U.S. House Votes to Halt Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program

Story by NBC News
Written by Halimah Abdullah and Abigail Williams

Lawmakers in the U.S. House voted Thursday to essentially halt a program aimed at resettling thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing their war-torn homeland — a move that could potentially complicate President Obama's Middle East policy efforts.

Later Thursday, the State Department said it was willing to "work" with Congress on changes to the Visa waiver program that helps bring nearly 20 million people from 38 countries to the U.S. ever year with less stringent screening.

"In light of the Paris attacks, we are certainly mindful that there are certain members of Congress that want to take another look at this," State spokesman John Kirby. "We're aware of some potential legislation coming. We're going to continue to work with members of Congress on that, and any other concern they have."

The House vote on the Syrian resettlement program, passing 289-137, reflects shifting sentiment on an issue where emotions have run deep in the aftermath of a deadly terror in Paris last week which left 129 dead. The House bill would require the FBI to create a background check of any refugee who spent time in Syria or Iraq after March 1, 2011.

The measure also called for the heads of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and National Intelligence to personally vouch that those admitted aren't a threat, a requirement the White House in its earlier vow to veto the measure called "untenable."

The bill has a veto proof majority and 47 Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the measure. It is unclear if the Senate will take up the measure after they return from Thanksgiving recess.

"It's a security test, not a religious test. This reflects our values. This reflects our responsibilities. And this is urgent," Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters at his press conference on Thursday prior to the vote..

The carnage in Paris sparked worries from a growing chorus of lawmakers on Capitol Hill and more than half of the nation's governors that America could face a similar attack. The Obama administration's plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. in the next fiscal year, opponents say, opens the floodgates to people whose backgrounds have not fully been vetted, are loosely tracked and could have the intent of carrying out terrorist acts on American soil.

So far, none of the terrorists identified in the Paris attack have been Syrian refugees.

The Obama administration went on the defensive about the plan, which the president has said is at the core of American values.

"Slamming the doors in their faces would be a betrayal of our values," Obama said on Monday at the conclusion of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey. Syrian "refugees are the victims of terrorism."

All week in briefings with governors, congressional leaders and members of the media, high ranking Obama administration officials have underscored that those seeking asylum in the U.S. undergo rigorous background screenings from several federal agencies and lengthy in-person interviews with Homeland Security officers.

In the hours leading up to the vote, several House Democrats said they would vote to halt the Obama administration's Syrian refugee resettlement plans and White House Chief of Staff Dennis McDonough and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson were dispatched to quell concerns within the caucus.
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Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-terror-attacks/u-s-house-votes-halt-syrian-refugee-resettlement-program-n466456