Too much is happening at once! It turns out that just as we were reporting that House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) was signing on to the Babin bill, he was introducing a bill of his own.
Thanks to Suzanne for spotting this press release from Friday. It is too soon to know what this means, however, it appears to be headed for the House Judiciary Committee (Goodlatte and Gowdy).
So far we have not heard a word from that committee since the “consultation” with Sec. of State Kerry was held about ten days ago on the President’s ambitious plan to bring thousands of mostly Muslim Syrian refugees into the US starting on October 1.
I’m wondering if a bill like this could be added to something already headed to the House floor?
Here is the full press release from McCaul on Friday. Hopefully we will know more tomorrow.
McCaul Introduces Bill to Give Congress Oversight of Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, Congressman Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, introduced the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. If enacted into law, this legislation would give the American people’s representatives the chance to vote up or down on the President’s plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States and improve the security vetting process. Specifically, this bill will:
~Require affirmative approval by both the House and Senate before any refugees are admitted to the U.S.
~Allow Congress to block any inadequate refugee resettlement plan put forward by the President.
~Require the Administration, when considering the admission of refugees from Iraq and Syria, to prioritize the resettlement of oppressed religious minorities.
~Ensure DHS, in coordination with DNI and FBI, provides new security assurances before admitting refugees into the country and for the Governmental Accountability Office to conduct a sweeping review of security gaps in the current refugee screening process.
McCaul: “Many Americans are understandably concerned about the threat posed by inadequate security screening procedures for refugee seeking entry into the United States. ISIS themselves have stated their intention to take advantage of the crisis to infiltrate the west. We have to take this threat seriously.
This bill will rein in the Administration’s refugee resettlement plans and give Congress more control over the process by requiring the Administration to get affirmative approval from Congress through the enactment of a joint resolution before any refugees may be admitted into the United States.
These important security updates to the refugee process are necessary for not only the security of the United States, but for the safety of the refugees.”
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