Johnson hopeful for Senate action on Syrian refugee bill

A bill halting the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S.is headed to the Senate, and a Wisconsin Republican is optimistic it will pass the chamber early next month.

Senate Democrats appear to be lining up against the legislation, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) predicted tersely Thursday that the measure would never pass the upper chamber.

“I can not think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than a few of the rhetoric that’s been coming out of here during the course of this debate”, Obamasaid Tuesday.

“We can not repeat the dark days of the 1930s, when many Americans resolved to turn away the helpless refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, or imprisoning of Japanese Americans during World War II”, Reid said.

The most severe of the Republican proposals would suspend all USA government support for resettling refugees in the US and would aim to guard against certain refugees entering the USA through the southern border who are suspected of ties to terrorism, designating them “special interest aliens”.

As recently as last summer, the House and the Senate remained far apart, with the House passing a conservative version that President Barack Obama promised to veto. Democratic leadership hopes to block it in the Senate.

Ayeda Sati didn’t come to the United States as a refugee.

When asked about a presidential veto and a potential override, Reid said, “don’t worry, it won’t get passed”.

Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, had compiled signatures from 68 House Republicans on a letter asking House GOP leaders to use that spending bill to block federal funds for Middle Eastern or North African refugees unless screening ensures that such programs couldn’t be “co-opted by would-be terrorists”. They say visa waivers pose a greater security threat, noting several of the Paris attackers were French or Belgian citizens who were believed to have visited Syria. McConnell explained, “It’s clear that the American people are concerned about the Administration’s ability to properly vet thousands of individuals from Syria”.

Also Thursday, Sen. Ted Cruz attempted to quickly move two bills of his that would address the refugee laws. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate education committee and a former US education secretary. Among the Democrats who voted for the bill included centrist Blue Dogs, and those facing tough reelection challenges and even Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.).

Mary Kusler, director of government relations for the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, said that she wanted to see the details of the bill’s language, but that union leaders were “absolutely elated” that both parties had reached an agreement on a revision of what is formally known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Pelosi voted against the bill, saying it was a missed opportunity because Republicans didn’t consult with Democrats on a bipartisan response to the Paris attacks.

“It tells the agencies at three places to say”, he says, “‘Hey, we’re going to certify whoever comes into the United States is not a risk to the country'”.