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Washington –
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
today
voted
to
enact
the
strongest
national-security
vetting
process
for
any
refugee
population
looking
to
come
to
the
United
States
by
voting
for
the
American
Security
Against
Foreign
Enemies
(SAFE)
Act
of
2015.
The
measure
is
designed
to
ensure
that
federal
law
enforcement
and
intelligence
officials
prevent
terrorists
from
infiltrating
the
refugee
process
to
gain
access
to
America.
“The
United
States
has
long
been
a
safe
haven
for
families
and
individuals
fleeing
oppression,
war
or
persecution
in
their
country,"
Scott
said.
"My
heart
goes
out
to
those
displaced
because
of
conflicts
like
the
one
in
Iraq
or
Syria.
However,
our
first
priority
must
be
for
the
safety
and
security
of
our
homeland.
Today,
the
Obama
administration’s
senior
law
enforcement
and
intelligence
officials
are
unable
to
properly
vet
individuals
applying
for
refugee
status
and
ensure
that
applicants
pose
no
threat
to
our
country.
Until
a
fail-safe
system
is
put
in
place,
I
believe
we
must
pause
the
acceptance
of
refugees.”
The
American SAFE
Act
of
2015
places
a
moratorium
on
the
admission
of
refugees
until
the
following
conditions
are
met:
- The
FBI
director
certifies
the
background
investigation
of
each
refugee.
- The
secretary
of
Homeland
Security,
along
with
the
FBI
director
and
the
director
of
National
Intelligence,
certifies
to
Congress
that
each
refugee
is
not
a
security
threat
to
the
U.S.
It
also
creates
an
additional
layer
of
protection
by
requiring
the
DHS
inspector
general
to
independently
assess
the
refugee
approvals—making
sure
that
high-risk
individuals
do
not
slip
through
the
cracks.
In
November
2015,
following
the
terrorist
attack
on
Paris,
the
measure
passed
the
House
by
a
bipartisan
veto-proof
margin
of
289-137,
with
forty-seven
House
Democrats
supporting
the
bill.
Cloture
on
the
bill
in
the
Senate
failed
by
a
vote
of
55-43,
as
60
votes
were
needed.
Following
the
November
2015
terrorist
attack
in
Paris,
Senator
Scott
called
for
the
Obama
administration
to
suspend
plans
for
admitting
Syrian
refugees
to
the
United
States.
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