Today, Congressman Jody Hice (GA-10) issued the following statement in regard to the Syrian refugee program in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Paris:
"As I returned to Washington today, I observed that our flags have been lowered at half-staff to honor our fallen friends and allies in France. While we honor and express solidarity with the victims, we are also reminded that we honor them not by letting terrorists dictate our way of life but by being vigilant as we carry forward with our way of life.
To that end, I strongly encourage the Obama Administration to suspend accepting any refugees from Syria and Iraq at this time. While I have previously cosponsored legislation that would accomplish this, it should be obvious to everyone now that this program is vulnerable to exploitation by ISIS. The security of the United States must come first and a full and complete review of screening procedures must take place immediately. In my home state, I applaud Governor Deal's executive order to not accept any Syrian refugees at this time and hope that the President will follow suit."