[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18961]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Veasey) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to respectfully share with my 
colleagues some of the thoughts and concerns shared by residents in the 
Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. These are heartfelt views expressed since 
we last met as a legislative body and voted on the passage of the 
American SAFE Act.
  A passionate public discussion is underway about the role the United 
States should play during one of the greatest humanitarian crises of 
our time. I have received calls, emails, handwritten letters, texts, 
Facebook messages from fellow Texans back home.
  Many have expressed clearly that they think that some of the enhanced 
security clearances for Syrian and Iraqi refugees really means that 
America's legacy as a Nation that shares its freedom and opportunity is 
in danger.
  They have expressed their disappointment, sometimes anger, that we 
may be allowing our national security concerns to trump our Nation's 
history of standing for liberty and justice.
  I will take a moment to share their thoughts and views to ensure my 
colleagues that we also consider their views when making any future 
decision about the Syrian refugee crisis.
  One resident stated that voting for a pause in accepting refugees 
from Iraq and Syria may not slow down the trickle that arrives here, 
but it is a huge symbolic vote.
  Another resident stated that the SAFE Act only makes it harder for 
good people to flee from danger and being used by ISIL, and his hope is 
that the Obama administration is able to provide what Congress needs to 
do its job and that good Members reconsider the SAFE Act and don't vote 
to override the President's impending veto.
  Other residents, like one in Arlington, directly stated that this 
bill was wrong.
  Let me be clear. I did not view the SAFE Act as a vote against Syrian 
or Iraqi refugees or the greater refugee community. But the 
constituents that I represent have sent a strong message that any 
action that does not effectively balance national security with our 
national values is off course.
  We must remember that the Statue of Liberty is more than just a 
symbol of freedom. It is a symbol that America is committed to 
welcoming and protecting those who seek and need refuge.
  Many of my Democratic colleagues have joined me in supporting 
legislation that echoes this sentiment. We have sent letters to the 
administration and agencies supporting refugees this past year.
  I have cosigned a letter to President Obama urging him to convene 
international negotiations to stop the Syrian civil war.
  I cosponsored the Protecting Religious Minorities Persecuted by ISIS 
Act of 2015. This legislation directs the Secretary of State to 
establish or use existing refugee processing mechanisms to allow those 
with a credible fear of persecution by ISIL for gender, religious, or 
ethnic membership to apply for refugee admission to the United States.
  But we can do more, as a Congress, to support the goals of refugee 
resettlement and keep the American people safe at the same time.
  If we vote to update the refugee resettlement program, we must also 
allocate appropriate funds to ensure that men, women, and children 
fleeing violence do not get caught in unnecessary bureaucracy.
  As a Congress, we can give legislative teeth to security enhancements 
to the Visa Waiver Program implemented by the Department of Homeland 
Security earlier this year. We can fully fund the President's budget 
request for aviation security. We can support and expedite our efforts 
to expand preclearance capability of foreign airports around the world. 
Doing so will provide with us a greater ability to prevent those who 
should not be flying here.
  I am committed to keeping Americans safe, but I know that doing so is 
not inconsistent with providing refuge to some of the world's most 
vulnerable people. To turn our backs on refugees would be to betray our 
values.
  The United States is a welcoming country that knows diversity equals 
strength. Our resettlement program must continue to reflect this. Any 
legislation that challenges this legacy should be rejected.
  I will continue to keep residents' thoughts and concerns at the 
forefront of my decisionmaking, and I thank them for reaching out to me 
over the last week. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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