Obama threatens to veto House GOP bill on Syrian refugees

[webfact]

Obama threatens to veto House GOP bill on Syrian refugees
By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House threatened a presidential veto Wednesday of House Republicans legislation aimed at increasing screenings for Syrian and Iraqi refugees before they enter the United States, calling new requirements in the bill "untenable."

The legislation, which sets high hurdles for refugee admissions including FBI background checks and individual sign-offs by top federal officials, "would provide no meaningful additional security for the American people, instead serving only to create significant delays and obstacles in the fulfillment of a vital program that satisfies both humanitarian and national security objectives," the White House said.

President Barack Obama would veto the legislation if it reaches his desk, the statement concluded.

Republican leaders, eager to respond quickly to Friday's terror attacks in Paris, had described the bill as a middle ground approach. It institutes tough new screening requirements, but steers clear of demands from some Republicans, including presidential candidates, for religious questioning or a complete end to the U.S. refugee program.

"This is common sense. And it's our obligation," Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said on the House floor ahead of the veto threat. "If the intelligence and law-enforcement community cannot certify that a person presents no threat, then they should not be allowed in."

Only around 2,200 Syrian refugees have been allowed into this country in the last four years and they already go through a comprehensive vetting process that can take as much as three years, including biometric screening, fingerprinting and additional classified controls. The new bill would add a requirement for the Homeland Security secretary, along with the head of the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence, to certify that each refugee being admitted poses no security threat.

The FBI also would be tasked with coming up with a way to conduct a "thorough background investigation" of refugees fleeing chaos and horror. Although Syrians tend to be heavily documented, Democrats questioned how that could be accomplished. The current refugee program, along with Obama's plan to add 10,000 more Syrian refugees this year, would likely come to a stop while the new protocol is established.

Republicans had hoped that Democrats, facing pressures from nervous constituents, would support the bill in large numbers. Yet even before Obama, announced his position, Democratic leaders were turning against the legislation, complaining of changes to the bill they said would have the practical effect of keeping refugees out of the U.S. entirely.

"Some in Congress intend to use this tragedy to shut down the U.S. refugee program, turning our backs on victims," Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Zoe Lofgren of California and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said in a joint statement.

Obama, traveling overseas, had earlier ridiculed Congress for jumping on the refugee issue after failing to come up with legislation authorizing the use of military force in Syria that he has been seeking for months.

"And now, suddenly, they're able to rush in, in a day or two, to solve the threat of widows and orphans and others who are fleeing a war-torn land, and that's their most constructive contribution to the effort against (the Islamic State)?" Obama said in the Philippines. "That doesn't sound right to me. And I suspect it won't sound right to the American people."

The conservative group Heritage Action for America also announced its opposition to the bill, saying it gives too much authority to appointees of Obama. Nonetheless many of the House conservatives who've caused problems for leadership on legislation of all kinds said they would support it.

Senate action, though, is not likely until after Congress' Thanksgiving recess. And with little chance for the bill to become law, several conservatives said the real action could come on a pending must-pass year spending bill that has to clear by Dec. 11 in order to keep the government running. Some want to use that bill to cut off funding for the refugee program — foreshadowing another potential government shutdown fight.
___

Associated Press writers Julie Pace and Alan Fram contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-11-19

[ezzra]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

[Seastallion]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

[ggt]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

[dexterm]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

[ggt]

If one examines Obama's track record as President...it becomes obvious that there is a serious identity crisis at the White House...

[Seastallion]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

I support rigorous vetting, double checking, and being security conscious.

I do not support the attitude of rejecting a refugee based on his religion.

[Steely Dan]

Obama, who calls it 'shameful' when Republicans suggest taking only Christian refugees whist his government have taken 96% Muslim migrants and only 4% Christians and Yazidis, who are in obviously the greatest danger. He now refuses to let the police do criminal record checks on incoming migrants. This is premeditated ideologically motivated contempt for the safety of U.S citizens.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/260828/obama-inc-refuses-give-law-enforcement-info-syrian-daniel-greenfield

[dexterm]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

Nonsense. It has everything to do with Muslim bashing and scapegoating. All these histrionics over 12,000 refugees when Muslims form less than 1% of the entire US population.

And it is very interesting to note that the people organizing this hysterical Muslim hatefest have the same hidden agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Geller

Well done, Obama for sticking to your principles in the face of this very un American bigotry.

[IAMHERE]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

I support rigorous vetting, double checking, and being security conscious.

I do not support the attitude of rejecting a refugee based on his religion.

I firmly believe in rejecting a refugee based on MY religion.

[Scott]

An inflammatory and racially charged post has been removed.

[Usernames]

All across the world, people will downplay the origins of these atrocities for money, if nothing else.

[chuckd]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

[chuckd]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

Nonsense. It has everything to do with Muslim bashing and scapegoating. All these histrionics over 12,000 refugees when Muslims form less than 1% of the entire US population.

