[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, this morning my Governor, Governor Abbott 
of Texas, sent a letter to President Obama: ``I write to inform you 
that the State of Texas will not accept any refugees from Syria in the 
wake of the deadly attacks in Paris.''
  This tragedy on Friday follows quickly behind Secretary Kerry's 
announcement that the United States will be taking in an unprecedented 
number of refugees.
  Last month the Helsinki Commission, of which I am a member, held a 
hearing. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richards said that refugees 
were fleeing to Europe because they perceived those borders to be open.
  Madam Speaker, there can be no perception that our borders are open. 
During my questioning last month, it became clear to me that we do not 
have the procedures in place to perform adequate and thorough 
background checks on refugees.
  President Obama is engaged in what may be best described as magical 
thinking. Certainly, it is a fragmented strategy to combat ISIS.
  The world held a moment of silence this morning. We should not be 
silent on this issue any longer.

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