U.S. Senators Call for Formation of White House Task Force on Global Sporting Events
The letter to President Biden urges improved visa processing and security measures
Posted On: August 14, 2024 By :United States Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), co-chairs of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, have led a bipartisan group of 19 senators in calling for President Joseph R. Biden to establish a White House Task Force on Global Sporting Events.
The letter states that in preparation for the massive sporting events scheduled to come to the country over the next decade — the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympic Summer Games and 2034 Olympic Winter Games, and the 2031 Rugby World Cup — the Task Force would oversee the preparation and securing of the games including efforts to improve international visa processing and coordinating and securing the games.
“As we just witnessed with the Paris games, international sporting events shine a huge spotlight on the host country,” said Klobuchar. “With the FIFA World Cup coming in 2026 and the Olympics and Paralympics in 2028, we have the opportunity to bolster our nation’s economy and showcase America’s global leadership. For these events to be successful, we must be prepared and ready to welcome visitors.”
There is precedence for this type of task force to be created, as in 1998 then-President Bill Clinton created the White House Task Force for the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Official federal government preparation for the 1994 FIFA World Cup began in June 1987 with Congress passing S.J. Res. 175 to provide support to meet the requirements of a host country.
“With the United States set to host multiple major international sporting events across the next decade, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Kansas City, security and visa processing must be a top priority,” said Moran. “The Biden administration should establish a White House Task Force on Global Sporting Events to make certain that fans are able to attend events without concerns of safety or travel delays.”
The letter reads, in part, “One challenge that must be an immediate and top priority is streamlining interview wait times for visitor visas. Currently, wait times for visitor visa interviews, particularly for first-time applicants, remain unacceptably high in many countries. As of June 2024, in the largest non-Visa Waiver Program countries, average interview wait times were nearly 300 days, with some locations reaching nearly two years. These wait times must be lowered in advance of these global sporting events. Consistent with the goals set by previous administrations, we encourage your Administration to target wait times of fewer than 31 days for 80 percent of applicants by the end of 2025.”
As the United States prepares to host these marquee international sporting events, the U.S. Travel Association is working with Congressional members to build a coalition within the White House to develop solutions to smooth the traveler experience, prioritize safety and bolster the nation’s economy.
“The creation of this task force is essential for our success as we enter a mega-decade of sporting events in the U.S.,” said Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive officer of U.S. Travel Association. “We look forward to working with our partners across both the public and private sector to make the most of this unmatched opportunity to showcase U.S. destinations and cement our position as the top global travel destination.”
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