House Passes Bill Despite President Barack Obama’s Promise To Veto Legislation That Seeks To Increase Scrutiny Of Syrian Refugees


President Barack Obama said he would veto a bill that the House of Representatives easily passed on Thursday which proposes additional security checks before allowing Syrian refugees access to the United States. As reported by CNN, the vote was 289-137, with 47 Democrats joining 242 Republicans in favor of the bill, creating a majority that could override the president’s promised veto.

Regarding the legislation proposed by Republicans, the White House said in a statement that the legislation would “introduce unnecessary and impractical requirements” on individuals seeking asylum. An excerpt from the statement is posted below.

“The Administration’s highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of the American people. That is why refugees of all nationalities, including Syrians and Iraqis, considered for admission to the United States undergo the most rigorous and thorough security screening of anyone admitted into the United States. 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, and would undermine our partners in the Middle East and Europe in addressing the Syrian refugee crisis. The Administration therefore strongly opposes H.R. 4038.”

Republican opposition, which controls the House and the Senate, argues that it should temporarily suspend the Obama plan for next year, which would welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees who are fleeing the war in Syria into the United States. Republicans oppose receiving refugees following information from investigators that one of the terrorists involved in the Paris attacks, which caused 129 deaths and left more than 350 wounded, came into Europe as part of the wave of Syrian refugees.

The bill, proposed by Republican Congressmen Mike McCaul and Richard Hudson, would block the entry of Syrian refugees into the U.S. unless the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence assure Congress that these people pose no threat.

The White House considers the bill as being unsustainable and say it would not provide significant additional security for the American people, apart from serving only to create significant delays and obstacles for refugees.

The White House released the statement after Obama reiterated his plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees, despite the reluctance of many Republican governors.

“Here, our focus is giving safe haven to the most vulnerable Syrians — women, children, and survivors of torture,” the president said. “Welcoming the world’s vulnerable who seek the safety of America is not new to us. We’ve safely welcomed 3 million refugees since 1975,” he added.

At a recent press conference, Barack Obama emphasized that the jihadist extremists are dangerous and have caused great difficulties for the overwhelming majority of people.

“We are not well served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic,” Obama said in the Philippines on Wednesday. “We don’t make good decisions if it’s based on hysteria or an exaggeration of risks.”

Meanwhile, Republicans were eager to respond to Obama’s comments and House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters “this is urgent. We cannot and should not wait to act, not when our national security is at stake.” He added that the administration’s veto threat “baffles him especially given the fact that Obama’s own law enforcement top officials came to Congress and testified that there are gaps in this refugee program.”

According to ABC News, Ryan described the bill as a middle-ground approach. It institutes tough new screening requirements, but steers clear of demands from some Republicans, including presidential candidates, for religious questioning or a complete end to the U.S. refugee program.

[Image via Chris McGrath/Getty Images News]

Share this article: House Passes Bill Despite President Barack Obama’s Promise To Veto Legislation That Seeks To Increase Scrutiny Of Syrian Refugees
More from Inquisitr