Political Quotes

“Mr. President, tomorrow the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to H.R. 4038, also known as the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act. This bill would prohibit the admission into the United States of refugees from Iraq or Syria or any other refugee who has been present in those countries in the last 5 years unless that person receives a thorough background investigation. The bill would require the Director of the FBI to certify to the Secretary of Homeland Security and also to the Director of National Intelligence that each of those persons has received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine whether he or she is a threat to the security of the United States. Then, as a second provision, the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence, would have to certify to Congress that each refugee is not a security threat; and finally, it requires the Homeland Security inspector general to conduct a risk-based review of all certifications for the admission of Iraqi and Syrian refugees made by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence each year and provide an annual report to the Congress. This bill passed the House overwhelmingly and in a bipartisan manner in November. I intend to vote on the motion to proceed tomorrow. This is a conversation we need to have in the Senate.…”