The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE AFGHAN ADJUSTMENT ACT
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HON. EARL BLUMENAUER
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act. This legislation would establish a pathway to permanent legal status for newly arrived Afghans displaced at the end of the 20-
year U.S. mission in Afghanistan.
Without this legislation, the tens of thousands of Afghans who were admitted to the United States under temporary humanitarian parole, including those who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan during the past 20 years, face tremendous legal uncertainty. These Afghans can only pursue permanent legal status in the United States through the asylum system or, for those who are eligible, the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Both paths have substantial backlogs, long processing times, and logistical obstacles for these individuals.
I first became involved in the cause of Afghan allies nearly 15 years ago after being contacted by a social studies class from Portland's Lincoln High School. Those discussions prompted me to work with former Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy to create the Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programs. Ever since, I have continued to work to strengthen these critical programs and provide a permanent, safe outcome for the brave men and women who risked their lives to help the United States.
Congress must keep our commitment to provide safe, legal refuge to the those who willingly put their lives on the line to support U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Following previous wartime evacuations and humanitarian crises, including the Vietnam War and the rise of Castro in Cuba, Congress has provided a legal adjustment process for those evacuated to the United States and should do so once again, without delay.
I look forward to working with my co-leads, Representatives Peter Meijer, Jerry Nadler, Adam Kinzinger, Zoe Lofgren, Mariannette Miller-
Meeks, Jason Crow, Fred Upton, and Scott Peters in the House and Senators Amy Klobuchar, Lindsey Graham, Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, Richard Blumenthal, and Lisa Murkowski in the Senate to enact this legislation and finally establish a path forward for Afghans admitted to the United States on humanitarian status.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 134
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