Nebraska Representative introduces bill to help Czech nationals enter U.S.

Congressman Don Bacon introduced a bill in the U.S. House that would make it easier for Czech Republic nationals to gain entry to the United States.

Bacon, who introduced the bill alongside Tennessee Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen, said he supports making it easier for people from allied countries to enter the U.S. for trade purposes.

“I’m pro-NATO, and I think countries that are our closest allies should be able to travel here easier,” he said. “Why should we put all these visa requirements on our Czech ally, for example, a NATO ally?”

Under the legislation, residents of the Czech Republic could obtain an E-1 treaty trader visa, which allows them to stay in the United States temporarily to conduct international trade.

“Most of the NATO countries already have this visa, so why should the Czech Republic be left out?” Bacon said. “They’re good people.”

Bacon said increasing ties to the Czech Republic could also reduce reliance on technology from China and Russia by providing an additional trading partner.

According to the U.S. Census 2022 American Community Survey, nearly 4% of Nebraska’s population is Czech American, more than double the percentage of any other U.S. state.

The Nebraska National Guard also has a state partnership program with the Czech Republic where military units conduct training exercises together.

Bacon said his bill would easily pass if it makes it to the House floor, but it has to compete with thousands of other bills in Washington for the chance to be voted on.

“There’s thousands of bills in the hopper, right? So, it’s just a matter of educating people, ‘Hey, I got this bill. There’s no downside. Let’s pass it,’” he said.