HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 31

(By Delegates Folk, Kump, Faircloth, Eldridge, Butler, Cadle, Lynch, Nelson, J., Householder, Phillips, R., Stephens, Ambler, Anderson, Andes, Armstead, Arvon, Ashley, Azinger, Barill, Barrett, Border, Campbell, Canterbury, Cooper, Diserio, Ellington, Evans, A., Evans, D., Ferns, Fleischauer, Frich, Gearheart, Hamilton, Hamrick, Hartman, Hunt, Iaquinta, Ireland, Jones, Lane, Longstreth, Manypenny, Marcum, Marshall, Miley, Miller, Moore, Morgan, Nelson, E., O'Neal, Overington, Pasdon, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, Phillips, L., Poling, M., Poore, Raines, Reynolds, Romine, Rowan, Shott, Skaff, Smith, P., Smith, R., Sobonya, Sponaugle, Staggers, Storch, Stowers, Sumner, Swartzmiller, Mr. Speaker (Mr. Thompson), Tomblin, Walker, Walters, Westfall, White, Williams, Young)

Expressing support of the House of Delegates urging Congress to enact legislation to revoke the policy of extending "trusted traveler" status under the Global Entry program to Saudi Arabian travelers.

    Whereas, The Global Entry program was launched in 2008 to expedite preapproved passengers through the airport customs and security process when they arrive in the United States; and

    Whereas, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior Prince Mohammed bin Naif and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano recently signed an agreement on arrangements relating to the implementation of a program of the “Trusted Traveler” between the two countries; and

    Whereas, According to the terms of this agreement United States Customs and Border Protection’s “Trusted Traveler” program, Global Entry, will be implemented with respect to Saudi Arabian travelers; and

    Whereas, Global Entry streamlines the screening process at airports for trusted travelers, allowing customs authorities to focus on those travelers they know less about; and

    Whereas, Only an exclusive handful of countries enjoy inclusion in the Global Entry program, including countries such as Canada, Mexico, South Korea and the Netherlands; and

    Whereas, The increased scrutiny upon air travel and air passengers is a direct consequence of the terror attacks upon the United States which took place on September 11, 2001; and

    Whereas, Fifteen of the nineteen terrorists who took part in those attacks were citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and

    Whereas, Common sense and prudent policy would dictate that the citizens of a country which provided an overwhelming majority of the personnel responsible for the most deadly attack in American history should be subject to a higher standard of scrutiny than the citizens of other realms; and

    Whereas, It appears that the United States government has given undue favor to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia with this agreement; and

    Whereas, This policy appears to us to be imprudent and unsound; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Delegates: 

    That the House of Delegates hereby strongly urges the United States Congress to enact legislation to revoke the policy of extending "trusted traveler" status under the Global Entry program to Saudi Arabian travelers; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of West Virginia's congressional delegation.