WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Rick Scott (R-FL) applauded the announcement of Israel’s inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program following their bipartisan push. The Visa Waiver Program allows individuals from participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
“Israel is one of America’s closest allies and an important trading partner. By adding Israel to the Visa Waiver Program, we’ll strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and help increase tourism and business travel to the United States,” said Senator Rosen. “I was proud to lead the bipartisan push to get this done, and I’ll continue working across the aisle to strengthen ties between our two nations.”
“Today’s announcement of Israel’s admittance into the Visa Waiver Program is great news and the product of months of strong, bipartisan support for Israel in Congress,” said Senator Scott. “I have been proud to work alongside Senator Jacky Rosen to urge the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security to take this action, which further strengthens the bond between the United States and our great ally, Israel, through increased tourism and business travel. Every step toward increased partnership between the American and Israeli people only reinforces the special relationship between our nations. I look forward to seeing the positive cultural and economic outcomes this development will bring.”
Since 2021, Senators Rosen and Scott have been working to include Israel in the Visa Waiver Program, having sent multiple letters calling on the Biden Administration to admit the country into the program, including most recently in a June 2023 letter signed by a bipartisan group of 65 Senators. Senator Rosen, a co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, has been a strong supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship and continues to find ways to strengthen bilateral ties. Recently, Senator Rosen helped introduce the bipartisan Regional Integration and Normalization Act to bolster efforts to normalize relations between Israel and U.S. partners in the Middle East and beyond.
###
