House approves Syrian refugee screening bill

[Robby999 1,024]

The House overwhelmingly approved a bill Thursday aimed at improving screening for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, with dozens of Democrats joining majority Republicans in defiance of a White House veto threat.

The measure passed on a 289-137 vote, representing a veto-proof majority. It now goes to the Senate.

The vote followed a contentious floor debate where some Democrats accused supporters of turning their backs on refugees while Republicans said the changes are needed to protect Americans from the Islamic State threat.

But 47 Democrats -- in a significant rebuke of the administration -- defected to support the bill, ignoring White House appeals to oppose it.

Ahead of the vote, the White House had lobbied against the bill, sending Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to the Capitol in an attempt to keep Democratic lawmakers from peeling off.

It represented a tough vote for some Democrats, particularly those in swing districts where members could be vulnerable on the issue. Among them, Rep. Sean Maloney, D-N.Y., said Thursday that “people are understandably frightened” and the administration should “bring a better argument” on such a toxic issue.

The bill would require the FBI director to certify a background investigation for each refugee -- and several top security officials including the DHS secretary to certify that each refugee is not a security threat to the U.S. -- before a refugee from Iraq or Syria can be admitted.

On the eve of the vote, the White House issued a formal veto threat -- defending the current screening process and claiming the changes called for under the bill would create "significant delays and obstacles" for the existing vetting program.

Johnson also said the process in the bill would be too "cumbersome" for him.

Republican supporters of the bill, though, say the country's security is at stake.

"We are a compassionate nation. We always have been, and we always will be," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. "But we also must remember that our first priority is to protect the American people."

While the House passed the bill with a two-thirds, veto-proof majority, it remains unclear whether Senate Republicans can muster such a majority on their end. The Senate has not yet scheduled a vote, meaning the current refugee screening program would likely continue while Congress weighs the legislation.

Republicans brought the bill to the House floor less than a week after a burst of bombings and shootings killed 129 people in Paris, wounded many more and revived post-9/11 fears in the U.S. and other countries. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the massacres.

Currently, the refugee screening process typically takes 18 to 24 months and includes interviews, fingerprinting and database crosschecks by several federal agencies. Syrians undergo additional screening involving data from the U.N. Refugee Agency and interviews by Homeland Security Department officials trained to question Syrians.

Republicans said that with Islamic State militants openly threatening to attack the U.S. in a recent video, that system isn't sufficient to ensure Americans that refugees entering the United States aren't extremists bent on attacking the country.

"The status quo is not acceptable," said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who wrote the bill with Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. "The American people want us to act in light of what's happened."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/19/house-approves-syrian-refugee-screening-bill-defies-veto-threat.html?intcmp=hpbt4

I guess they know that it will only take one refugee waging jihad to end their political career if they voted against this.

[Dakine10 5,452]

I guess they know that it will only take one refugee waging jihad to end their political career if they voted against this.

Helping those in need was one of the things that made America great.

We've already given up our rights and freedoms. Might as well flush our morals too.

[smilesammich 10,727]

personally i find it absolutely disgusting when politicians placate hysteria to cover their owns butts. what happened to this country having leaders?

Might as well flush our morals too.

morals too!

[Dakine10 5,452]

personally i find it absolutely disgusting when politicians placate hysteria to cover their owns butts. what happened to this country having leaders?

History repeats. Whenever you have to ask what's wrong with the leaders, you also have to ask what's wrong with the people.

We're the ones electing them.

[smilesammich 10,727]

We're the ones electing them.

every time i've voted i've known without a shadow of a doubt that i am only voting for the lesser devil. i would really like to vote for someone i actually can stand behind, but that's never been an option.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Hysteria sells, as does fear. They are pandering to the lowest common denominator of any constituency. They are desperate.

personally i find it absolutely disgusting when politicians placate hysteria to cover their owns butts. what happened to this country having leaders?

[Dakine10 5,452]

Hysteria sells, as does fear. They are pandering to the lowest common denominator of any constituency. They are desperate.

It's too bad they didn't have something to go by, some kind of manual or good book, to help guide their conscience in times like this.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Dakine10

[JohnR! 5,495]

The funny thing is that the only time they use a good book for any purpose, is to find some esoteric justification for their bigotry and prejudice. In that sense, they are no different than ISIS.

It's too bad they didn't have something to go by, some kind of manual or good book, to help guide their conscience in times like this.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Hysteria sells, as does fear. They are pandering to the lowest common denominator of any constituency. They are desperate.

That what the anti - gun folks use every day in this country .

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

That what the anti - gun folks use every day in this country .

Kind of like when a person floods a forum with anti-Muslims articles to create panic.

But that's none of my business....

[eieio 1,594]

This is great news The other day I said they should treat them like terrorists, until proven otherwise……and it appears this is exactly what we will do. With the overwhelming support for this bill it just shows how out of touch many liberals are….especially on vj

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

This is great news The other day I said they should treat them like terrorists, until proven otherwise……and it appears this is exactly what we will do. With the overwhelming support for this bill it just shows how out of touch many liberals are….especially on vj

Should we treat gun owners like killers until proven otherwise?

[eieio 1,594]

Should we treat gun owners like killers until proven otherwise?

Get someone to write up a bill. Good luck

[Dakine10 5,452]

This is great news The other day I said they should treat them like terrorists, until proven otherwise……and it appears this is exactly what we will do. With the overwhelming support for this bill it just shows how out of touch many liberals are….especially on vj

Great! The guy who wants to kill kittens is now America's conscience.

Remember the rhetorical phrase "the terrorists win"?

Edited November 20, 2015 by Dakine10

[eieio 1,594]

Great! The guy who wants to kill kittens is now America's conscience.

Remember the rhetorical phrase "the terrorists win"?

Well…I may not be in the majority on killing as many kittens as possible……but I am definitely in the majority in understanding why we need to screen these refugees like terrorists.

I have no idea what you are implying with "the terrorists win". What did they win?