[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 170 (Wednesday, November 18, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H8289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TERROR WILL NOT PREVAIL

  (Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, the world stands with the people 
of France this week.
  The events in Paris were horrifying. All of us were shaken by them. 
Yet we know that whenever terror like this strikes, the world community 
will rally together. Terror will not prevail. But these events should 
serve as a reminder: there is still evil out there. We cannot ignore 
it. We cannot contain it. We must defeat it. And we must protect our 
people.
  The country is uneasy and unsettled, and they have every right to 
be--not because of what they are hearing from politicians, but what 
they have seen with their own eyes. All of us here, Republicans and 
Democrats, are hearing these concerns in our offices.
  People understand the plight of those fleeing the Middle East, but 
they also want basic assurances for the safety of this country.
  We are a compassionate nation. We always have been, and we always 
will be. But we also must remember that our first priority is to 
protect the American people. We can be compassionate, and we can also 
be safe.
  That is what the bill that we are bringing up tomorrow is all about. 
It calls for a new standard of verification for refugees from Syria and 
Iraq. It would mean a pause in the program until we can be certain 
beyond any doubt that those coming here are not a threat. It is that 
simple. I don't think it is too much to ask.
  I also want to point out that we will not have a religious test, only 
a security one. If the intelligence and law enforcement community 
cannot certify a person presents no threat, then they should not be 
allowed in. This is common sense, and it is our obligation.
  Let me also say to Members and to the country that we cannot lose 
sight of the bigger threat in Syria. The refugee crisis is just a 
consequence of a failed policy in that region. The ultimate solution is 
a plan to defeat ISIS.
  That is why we are sending to the President a bill this week that 
requires him to finally propose an overarching strategy to deal with 
Syria and the terrorist threat in that region. This threat is not going 
away until we acknowledge and confront the real danger that exists.
  There is a long road ahead, but today, for this moment, I urge all of 
my colleagues to support the legislation tomorrow and to help keep 
America safe.

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