U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on a bipartisan group of senators calling on the Biden administration to take further action to lower interview wait times for first-time visitor visa applicants:

“The U.S. travel industry deeply appreciates the work of Senators Klobuchar, Cornyn, Booker, Moran, Rosen and Sullivan to drive progress at the State Department to reduce excessive visitor visa wait times.

“While State has made strides in recent weeks, more work is needed to shorten wait times and welcome international visitors—which will help rebalance our trade deficit and fuel sound economic growth.”