A Syrian man kisses his daughter shortly after disembarking from a dinghy at a beach on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from the Turkish coast on Monday. (AP PHOTO)
Washington – The House of Representatives voted Thursday to ban Syrian and Iraqi refugees from entering the United States until tougher screening measures are in place, a move some slammed as giving in to xenophobia after the Paris attacks.
The Republican legislation, the first congressional response to last week’s murderous assaults, passed overwhelmingly, 289 to 137. Nearly four dozen Democrats went against their president to support the measure.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain, but it sets up a clash with President Barack Obama, who has threatened to veto the bill and has criticized Republicans for “hysteria” and falling short of their humanitarian duty to take in the oppressed.
“ISIS has sworn to bring its war against innocents here,” House Republican Trey Gowdy told colleagues, using an abbreviation for the Islamic State extremist group.
“The margin for error is zero.”
Thursday’s yes votes were one shy of the 290 needed to override a veto if every member votes. But in the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid said the measure would face fierce opposition from Democrats.
The bill would prevent refugees from Iraq and Syria from reaching US shores until background checks are implemented as part of the screening process for each refugee.
It would also require directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence to personally certify that each new settler would not be a threat to national security.