Post by pavel on Jan 21, 2016 19:38:31 GMT -6
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Cornyn slammed Senate Democrats today for voting against progress on a bill to tighten refugee screenings, calling the vote a day earlier “shameful.”
The bill would have enhanced background checks for refugees from Syria or Iraq, or visitors to those countries in the last five years. The bill passed in the House last month. The Senate’s 55-43 vote was five votes shy of the 60 needed.
“This legislation would have just very simply added additional safeguards to protect against this kind of threat,” Cornyn said in a call with Texas reporters. “That’s something the Obama administration’s made clear they are not willing to do, and yet our Senate Democrats, in lockstep with the president, blocked this legislation.”
Cornyn cited the case of an Iraqi refugee arrested earlier this month in Houston for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State terror group. A federal agent testified that Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, who immigrated in 2009, wanted to set off bombs at two malls in Houston. Al Hardan pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Read more: trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2016/01/cornyn-hits-democrats-for-blocking-refugee-screening-bill.html/
The bill would have enhanced background checks for refugees from Syria or Iraq, or visitors to those countries in the last five years. The bill passed in the House last month. The Senate’s 55-43 vote was five votes shy of the 60 needed.
“This legislation would have just very simply added additional safeguards to protect against this kind of threat,” Cornyn said in a call with Texas reporters. “That’s something the Obama administration’s made clear they are not willing to do, and yet our Senate Democrats, in lockstep with the president, blocked this legislation.”
Cornyn cited the case of an Iraqi refugee arrested earlier this month in Houston for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State terror group. A federal agent testified that Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, who immigrated in 2009, wanted to set off bombs at two malls in Houston. Al Hardan pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Read more: trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2016/01/cornyn-hits-democrats-for-blocking-refugee-screening-bill.html/