And it is very interesting to note that the people organizing this hysterical Muslim hatefest have the same hidden agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Geller

Well done, Obama for sticking to your principles in the face of this very un American bigotry.

Your 1% of the entire US population pales to insignificance when you consider Islamic radicals compose nearly 100% of the world's terrorists.

Let's look at your numbers...

1% of 313 million is 3,130,000.

.00001% of 313 million is 3,130.

That's one in 100,000 might be potential terrorists.

Bigotry or common sense?

Now look at the atrocities only eight of them committed last Friday.

Edited November 19, 2015 by chuckd

[samran]

The President, using his constitutional right to veto.

The right, so called defenders of the constitution, going potty.

Go figure.

[Steely Dan]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

Nonsense. It has everything to do with Muslim bashing and scapegoating. All these histrionics over 12,000 refugees when Muslims form less than 1% of the entire US population.

And it is very interesting to note that the people organizing this hysterical Muslim hatefest have the same hidden agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Geller

Well done, Obama for sticking to your principles in the face of this very un American bigotry.

Your 1% of the entire US population pales to insignificance when you consider Islamic radicals compose nearly 100% of the world's terrorists.

Let's look at your numbers...

1% of 313 million is 3,130,000.

.00001% of 313 million is 3,130.

That's one in 100,000 might be potential terrorists.

Bigotry or common sense?

Now look at the atrocities only eight of them committed last Friday.

Hey liberals I have a bag containing 1000 m&m's, 10 are poisoned, anyone fancy a handful?

[Berkshire]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

If GW Bush had been more like Obama, there wouldn't be an ISIS.

[Linky]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

I support rigorous vetting, double checking, and being security conscious.

I do not support the attitude of rejecting a refugee based on his religion.

I firmly believe in rejecting a refugee based on MY religion.

What is your religion?

[samran]

Hey liberals I have a bag containing 1000 m&m's, 10 are poisoned, anyone fancy a handful?

The simple simon approach to public policy clearly appeals to some.

The good news is, they'll never get within a cooee of the presidency.

[dexterm]

And as we speak, families across the USA are planning to erect Nativity scenes....of a Middle Eastern couple seeking refuge and shelter. How very charitably Christian.

The vetting of refugees coming from Syria has nothing to do with Christians lacking charity...

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

Nonsense. It has everything to do with Muslim bashing and scapegoating. All these histrionics over 12,000 refugees when Muslims form less than 1% of the entire US population.

And it is very interesting to note that the people organizing this hysterical Muslim hatefest have the same hidden agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Geller

Well done, Obama for sticking to your principles in the face of this very un American bigotry.

Your 1% of the entire US population pales to insignificance when you consider Islamic radicals compose nearly 100% of the world's terrorists.

Let's look at your numbers...

1% of 313 million is 3,130,000.

.00001% of 313 million is 3,130.

That's one in 100,000 might be potential terrorists.

Bigotry or common sense?

Now look at the atrocities only eight of them committed last Friday.

How can you guarantee that any of the 41 million migrants currently living in the USA or the 75 million tourists who visit annually will be law abiding?

Yet you eagerly single out 10,000 migrants who have already been screened simply because of their religion and/or race. That's pure bigotry. Seems to be an OTT reaction considering the miniscule Muslim population of the USA. Of course, it is more sinister than that. It is all part of a Muslim bashing campaign run by Fox News, Pamela Geller, and other very well funded organisations who have a hidden agenda to whip up hysteria among the sheeple, Congress and GOP. Follow the money.

In 1939 USA turned its back on Jewish refugees and sent them back to their deaths in the Holocaust and singled out Japanese Americans for internment. A stain on American history.

Shame on the the Governor of Indiana and others for turning their backs on people in need. Very un American.

Edited November 19, 2015 by dexterm

[Nobb]

Obama is a blood Muslim. Why is he so concerned about the Syrian refugees when more than half of all Americans do not want them in there country. Is blood thicker than loyalty to your country or are they funding his pension plan. Either way he is not concerned about America!

[dexterm]

Obama is a blood Muslim. Why is he so concerned about the Syrian refugees when more than half of all Americans do not want them in there country. Is blood thicker than loyalty to your country or are they funding his pension plan. Either way he is not concerned about America!

It's called simple humanity. and compassion. Obama is a Christian.

Someone is certainly funding this Islamophobic campaign, and they are not doing it it in America's best interests. It's quite expensive to run TV stations and advertising campaigns. Follow the money.

[Usernames]

Obama is a blood Muslim. Why is he so concerned about the Syrian refugees when more than half of all Americans do not want them in there country. Is blood thicker than loyalty to your country or are they funding his pension plan. Either way he is not concerned about America!

It's called simple humanity. and compassion. Obama is a Christian.

Someone is certainly funding this Islamophobic campaign, and they are not doing it it in America's best interests. It's quite expensive to run TV stations and advertising campaigns. Follow the money.

If it's so simple, why don't you tell us who is behind it?

