On the recordMarch 5, 2020
I want to assure the gentleman that it is our view that nothing in this legislation will preclude the President of the United States from acting, either on the basis of national security or the security of our people, either from threats of terrorism or from health, or for some other identifiable threat to the American people. This simply says that he cannot act based upon the generalization that somebody is a Muslim, somebody is from this country, somebody is from a different nationality or different religion, or some other arbitrary distinction. He has to focus on specific reasons. In China's case, for instance, we know that China has a very large outbreak of coronavirus and that it poses a proximate threat to the health not only of the American people but of people around the world and that we need to take steps to ensure that that is contained. So, we will debate that next week, but we certainly don't accept the premise that the gentleman has just stated, that somehow we will limit the President from protecting the American people for legitimate and necessary reasons.
