Political Quotes

“America has a long tradition of opening its arms to oppressed people from around the globe. While the human rights of those fleeing terror and destruction must be respected, it is vital that we work to ensure that our Nation's safety is in place in this time of turmoil and unrest. The United States cannot indefinitely close itself to the stark realities of the world, nor should we hastily accept tens of thousands of people without proper screening. That is why I have called on Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to suspend efforts to bring Syrian refugees to Pennsylvania until there are verifiable and robust mechanisms in place to properly screen all participants for potential security risks. To facilitate the thorough screening needed, I am supporting legislation prompting the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI, to provide new security assurances before admitting refugees into the country and for the Government Accountability Office to conduct a sweeping review of security gaps in the current refugee review process. This measure addresses both shortcomings in our existing programs and ensures a role for congressional oversight. Mr. Speaker, the refugee crisis the world faces is a symptom of a larger problem: militant Islam and the efforts of groups like ISIS to destabilize and destroy others. We need a long-term solution to this problem, and that includes defeating ISIS. ____________________”