The House of Representatives passed legislation that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to strengthen the U.S. visa waiver program.

The "Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015" (H.R. 158), which Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., introduced earlier this year, received bipartisan support when the vote came on Tuesday. With 407-19, H.R. 158 passed the House and awaits the Senate to pick it up for a vote.

H.R. 158 requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consider the risk of terrorism under the electronic system for travel authorization (ESTA) when accessing a foreigner's eligibility to travel and enter the U.S. The DHS would also be tasked to report to Congress on the number of individuals who were denied eligibility to travel or have had their eligibility revoked. Further, the DHS would notify Congress about foreign governments on whether or not they are complying with sharing information, such as a passenger's identity, passport theft or less, or a citizen or national's travel patterns that "may pose a concern to U.S. security."

Although introduced by a Republican, the bill did receive bipartisan support. Democratic Latina Reps. Loretta Sanchez of California and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico co-sponsored H.R. 158.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued a statement regarding his vote in favor on the bill. Castro, a member of the House Foreign Affairs and House Armed Services Committees, said Congress has a responsibility to update the country's policies regarding national security. Acknowledging the San Bernardino shootings, Castro added that there is a need for "increased vigilance" to protect U.S. communities.

Castro said on Tuesday, "Today I joined my colleagues in the House to pass legislation that addresses potential vulnerabilities in our current Visa Waiver Program and helps prevent individuals who pose a threat to our safety from entering our borders. By strengthening our passport requirements and increasing information sharing with other Visa Waiver Program countries, we're making it more difficult for would-be terrorists to gain entry to the United States. This legislation is an important component of our nation's effort to combat terrorism and protect Americans."

Republican Latinos also supported the bill, including Florida Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

As Latin Post reported, 20 million foreign visitors are granted with visa waivers, though the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Following the Paris terror attacks in November, the Obama administration directed the DHS to modify the ESTA applications to include previous travel destination information from a VWP traveler, particularly if the individual visited a country deemed as a "terrorist safe haven." With the U.S. secretary of state, the DHS and other applicable agencies will advance reviews of the 38 countries participating in the U.S. VWP. A report will be compiled for the president, which may include if a participating country is "deficient" in areas of cooperation.

While H.R. 158 passed the House, the Senate has not indicated when it will debate and vote on the bill.

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