Syrian Refugee Crisis

Floor Speech

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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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