STAND

STAND. COM. REP. 878

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.C.R. No. 22

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 22 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO RELAX RESTRICTIONS ON THE GRANTING OF NONIMMIGRANT VISAS TO NATIONALS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUSINESS, TOURISM, AND STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the United States Department of Homeland Security to relax restrictions on the granting of nonimmigrant visas to nationals of the People's Republic of China for the purpose of business, tourism, and study in the United States.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Hawaii Tourism Authority testified in support of this concurrent resolution.

Your Committee believes that if travel between Hawaii and China were made easier through the relaxation of nonimmigrant visas to nationals of the People's Republic of China, the State's efforts to increase business and tourist travel to Hawaii would be enhanced.

Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

(1) Changing the title to read, "STRONGLY urging the United States Department of Homeland Security to consider proposals that are consistent with the United States' national interests and are responsive to homeland security concerns to relax the restrictions on the granting of nonimmigrant visas to nationals of the people's republic of china for the purpose of business, tourism, and study in the united States";

(2) Providing that the United States Department of Homeland Security is strongly urged to consider proposals that are consistent with the United States' national interests and are responsive to homeland security concerns; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 22, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 22, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs,

		____________________________ HELÉNE H. HALE, Chair