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Rep. Schrier Supports Emergency Security Bill to Reimburse WA National Guard $7 Million, Improve Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program

July 31, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – This week Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) helped the U.S. House of Representatives pass an emergency security funding bill to reimburse National Guard troops who helped supplement security at the U.S. Capitol following the insurrection on January 6th. The Senate passed this bill earlier this week and President Biden is expected to sign it into law today.

"Our Washington National guard is just tremendous. They have helped distribute food and administer vaccines during the pandemic, they help fight wildfires, and they responded when called to do so after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th," said Rep. Schrier. "I was honored to support this emergency security bill to make sure the National Guards receives full reimbursement and can continue paying guardsmen and women and move forward with their summer drills. They do so much to support our state and Washingtonians. We need to have their back. They have ours."

The emergency security bill included $521 million to fully fund the cost of the National Guard deployment to the Capitol. Without this bill, the Washington National Guard was going to have to reduce pay and operations by over $7 million.

The emergency bill will also improve and strengthen the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. The timing of this improvement is critical as the United States withdraws troops from Afghanistan.

Rep. Schrier continued, "The safety of our Afghan partners who served alongside U.S. military personnel is in jeopardy as our troops come home from Afghanistan. That is why it was so important to urgently expand the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program by 8,000 visas and expedite the processing of these visas. Time is of the essence here. We must honor our promise and ensure their safety."