Obama threatens to veto House GOP bill on Syrian refugee screening [Archive]

Teh One Who Knocks

11-19-2015, 12:10 PM

FOX News and The Associated Press

http://i.imgur.com/EAQNhTW.jpg

President Obama threatened late Wednesday to veto legislation aimed at improving screening for Syrian refugees, potentially putting the White House and Congress on a collision course in a matter of days.

The veto threat came as the House was preparing the bill -- which sets high hurdles for refugee admission including FBI background checks and sign-offs by top officials -- for floor action as early as Thursday. In a committee meeting, Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, accused the president of confusing the public about the intentions of the legislation.

Moments later, the White House issued a statement defending the current screening process and claiming the changes called for under the bill would create "significant delays and obstacles" for the existing vetting program.

"Given the lives at stake and the critical importance to our partners in the Middle East and Europe of American leadership in addressing the Syrian refugee crisis ... [Obama] would veto the bill," the White House said.

But House Republicans touted the legislation as a common-sense answer to security concerns.

Further, while Republicans a day earlier called for a "pause" in Syrian refugee admissions, some on Wednesday indicated a willingness to accept refugees from Syria and Iraq who are fleeing the civil war and Islamic State militants -- provided the screening process is improved, under the terms of the bill.

"America has a proud tradition of welcoming refugees into our country, and we lead the world in humanitarian assistance. However, we also must put proper measures in place to ensure our country's safety," House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said in a statement.

The bill introduced Wednesday would require the FBI director to certify a background investigation for each refugee -- and several top security officials to certify that each refugee is not a security threat to the U.S. -- before a refugee from Iraq or Syria can be admitted.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the chamber would vote on the bill later this week, and stressed that it would not subject applicants to a religious test. He made this clarification after some GOP presidential candidates suggested preference should be given to Christians.

McCaul, in a statement, said that while he wants a "temporary suspension" of Syrian refugee admissions, "It is apparent that the President will ignore these concerns, making this legislation necessary to toughen security measures."

Indeed, Obama on Wednesday continued to defend plans to bring in an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year as he threatened to veto the House bill.

"Slamming the door in the face of refugees would betray our deepest values. That's not who we are. And it's not what we're going to do," Obama tweeted late Wednesday morning.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., also touted the latest House bill, saying it was based on legislation he introduced just days earlier. Hudson said the new bill would likely be voted on in the House on Thursday.

"America is a compassionate nation. No country on Earth does more or spends more to care for our fellow man. But being compassionate doesn't mean we have to have reckless policies that put American lives at risk," he said in a statement.

McCaul's committee also released a report Wednesday on the Syrian refugee flow, saying it reveals "alarming gaps in the vetting of Syrian refugees at home and abroad."

Already, the new legislation was facing criticism from both sides of the aisle -- and not just the White House.

Heritage Action executive officer Michael A. Needham said in a statement that the bill, while setting up better vetting, "provides no leverage for Congress to weigh in and relies solely on President Obama's appointees to carry out the new vetting process."

House Democrats also voiced opposition, with one House Democratic leadership aide telling Fox News the bill would "end the refugee program altogether." The aide said they hope to "negotiate a bipartisan bill" and are weighing introducing an "alternative bill."

Meanwhile, CIA Director John Brennan said in a speech Wednesday that about half of Syria's population -- or about 12 million people -- has been displaced by the ISIS onslaught and the civil war, a number that includes both those who have been internally displaced and those forced to flee the country.

Speaking at the Overseas Security Advisory Council Conference, Brennan said Syria is "approaching 50 percent of the population" that has been displaced.

DemonGeminiX

11-19-2015, 12:22 PM

I hope when these "refugees" kills hundreds, that this man is brought up on charges of accessory and treason.

PorkChopSandwiches

11-19-2015, 05:07 PM

WTF is his problem, its like he is intentionally trying to break this country

DemonGeminiX

11-19-2015, 05:32 PM

Before he was elected, some crazy lady told McCain on live TV that she "knew" he was a Muslim. Everybody, including McCain, wrote her off. I still don't believe he is, but all of this shit he's doing has made me go from 100% sure to 90% sure.

RBP

11-19-2015, 06:23 PM

He still believes that we can be friends. He is delusional that his original strategy was correct.

HyperV12

11-19-2015, 06:58 PM

You guys got a Paris over there too somewhere right?

PorkChopSandwiches

11-19-2015, 07:05 PM

Before he was elected, some crazy lady told McCain on live TV that she "knew" he was a Muslim. Everybody, including McCain, wrote her off. I still don't believe he is, but all of this shit he's doing has made me go from 100% sure to 90% sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGdkqfBICw

DemonGeminiX

11-19-2015, 07:40 PM

You guys got a Paris over there too somewhere right?

