releases: http://roby.house.gov/press-release/house-takes-important-first-step-mitigate-risks-syrian-refugee-resettlement
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://roby.house.gov/press-release/house-takes-important-first-step-mitigate-risks-syrian-refugee-resettlement | House Takes Important First Step to Mitigate Risks of Syrian Refugee Resettlement | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | AL | Martha Roby | R000591 | roby.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. The House of Representatives took an important first step to mitigate the national security risks presented by President Obamas plan to allow as many as 10,000 Syrian refugees to resettle in the United States in 2016. H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, seeks to ensure ISIS terrorists cannot infiltrate the country through the refugee resettlement program by suspending the admission of Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the United States until the nations top security officials can certify the integrity of the background checks and are able to declare each refugee, individually, do not pose a threat to the United States. The bill halts the resettlement of any and all Syrian and Iraqi refugees until: The Director of the FBI certifies the background investigation of each refugee; and Congress receives certification from the Secretary of Homeland Security with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of theFederal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence that the refugee(s) are not athreat. U.S. Representative Roby (R-AL) supported the legislation alongside a unanimous Alabama delegation, saying the bill was an important first step toward making sure national security isnt compromised. More measures will likely be necessary to stop President Obamas plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees here, but I believe todays vote, less than a week after the Paris attacks, was an important first step. This strong, bi-partisan vote sends a clear message to President Obama that we have to take these risks seriously. Roby said President Obamas recent rhetoric about those concerned with resettlement security risks as "recruiting tools for ISISwas shameful and not helpful. President Obama's rhetoric about the Syrian refugee situation is pretty shameful and really isn't helping matters at all. He has predictably taken to attacking and belittling anyone who doesn't agree with him rather than acknowledging and dealing with the actual problem at hand. We know terrorists based in Syria and Iraq have said they would actively game the refugee resettlement process to infiltrate western countries.Common sense Americans are rightfully concerned about this, and our Commander-in-Chief ought to be as well." The bill passed by a strong bi-partisan vote of 289-137, a virtual veto-proof majority. It now goes to the Senate, where many promising proposals have languished lately, Roby acknowledged. There is no question we have had difficulty getting the Senate to pass or even vote on goodlegislationlately. But,Ibelieve the overwhelming, bi-partisan support in theHouse is a good indication of how strongly Americans feel about this.Imoptimisticthat momentum will carry into the Senate. We really cant afford to play political games with this. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |