House passes Syrian refugee bill: What do WA members say?
The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to approve a Republican sponsored bill to bolster screening of Syrian refugees despite a veto threat from President Obama. The bill received almost unanimous support by Republicans while 47 Democrats broke with the White House in supporting the measure.
Washington state's delegation voted along party lines. See all the votes here
The American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act proposed by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, would require "comprehensive background checks" of every refugee from Iraq or Syria, as well as certification from the nation's top security officials.
"The bill requires the nation's top security officials—the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence—to certify before admitting any Syrian or Iraqi refugee into the United States that the individual does not represent a security threat," said Rep. McCaul in a statement.
The final vote, 289-137, would be enough to override a veto threatened by the White House Wednesday.
However, the legislation could face a tougher passage in the Senate, where top Democrats have promised to block it.
Prior to the vote, the Obama Administration, calling the legislation unrealistic issued a policy paper shortly after text of the bill was released.
"This legislation would introduce unnecessary and impractical requirements that would unacceptably hamper our efforts to assist some of the most vulnerable people in the world, many of whom are victims of terrorism," said the Office of Management and Budget.
The President's comments were likely intended to influence votes of House Democrats in the Republican-controlled Congress, as the issue of Syrian refugees has sparked a political firestorm nationwide.
Where do Washington's members stand?
Congressman Adam Smith, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee issued a statement which read in part:
"As we fight terrorism, we must stay true to the values enshrined in our Constitution, remember that we are a nation of immigrants, and not let terrorist groups define or change who we are.
"The Republican Syrian Refugee bill that will be debated on the House floor would immediately shut down resettlement of refugees from the Syria and Iraq region. This rash reaction ignores the fact that all of the Paris attackers identified thus far are either French or Belgian and that many terrorist threats are homegrown. It is wrong to deny asylum to refugees on the basis of inaccurate assumptions, fear and prejudice.
We must continue to stand strong as an international community. As we face and address terrorist threats, we need to remember the phrase on the Great Seal of the United States: "E Pluribus Unum"—out of many, one. This means refugees from Syria and Iraq who are fleeing terrible conditions and persecution too. As we move forward, let us unite to use the tools at our disposal - diplomatic, military, intelligence, and development - to defeat extremism and the terrorism it breeds."
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th District)
"America has a long history of providing safe haven for many of the world's most vulnerable refugees. Yet, we must ensure that we do not allow terrorists to exploit refugee resettlement to gain entry to the United States. Our top priority must remain the safety of the American people.
"The FBI and Department of Homeland Security told Congress that they do not currently have the necessary intelligence to properly vet refugees from Syria. To protect the American people, I support legislation in the House to place a hold on any further resettlement until these determinations can be made.
"Ultimately, the Syrian refugee crisis cannot be solved through resettlement. Rather, America must lead a global coalition to address the core of this crisis: ISIS must be dismantled and Assad removed, so Syrians can live safely in their homeland.
"The first responsibility of the Federal Government is to keep the American people safe. This will continue to be my priority, and I will continue to urge the Administration to establish a broader and more effective strategy to destroy ISIS and solve the Syrian refugee crisis."
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-4th District)
"Compassion and assistance to refugees are hallmarks of our nation. The FBI, National Counterterrorism Center, and the Department of Homeland Security have all raised concerns about the ability to vet refugees. These concerns, coupled with recent terror attacks and threats to our own homeland, underscore that our first responsibility is to ensure the security of the American people. I strongly support legislation to pause the resettlement of Syrian or Iraqi refugees in the U.S. until stringent vetting processes certified by the nation's top security officials confirm that there is no threat posed to Americans."
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3rd District)
"Our compassion as a nation must go hand-in-hand with this government's paramount goal – the protection of its citizens. Given admissions by leaders from the FBI, National Counterterrorism Center and Homeland Security that the process for processing Syrian and Iraqi refugees has potential gaps, I support pausing these efforts until the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are able to certify that each potential refugee receives a thorough background check and does not pose a security threat. We must ensure that terrorists can't infiltrate the population of innocent refugees.
"Furthermore, the horrific Paris attacks and humanitarian refugee crisis underscore the need for this presidential administration to stop trying to simply contain ISIS, and formulate a comprehensive strategy to defeat it. Nothing would do more to safeguard U.S. citizens or provide relief to the millions of displaced Syrians and Iraqis."
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th District)
"Starting with my service in the Air Force Reserves, through my 33 years in law enforcement, and now as a representative, my first priority is the safety of Washingtonians and all Americans. If the U.S. is going to allow refugees into our country we must have in place strong safeguards to ensure the horrible actions that took place in France do not happen here at home. Judging by recent statements from the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center regarding their lack of adequate intelligence, I am not convinced that is the case."
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-7th District)
“I stand in strong support of Governor Inslee’s recent announcement that Washington State would welcome refugees escaping the violence and devastation in Iraq and Syria. The Governor’s courageous stand is not only morally the right thing to do as Americans, but it also follows a tradition of past Washington State governors who saw through the fear, racist rhetoric and political gamesmanship and opened Washington State’s doors to those escaping hardship and despair.
“In reflecting on the events of the past week in Paris and Beirut, I’m reminded of what Pope Francis said at the opening of a Joint Session of Congress: ‘Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility.’ There could be no more prescient or truer call to action as we work to resettle refugees from war-torn Syria. I will vote against H.R. 4038, which disingenuously pledges to keep Americans safe by effectively shuttering refugee resettlement programs. Over the years these programs have been the critical lifeline to millions of honest and hard-working refugee families seeking a better life on America’s shores. Syria’s refugees are fleeing arguably the worst atrocities we have seen in modern history. It is within our personal and social responsibility as Americans, and well within our means as a country, to welcome and protect them.”
Rep. Denny Heck (D-10th District)
“I opposed the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act which would actually make us less safe. The existing vetting and review process for every refugee seeking asylum in the U.S. currently takes a year and a half at least, and up to 2 years. To create more levels of bureaucracy and background checks to an already thorough process takes precious resources away from our agencies working to identify bad actors and credible threats within our immigration system. It has worked effectively since 9/11 and led to the admittance of 2,034 Syrian refugees out of 23,092 applicants.
Like many Americans, I am angry, scared, and downright fed up with terrorist attacks and the pain they inflict on law-abiding, loving people whose lives were cut short in the most vicious of acts. When we find out information on these killers, we naturally go towards protecting our loved ones from similar in background to those terrorists, foreigners or strangers that may pose a similar threat today or tomorrow. We could veer in that direction, towards anxiousness, paranoia and despair quickly and easily. But we can't and we won’t. To do so makes us less safe, allows these vicious people to control our emotions, play into their hands and allow them to recruit based on a falsification of America. They hate our compassion, our devotion, and our desire for a free and open society because it hurts their cause.
We are committed to our country's founding principles, to open our doors to the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to be free, to treat everyone equally under the law, and to never discriminate based on religion. And those cowardly extremists despise that. For everyone angry about the death and destruction, I hear you. I share your anger. But my heart cannot direct that anger towards endangering innocent people, many of whom are women, children, and seniors, who desperately run, swim, and escape their home countries that have been swept up in war by evil, inhumane belligerents. We are blessed every day with the most powerful military in the world, and ISIL better believe our military in coordination with the rest of the world will prevail against terror. ”
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-2nd District)
“In the aftermath of the terrible ISIL-driven attacks in Paris, some have called on the United States to shut down any effort to admit Syrian refugees. I understand the fear that people feel, and I share their concern for our national security. We must take smart, decisive action to prevent terrorist attacks on American soil.
“The U.S. should continue to show its strength by taking the fight to ISIL. Through airstrikes and support for forces in the region, including the Iraqi military and the Kurds, we have shrunk the territory ISIL has held by 20 percent to 25 percent. We have done this through working with an international coalition to conduct airstrikes against ISIL leadership, convoys and logistics operations, as well as through coordinated sharing of intelligence and other information about ISIL’s membership and activities.
“But military action only goes so far, and we should also be worried about giving ISIL the chance to say ‘I told you so.’ By shutting out Syrian refugees, ISIL can claim that Muslims are not welcome in the United States. Handing ISIL a propaganda victory like this gives them another recruiting tool, creating a serious national security concern. Fear is an understandable response to terror and violence. I hear that concern, and I am addressing it by voting against a bill that plays into ISIL’s hands.
“The process a refugee must go through to enter our country is the most stringent for any traveler seeking to cross our borders. Refugees must go through rigorous security screenings that involve the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and the Department of Defense. Only after clearing all of these departments will refugees be allowed to come to our country. Because it is so thorough, this process usually takes 18 to 24 months. And in contrast to European nations, our vetting process must be complete before a refugee can travel here.
“The Statue of Liberty is more than a tourist attraction. The icon is an important symbol of American power, and the words on the statue beckoning the world’s tired, poor, huddled masses convey what is exceptional about our country. We can live up to those words while also addressing legitimate security concerns.
“Yes, we should be concerned about the jihadist extremism that ISIL promotes, and we should take strong military action to attack it and help our allies with intelligence and other tools. We should take equally strong action to undermine ISIL’s terror by living up to American values and helping those fleeing the violence that ISIL and Syria’s government have created. We have the knowledge and vetting processes in place to welcome people who have lost their homes and are seeking the same things we all want: hope, dignity and opportunity for our families,” Larsen said.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-6th District)
“We must do everything in our power to keep Americans safe. The attack on innocent people in France going about their daily lives confirms that ISIL is a clear and direct threat. Whether it’s committing genocide against religious minorities, murdering civilians, or destabilizing the Middle East, it’s clear that ISIL wants to harm the United States and our allies.”
“To remain vigilant we need to focus on ISIL and its networks – protecting our homeland while dismantling and destroying their forces abroad. The destruction and terror in the Middle East has caused the displacement of millions. Women and children have been forced to flee to Europe or to live in refugee camps where they can apply to be resettled into the United States or another country.”
“The process for evaluating and processing refugees seeking shelter is rigorous and thorough. Each successful applicant spends more than 18-24 months being vetted by federal law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies. The careful vetting includes biometric and biographic checks, interviews by specially trained Department of Homeland Security Officers, and enhanced screening measures for Syrian refugees. Since the attacks on 9/11, we have accepted more than 750,000 refugees from places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and not a single one of them has committed an act of terrorism in the United States.
To date, more than 4 million refugees have fled Syria. Of the 23,000 who have been referred to the US for resettlement, only 2,000 have been approved for relocation to our shores. The vast majority are women, children, and seniors. Only 2 percent are military-aged men with no family.”
“The supporters of the bill we voted on today call it a pause, but the reality is that it would make it even harder for desperate women and children to find safety. What’s worse, it would divert law enforcement and intelligence assets away from those who pose the greatest threat to our security, and instead require investigations of people we know pose no risk. That concern was echoed by the Homeland Security Secretary as well as the former Adjutant General of the Washington State National Guard.
There have been moments in our history where we have let fear stand in the way of what makes our nation great. Whether it was denying entry to Jews fleeing Nazism in Europe, or the internment of Japanese Americans, those moments are correctly judged as shameful exceptions to our values.
While the attacks in Paris are terrible and it’s critical to keep all Americans safe and secure, it is also important in times like these to remember our values and to continue to serve as a beacon of freedom for the world.”