BILL ANALYSIS Ó
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AJR 22|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AJR 22
Author: Gorell (R)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 8/5/13 (Consent) - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : The federal Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution calls upon the United States Congress
and the President's administration to expedite actions at the
United States Department of State to process the visa
applications of Afghan allies who have been identified and
vetted by the United States military or other agencies as having
risked their lives by supporting and working for United States
troops overseas, and to expand the number of visas offered to
our Afghans allies.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1.Thousands of Californians served in uniform in the war in
Afghanistan.
2.Countless local Afghan nationals provided trusted and
life-saving support to Americans and their allies in
Afghanistan as interpreters, advisors, liaisons, and other
functionaries.
CONTINUED
AJR 22
Page
2
3.More than 8,000 Afghani interpreters worked for the United
States during the conflict, risking the lives of their
families and themselves to assist American troops and the
United States government.
4.It was recently pointed out in the New York Times that with
United States Armed Forces currently withdrawing from
Afghanistan, many of the local nationals who provided support
to American forces are now the target of Taliban and other
insurgent attacks. In February 2013, two interpreters were
gunned down in Logar Province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan.
In December 2012, an interpreter working in Jalalabad was
singled out while heading home on leave, and Taliban
assailants killed his two brothers in the attack.
5.The United Nations has reported that casualties resulting from
targeted killings of civilians by antigovernment elements
increased by 53% in the first six months of 2012, in
comparison to the corresponding period in 2011.
6.The federal Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 authorizes
the issuance of up to 1,500 special immigrant visas (SIVs)
annually through the 2013 fiscal year to Afghan nationals who
have worked for or on behalf of the United States Government
in Afghanistan and who find their lives in danger as a
consequence of their employment.
7.Although 7,500 SIVs were intended to be issued by the federal
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, only about 1,000 have
been issued to date, and as of last fall, there was a backlog
of more than 5,000 applicants waiting to begin the process.
This delay further risks the lives of important, dedicated
allies who have already risked their lives in the call of duty
to our soldiers and our country
8.There are significant differences between the visa programs
created for Iraq and Afghanistan. While the Iraq program
allowed for up to 25,000 visas, the Afghan Allies Protection
Act of 2009 only makes 7,500 visas available. Additionally,
the Afghan visa program limits family members to only a spouse
and dependent children under 21 years of age, while the Iraq
program allowed for parents, siblings, and all children.
CONTINUED
AJR 22
Page
3
9.The Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 presents the
opportunity to save the lives of Afghans who saved the lives
of Americans and to maintain our commitment to these important
allies who are in harm's way.
This resolution calls upon the United States Congress and the
President's administration to expedite actions at the United
States Department of State to process the visa applications of
our Afghan allies who have been identified and vetted by the
United States military or other agencies as having risked their
lives by supporting and working for United States troops
overseas, and to expand the number of visas offered to our
Afghan allies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 8/5/13
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon,
Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley, Dahle, Daly,
Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Beth Gaines,
Garcia, Gatto, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman,
Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder,
Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez,
Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande,
Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk-Silva,
Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber,
Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bonta, Gomez, Hall, Holden, Quirk, Vacancy,
Vacancy
AL:ej 8/14/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
**** END ****
CONTINUED