Take a chance on the Syrian refugees

The Senate is expected to take up the bill next month, and President Obama has rightly pledged to veto the measure if it gets to his desk.

“Short of that, even if today’s bill were to pass the Congress and be signed into law, the President would still retain the power to let in whoever, and however many, refugees he pleases”, Jones said. “That is so non-productive”, Rogers, a former House Republican from MI, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day”.

But if refugees are admitted, the poll found, an overwhelming 78% say all refugees should be considered equally- only 18% support a preference for Christian refugees.

Thursday’s yes votes were one shy of the 290 needed to override a veto if every member votes.

DHS officials told ABC News that refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States, “including the involvement of the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and the Department of Defense”. Refugees from Syria must undergo an additional layer of scrutiny that refugees from most other countries are spared.

Thursday’s roll call came six days after a burst of bombings and shootings in Paris killed 129 people, wounded many more and revived post-9/11 jitters in the US and Europe.

“We face a choice that will echo through history”, said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who reminded lawmakers that the USA turned away Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germanyin 1939.

Forty-seven Democrats voted for the bill, despite President Barack Obama’s biting criticism of its proposed limits.

“We have welcomed refugees from around the world into Iowa”, Branstad said in a statement Monday. To stop thousands of desperate people who are fleeing unspeakable violence is unconscionable.

Republicans in the race to be on the ballot in the November 2016 presidential election also debated the issue, with Donald Trump saying he would implement a database to keep track of Muslims in the United States, and Ben Carson comparing refugees to “rabid dogs”.

“This is an urgent matter and that is why we’re dealing with this urgently”, declared Ryan.

Feinstein and Flake hope to force anyone who has been in Iraq or Syria in the past five years to go through the traditional visa process, including an in-person interview, fingerprinting and tamper-proof passport security.

State Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican, has asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for an opinion on whether Abbott and Texas can legally block Syrian refugees from entering the state.

Rights groups warned that such positioning merely plays into the hands of extremist groups. “We are extremely disappointed that in this hour of great need, our elected officials in Washington choose fear over compassion and we urge the Senate and President to ensure that the United States continues to welcome those seeking refuge”.