[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS IS A TOP PRIORITY

  (Mr. YODER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of our citizens here 
on American soil must remain our top priority, and our borders must 
always be secure against anyone who would enter our country legally or 
illegally to cause us harm, especially those who wish to exploit our 
Nation's generosity and compassion. However, compassion and security 
are not conflicting ideals, and we must continue our Nation's legacy of 
being a beacon of hope and freedom around the world.
  The idea of reform, though, and oversight of our Nation's vetting 
system is not in conflict with our longstanding value of accepting 
refugees, and it is not new. The Obama administration and the Trump 
administration, alike, have now both paused refugee settlements into 
our Nation.
  President Trump should have our Nation's support to carry out his 
mission to protect our Nation's borders, but he must do so without 
unnecessarily burdening lawful entrance into the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand ready to work with you and my colleagues in 
Congress to come up with clear procedures to ensure that our refugee 
program can continue in the safest possible manner, and together we can 
live in a nation that is both secure and charitable.

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