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U.S. NEWS A3
Friday 4 December 2015
House bill would tighten security of visa-free travel to US
WASHINGTON (AP) — posal may be added to the Sudan. Participating coun- oughly screen travelers, address every vulnerability
House of Representatives massive spending measure tries would be required to including checking them that might allow terrorists
leaders on Thursday un- that’s the main piece of share counterterrorism in- against Interpol databas- to carry out another at-
veiled bipartisan legislation remaining business in Con- formation with the U.S. and es, to be certain that they tack on U.S. soil, including
to tighten rules on visa-free gress this year. The bill would would be terminated from don’t have terrorist ties. vulnerabilities with our visa
travel by millions of foreign- require U.S. visitors from the the program if they fail to “For terrorists, travel docu- waiver program.” The mea-
ers to the United States in 38 “visa waiver” countries, do so. The legislation would ments are as important as sure comes on the heels of
hopes of making the U.S. including the United King- also mandate new fraud- weapons. That was certain- a more partisan proposal
less vulnerable after the dom, France, and Spain, to resistant passports with ly the case on 9/11, and that passed the House last
Paris attacks. Republicans go through stricter screen- chips containing biometric unfortunately, it holds true month that would make
are promising a vote next ing procedures and obtain information. Countries par- today,” said top bill spon- it more difficult for Syrian
week, and Democrats visas if they’ve recently ticipating in the program sor, Rep. Candice Miller. and Iraqi refugees to enter
have signed on. The pro- been in Iraq, Iran, Syria or would have to more thor- “It is imperative that we the U.S.q
Senate rejects more gun background checks after CA attack
ALAN FRAM fell five votes short of the Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington,
Associated Press 60 needed to overcome Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, to discuss gun control and related amendments to the reconciliation bill.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A opponents’ tactics aimed
polarized Senate voted at derailing it. The plan was (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Thursday against expand- strongly opposed by the
ing background checks for National Rifle Association. posal was offered as an 14 people and wounded down a proposal by Sen.
more gun purchases, re- Thursday’s renewal of the amendment to a bill oblit- 21 others. Dianne Feinstein that
jecting the proposal a day issue showed an erosion erating President Barack Earlier Thursday, the Senate would let the government
after the latest U.S. mass of support for the propos- Obama’s health care law, in mostly party-line votes bar sales to people it sus-
shooting left 14 people al in the Republican-run which he will veto. None- rejected rival proposals pects of being terrorists.
dead in California. chamber. With next year’s theless, its political signifi- that could make it harder Though she initially intro-
Thursday’s mostly party-line presidential and congres- cance was unmistakable. for people the government duced the proposal early
50-48 vote, which followed sional elections moving The vote came a day af- suspects of being terrorists this year, it received atten-
the Senate’s defeat of oth- into sight, Democrats have ter a shooting in San Ber- from purchasing firearms. tion after last month’s at-
er firearms curbs, under- hoped that support for the nardino, California, killed By 54-45, senators voted tacks in Paris.q
scored that political grid- curbs would grow, fed by a
lock over the issue remains spate of high-profile mass
formidable in Washington, slayings since 2013.
even amid a rash of highly Also feeding public anxi-
publicized U.S. shootings ety has been last month’s
and last month’s terror at- attacks in Paris, which left
tack in Paris. 130 people dead and has
The background check raised concerns about a
measure, co-authored by growing threat posed by
Sens. Joe Manchin and terrorist organizations like
Patrick Toomey was the the Islamic State group.
same proposal the Sen- The Manchin-Toomey pro-
ate rejected in early 2013, posal would require back-
just months after 20 chil- ground checks for all gun
dren and six educators purchases online and at
were shot to death at an gun shows. Currently, the
elementary school in New- checks are only required
town, Connecticut. for transactions from li-
In that roll call two years censed gun dealers.
ago in a Democratic-con- Thursday’s vote was sym-
trolled Senate, the effort bolic because the pro-
Sweeping energy bill to boost oil, gas backed by House
MATTHEW DALY natural gas exports and city are long in the rear- ence on climate change. able forms of energy such
Associated Press hasten approval of natu- view mirror, and passing Administration officials in- as solar and wind power.
WASHINGTON (AP) — De- ral gas pipelines across (the energy legislation) volved in negotiations are Rep. Frank Pallone, the
fying a White House veto public lands. It also would takes an important and pressing for a far-reaching top Democrat on the en-
threat, the Republican- advance cross-border necessary step forward,” agreement designed to ergy panel, said the 235-
controlled House on Thurs- projects such as the Key- said Rep. Fred Upton, R- put the world on a path page bill has a central
day approved a sweep- stone XL oil pipeline, which Michigan, the chairman toward reducing the car- theme that connects its
ing bill to boost U.S. energy lingered for more than of the House Energy and bon pollution blamed for many parts: “an unerring
production, lift a four-de- seven years before be- Commerce Committee global warming. devotion to the energy of
cade ban on crude oil ex- ing rejected last month by and the bill’s chief spon- Democrats criticized the the past.”
ports and modernize the President Barack Obama. sor. House bill as “backward- Nearly all the bill’s provi-
aging electric grid. The vote was 249-174. The Passage of the legisla- looking,” saying it pro- sions “favor an energy
The first major energy legis- Senate still must consider tion comes just days after motes fossil fuels such as policy dominated by fossil
lation in nearly a decade, the measure. Obama traveled to Paris oil and gas while doing fuels and unnecessary en-
the bill would also speed “The days of energy scar- for an international confer- nothing to support renew- ergy use,” Pallone said.q