Generally speaking, our cultural center is claimed to be NYC, although it's a completely different world than the rest of the nation.

But I do believe Texas also has a city named Paris. I don't think terrorists would want to mess around down there.

Teh One Who Knocks

11-19-2015, 07:53 PM

You guys got a Paris over there too somewhere right?

Generally speaking, our cultural center is claimed to be NYC, although it's a completely different world than the rest of the nation.

But I do believe Texas also has a city named Paris. I don't think terrorists would want to mess around down there.

Yeah, they would want a high profile target...NYC, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Boston....someplace like that would be a high profile target for the terrorists

DemonGeminiX

11-19-2015, 08:02 PM

NYC would be the primary target, as it's our economic hub. DC would be on par with or the immediate second target. After that, it's really a toss up between the bigger cities that you've named and others. LA, definitely. The other major cities. After that... who knows? Maybe military bases?

I always wondered why we haven't moved our Capital city to the center of the nation. Aside from the danger posed by tornadoes, it would be that much harder to attack than having it close to the coast. Where DC is now, a nuclear sub could nail it.

Muddy

11-19-2015, 08:06 PM

The House has overwhelmingly approved a bill (http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/politics/house-democrats-refugee-hearings-obama/index.html) to suspend the program that allows Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S. until key national security agencies certify they don't pose a security risk.

The vote was 289-137, with nearly 50 Democrats joining Republicans in favor of the bill.

President Barack Obama has promised to veto the legislation, but the high number of Democrats voting against the White House is a clear sign Obama is increasingly isolated in his position on refugees in light of the ISIS terrorist attacks on Paris.

RBP

11-19-2015, 08:15 PM

You guys got a Paris over there too somewhere right?
DGX mentioned NYC. That is probably the closest in lifestyle where the city is designed with tight living spaces and the social aspect is part of the life. Parisians spend most time in cafes and parks as communal living areas versus inside a home. The same is true of Manhattan, perhaps less in other Burroughs. That made Paris an attractive target.

PorkChopSandwiches

11-19-2015, 09:02 PM

The House has overwhelmingly approved a bill (http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/politics/house-democrats-refugee-hearings-obama/index.html) to suspend the program that allows Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S. until key national security agencies certify they don't pose a security risk.

The vote was 289-137, with nearly 50 Democrats joining Republicans in favor of the bill.

President Barack Obama has promised to veto the legislation, but the high number of Democrats voting against the White House is a clear sign Obama is increasingly isolated in his position on refugees in light of the ISIS terrorist attacks on Paris.



He knows whats best for you, now shut up and grab your ankles

DemonGeminiX

11-19-2015, 10:55 PM

If the Senate can get a 2/3rd majority, then Obama can stick his veto up his ass.

RBP

11-20-2015, 12:34 AM

This is all showmanship as far as I can tell. So they pass this bill. Then what?

You really think there is an apparatus is place to screen Syrians? Where do we get the data? As far as I can tell, unless they've already been identified and are on an existing watch list, there's nothing more to find. If someone can find something contrary to that, please post it.

Are you an ISIS supporter? No. Do you wish to do harm? No. Okay, here's a welfare check. Welcome to America.

Muddy

11-20-2015, 12:46 AM

He's damn near an immigrant himself.. he thinks he can relate to these people. I'm not sure he'll ever realize that he isnt like them.

RBP

11-20-2015, 12:49 AM

He's damn near an immigrant himself.. he thinks he can relate to these people. I'm not sure he'll ever realize that he isnt like them.

Maybe that's it, I do not know. But he sure doesn't think they need to be eradicated. Granted that isn't possible, but until we have a more mafia perspective, aka "you cut off my finger, I kill your whole family" it will get worse.

They will never like us, they will never be at peace with us, there is no negotiating or winning hearts and minds.

DemonGeminiX

11-20-2015, 01:24 AM

I think the real point is to repeal a law that was passed during Bush's admin that gave the Pres the ability to actually do with Iraqi refugees what Obama's trying to do with these Syrian refugees. And to tell Obama to go fuck himself.

But it does underscore a fundamental problem: Every time a bill is passed giving the current Pres a certain ability that maybe he shouldn't have, no matter how much of a good idea it seems in the short term, sooner or later another Pres is gonna get in and exploit that ability in ways Congress never had intended, and Congress and the people are going to regret passing the law that they thought was such a good idea back in the day.