Federal lawmakers are set to vote on legislation that would tighten security standards for a program that has allowed millions of people to visit the U.S., but some groups are cautioning against overreacting to fears that terrorists may use the program to gain entry into the country.

The visa waiver program allows citizens of 38 countries to spend up to 90 days in U.S. without a visa. Some 20 million visitors traveled to the U.S. using the program last year alone, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy, according to the Global Business Travel Association.

Critics see the waiver program as opening a backdoor to terrorists wanting to enter the U.S. In his address to the nation Sunday, President Barack Obama said that one of the two shooters in the San Bernardino massacre entered the country through the program, although the White House later clarified that he had been incorrect and the shooter arrived on a fiancée visa.

The correction was welcome news to GBTA Executive Director Mike McCormick, who in a blog post Tuesday called the visa waiver program an essential part in protecting the nation since it allows government officials to focus their resources on more serious threats.

At the same time, he reiterated that GBTA supports new restrictions for individuals who have recently traveled to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan.

"With the program, we can effectively vet millions of visitors to our country a year," he said. "Without it, travel would grind to a halt, which would do nothing to make us more secure and would harm our nation's economy." http://bit.ly/1HSZg9a

Not all groups agree with GBTA. The American Immigration Lawyers Association urged lawmakers to reject the bill, saying it unfairly targets individuals of Iraqi or Syrian descent.

"As written, the bill could result in discrimination that will exclude people without consideration of legitimate risk factors," AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis said. "For instance, a child who has never been to Syria, but was born in France to Syrian parents, would be ineligible for the (program)." http://bit.ly/1lrOGw6

The U.S. Travel Association has expressed support for reforming the program in the past, but it had not issued any new statements about the current form of the bill as of Tuesday. The group also has criticized a separate plan by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to issue a moratorium on issuing visas to citizens from countries with a "significant jihadist movement."

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