广播电视英语短句 第 14 课：减少签证拖延-2

The United States strengthened its visa requirements after the terrorist attacks in two thousand one. 在2001年遭恐怖分子袭击后，美国对它申请人的签证要求更加严格了。

But the Visas Mantis program already existed by then. 但是“签证螳螂检查机制”项目在那时就已存在了。

The State Department combined several programs dating to the Cold War into the current program in nineteen ninety-eight. 在1998年，美国国务院把冷战时期用过的几个项目联合运用到现代措施中。

There have been delays before. Officials said the average processing time in October of two thousand three was seventy-five days. 以前也存在过签证拖延的现象。官方说，2003年10月平均的申请处理时间是75天。

The wait was cut to fifteen days under pressure from Congress. 在国会的压力下，等待期被缩减到了15天。