Jack Reed: “as one of the three Democrats who voted for H.R. 2202 in the Judiciary Committee, I rise in strong support of this…”

“as one of the three Democrats who voted for H.R. 2202 in the Judiciary Committee, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan amendment which would eliminate the cap on refugee admissions to the United States. The United States has historically played an important role in addressing the needs of persons from other countries with a well-founded fear of persecution and I believe the United States should remain sensitive to levels of international refugee migration. This is not to say that this policy should be open-ended. The current process for setting refugee admissions, determined annually by the President in consultation with the Congress, is restrictive yet flexible. It allows for the President and Congress to adjust to international conditions that are continuously changing. The United States has been a leader in humanitarian and foreign policy, and legislating a cap on refugee admissions would send the wrong message to nations that share the responsibility for the world's refugees. I believe the current process in which the Congress has an opportunity to participate is the most responsible and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment.”