commerce and Justice Departments in
fiscal 1999.