Congressman Veasey Extended Statement on American SAFE Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 4038, the American SAFE Act of 2015, a bill that would not end the current refugee resettlement program, but requires the directors of federal agencies to now certify the vetting process:

"Since yesterday's vote, there has been misunderstanding about the content of the American SAFE Act and what it means for America's position as the leader of democracy and human rights in the world.

Let me be clear, the American SAFE Act does not end the current resettlement program, send back any refugee who currently resides in the United States, or close our borders. Our current refugee resettlement program is already an extensive process, and this legislation simply enhances the current process by requiring the Director of the FBI to certify to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence that each refugee we accept does not pose a national security risk.

In the wake of the attacks on Paris and ISIL's clear intent to bring harm to the United States, it is my number one priority to ensure the safety of the residents I represent and the safety of the American people. We must verify the identity of anyone who enters our country to the best of our ability.

Although yesterday's vote was tough, I voted in favor of the American SAFE Act to ask the Administration to certify that each person admitted through the refugee vetting process does not pose a national security risk and that their identity can be verified to the best of the Administration's ability.

I stand with the President's commitment to our country's tradition of protecting the most vulnerable populations like the women, children and families escaping violence in the Middle East. Any challenge to America's legacy as a country of immigrants would both taint its history of protecting the vulnerable and impede its future prosperity. We can and must balance the need to protect the homeland while demonstrating the compassion that the men, women, and children escaping any type of persecution desperately need."

To read the full text of the American SAFE Act, please click here.