text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Safe, Efficient, Coordinated, 
  Unified, Revitalized, Enhanced Visa Waiver Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION BY VISA 
                WAIVER PARTICIPANTS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
  establish, as part of the integrated entry and exit data system 
  required under section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
  Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1365a), an electronic 
  system through which an alien seeking to enter the United States 
  without a visa under the visa waiver program described in section 217 
  of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187) is required to 
  submit biographical information prior to embarkation.
      (b) Elements.--The electronic system required to be established 
  under subsection (a) shall satisfy the following requirements:
              (1) Electronic determination of eligibility.--The system 
          shall include a method for an electronic determination to be 
          made, and an electronic response to be provided, in 30 minutes 
          or less, as to whether or not an alien submitting information 
          as described in subsection (a) is eligible to be admitted to 
          the United States as a nonimmigrant visitor described in 
          section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
          U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(B)).
              (2) Carrier obligations.--The system shall include a method 
          for requiring--
                      (A) carriers and other corporations described in 
                  section 217(a)(5) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(5)) to 
                  inquire electronically, prior to an alien passenger's 
                  embarkation without a visa, whether the alien has been 
                  determined, using the system described in this section, 
                  to be eligible for such an admission; and
                      (B) the electronic response to such inquiry to be 
                  provided in 90 seconds or less.
              (3) Deployment.--The system shall be deployed as soon as 
          possible after the date of the enactment of this Act.
              (4) Fee.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
          establish a fee to be charged to aliens described in subsection 
          (a) that is set at a level that will ensure the recovery of the 
          full costs of establishing and operating the system.
      (c) Consultation.--In developing the system, the Secretary of 
  Homeland Security shall consult with, and allow for the system's review 
  by, a private sector group consisting of individuals with expertise in 
  travel, tourism, privacy, national security, or computer security 
  issues.
  
  SEC. 3. CHANGE TO REQUIREMENT FOR READERS AND SCANNERS AT PORTS OF 
                ENTRY.
  
      Section 303(b)(2)(A) of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 
  Reform Act (8 U.S.C. 1732(b)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
                      ``(A) In general.--Not later than October 26, 2004, 
                  the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation 
                  with the Secretary of State, shall install at all ports 
                  of entry into the United States equipment and software 
                  to allow biometric comparison and authentication of all 
                  United States visas and other travel and entry 
                  documents issued to aliens. Not later than October 26, 
                  2005, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
                  consultation with the Secretary of State, shall install 
                  at all ports of entry into the United States equipment 
                  and software to allow biometric comparison and 
                  authentication of passports issued pursuant to 
                  subsection (c)(1).''.
  
  SEC. 4. TECHNOLOGY STANDARD IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE.
  
      Section 303(c) of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 
  Reform Act (8 U.S.C. 1732(c)) is amended, in each of paragraphs (1) and 
  (2), by striking ``2004,'' and inserting ``2005,''.
  
  SEC. 5. LIMITED GOOD FAITH WAIVER.
  
      Section 303(c) of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 
  Reform Act (8 U.S.C. 1732(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 
  following:
              ``(3) Limited good faith waiver.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland 
                  Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
                  may grant not more than 2 extensions for a country, and 
                  its nationals, of the deadlines in paragraphs (1) and 
                  (2), respectively, upon a determination that the 
                  country is making substantial progress towards ensuring 
                  that the passports the country issues to its nationals 
                  satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1). Each such 
                  extension shall be for a period not exceeding 6 months.
                      ``(B) Factors.--In determining whether a country is 
                  making substantial progress under subparagraph (A), the 
                  Secretary of Homeland Security shall take into account 
                  the following factors, which shall be certified by the 
                  Secretary of State:
                              ``(i) Whether the country has made a good 
                          faith effort to satisfy the requirements of 
                          paragraph (1) not later than October 26, 2005.
                              ``(ii) Whether the country has a program 
                          designed to satisfy the requirements of 
                          paragraph (1) not later than October 26, 2006.
                              ``(iii) Whether the country has commenced a 
                          pilot program under which some number of 
                          passports that satisfy the requirements of 
                          paragraph (1) will be issued before March 26, 
                          2006.
              ``(4) Reports.--
                      ``(A) Initial.--Not later than October 26, 2005, 
                  the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation 
                  with the Secretary of State, shall issue an initial 
                  report on the status of countries' progress in meeting 
                  the requirements of paragraph (1).
                      ``(B) Final.--Not later than April 25, 2006, the 
                  Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with 
                  the Secretary of State, shall issue a final report on 
                  the status of countries' progress in meeting the 
                  requirements of paragraph (1).''.
  
  SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
  
      Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform 
  Act (8 U.S.C. 1732) is amended by striking ``Attorney General'' each 
  place that term appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
  Security''.
target: Safe, Efficient, Coordinated, Unified, Revitalized, Enhanced Visa Waiver Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish an electronic system that requires aliens seeking entry to the United States under the visa waiver program (VWP) to submit biographical information prior to embarkation. Requires such system to: (1) make electronic determinations of eligibility for admission within 30 minutes; (2) require carriers and other corporations providing transportation to inquire electronically, prior to embarkation, whether the alien has been determined eligible for admission and to respond to such inquiries within 90 seconds; and (3) be deployed as soon as possible.
  
  Requires the Secretary: (1) to charge a fee to VWP aliens that ensures the recovery of the full costs of establishing and operating the system; and (2) in developing the system, to consult with and allow for review by a private sector group consisting of experts in travel, tourism, privacy, national security, or computer security issues.
  
  Amends the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act to extend by one year: (1) the deadline for installing equipment and software at U.S. ports of entry to allow biometric comparison and authentication of machine-readable passports issued by VWP countries; and (2) the deadline for VWP aliens to present such passports.
  
  Authorizes the Secretary to grant up to two extensions of the new deadlines where the VWP country is making substantial progress toward issuing machine-readable, tamper-resistant passports that incorporate biometric and document authentication identifiers.
feat_title: To secure the visa waiver program under section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.