Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this rule. This bill, H.R. 4038, was rushed to the floor with no hearings, no opportunities for amendments, none of the things that Speaker Ryan promised us about an open process, a bottom-up process. Now, I agree that preventing dangerous actors from entering the United States is paramount, and I also agree that we must be strong in our resolve to confront and defeat terrorism wherever it comes from. But I submitted an amendment to this bill which would have excluded women and children from the extra and potentially onerous process this bill would enact for refugee vetting. Refugees from this region already undergo a far more rigorous screening process than anybody else seeking admission to this country. The process takes, on average, between 18 and 24 months--and longer, in many cases--before a refugee sets foot on U.S. soil. Surely this process is sufficient for women and children, widows and orphans of terrorism who are particularly vulnerable during conflicts while fleeing, who come from refugee camps. It means that this bill is particularly punitive for them if it means they have additional wait time. Imposing that kind of additional wait time while going through unnecessary bureaucratic steps to vet those low-risk individuals makes no sense. Speaker Ryan, I oppose this rule because you are not living up to your promise. We ought to have debate.…”