Zoe Lofgren: “All of us watched with horror the events in Paris. November 13 was France's September 11. And all of us have paused to…”

“All of us watched with horror the events in Paris. November 13 was France's September 11. And all of us have paused to consider what further should be done to make sure that America is safe because our first obligation, as Members of Congress, is to make sure that America is safe. So, as we watch the refugees from the Middle East pouring into Europe, concern has been expressed--and I think correctly--who are these people hidden among the many helpless victims? Are there those who would pose a threat? It is worth noting that our process for refugees is completely different. No one gets into the United States unless they have been completely vetted. This process starts with the U.N. referring only those people who are vulnerable, who have been tortured, who have been victimized, who are helpless women and children, for screening by us. We have a process that includes soliciting information from the DEA, from the intelligence agencies, from the FBI, and the like. All of those agencies have a veto. If there is a problem, they veto the admission. The process takes 2 years or more, and a very small number of people actually are admitted. Of the 2,000 or so Syrian refugees who have been admitted to the United States, the overwhelming majority are children and widows who have been victims of torture, who have seen their husbands beheaded. The bill before us, as has been described by the Speaker and the author, would stop the refugee program. They call it a pause.…”