[Boon Mee]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

Indeed.

Here’s a “robust” method for vetting Syrian “refugees”, failing a step is automatic rejection.

Step 1. Ask basic yet probing questions on Christianity, such as which apostle betrayed Jesus or quote a parable, etc.

Step 2. Have them pet and play with a dog.

Step 3. Have them draw a picture of Mohammed

Step 4. Ask them to tear a page from the Koran.

Step 5. Have them eat a ham sandwich or taste some BACON.

Step 6. Have them wash sandwich down with a beer.

Step 7. Welcome to America!

[dexterm]

How lucky can all those millions of illegals who are in the USA already or planning to run the borders

and enter the US, the promise land, that they happened to have a person as Obama as the current

president,

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president in the WWII, who denied Jews escaping Europe from the Nazis,

entry into the US leaving many of them to lose their lives on a perilous ocean trips to other destinations..

How lucky you're.. Mexicans, south American, Arabs and SE Asians of all colors and creed.....

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

Indeed.

Here’s a “robust” method for vetting Syrian “refugees”, failing a step is automatic rejection.

Step 1. Ask basic yet probing questions on Christianity, such as which apostle betrayed Jesus or quote a parable, etc.

Step 2. Have them pet and play with a dog.

Step 3. Have them draw a picture of Mohammed

Step 4. Ask them to tear a page from the Koran.

Step 5. Have them eat a ham sandwich or taste some BACON.

Step 6. Have them wash sandwich down with a beer.

Step 7. Welcome to America!

USA was founded by people escaping religious persecution. Your racist rant displays a desire to perpetuate persecution.

I always consider racism/religionism/xenophobia as a form of inferiority complex. Putting others down to boost one's own feelings of inadequacy.

Edited November 19, 2015 by dexterm

[chuckd]

It has everything to do with ensuring American's safety...even if it is an inconvenience to the refugees...

National Security Agencies have already proclaimed the current process to be inadequate...

Nonsense. It has everything to do with Muslim bashing and scapegoating. All these histrionics over 12,000 refugees when Muslims form less than 1% of the entire US population.

And it is very interesting to note that the people organizing this hysterical Muslim hatefest have the same hidden agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Geller

Well done, Obama for sticking to your principles in the face of this very un American bigotry.

Your 1% of the entire US population pales to insignificance when you consider Islamic radicals compose nearly 100% of the world's terrorists.

Let's look at your numbers...

1% of 313 million is 3,130,000.

.00001% of 313 million is 3,130.

That's one in 100,000 might be potential terrorists.

Bigotry or common sense?

Now look at the atrocities only eight of them committed last Friday.

How can you guarantee that any of the 41 million migrants currently living in the USA or the 75 million tourists who visit annually will be law abiding?

Yet you eagerly single out 10,000 migrants who have already been screened simply because of their religion and/or race. That's pure bigotry. Seems to be an OTT reaction considering the miniscule Muslim population of the USA. Of course, it is more sinister than that. It is all part of a Muslim bashing campaign run by Fox News, Pamela Geller, and other very well funded organisations who have a hidden agenda to whip up hysteria among the sheeple, Congress and GOP. Follow the money.

In 1939 USA turned its back on Jewish refugees and sent them back to their deaths in the Holocaust and singled out Japanese Americans for internment. A stain on American history.

Shame on the the Governor of Indiana and others for turning their backs on people in need. Very un American.

The count is now 31 Governors, of both parties, that do not wish to host refugees from Syria.

That leaves 19 other states Obama can send his charges to.

Let's send a few thousand to Palm Springs, CA , a few thousand to Honolulu, HI, and the remainder to Chicago, IL. Problem solved and all you bleeding hearts can relax.

What do you want to bet that doesn't happen?

[chuckd]

Now here's a thought that Dexterm will probably consider racist:

[samran]

Hope none of you fellas are typing this on, or use an Apple product....

Edited November 20, 2015 by samran

[MaxYakov]

< Snipped original ezzra post >

Would you prefer then that Obama treat refugees in distress with the same lack of compassion that FDR and the American public in 1939 treated Jews fleeing Hitler's persecution. Wouldn't it have been better if FDR had been more like Obama.

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

Indeed.

Here’s a “robust” method for vetting Syrian “refugees”, failing a step is automatic rejection.

Step 1. Ask basic yet probing questions on Christianity, such as which apostle betrayed Jesus or quote a parable, etc.

Step 2. Have them pet and play with a dog.

Step 3. Have them draw a picture of Mohammed

Step 4. Ask them to tear a page from the Koran.

Step 5. Have them eat a ham sandwich or taste some BACON.

Step 6. Have them wash sandwich down with a beer.

Step 7. Welcome to America!

USA was founded by people escaping religious persecution. Your racist rant displays a desire to perpetuate persecution.

I always consider racism/religionism/xenophobia as a form of inferiority complex. Putting others down to boost one's own feelings of inadequacy.

"USA was founded by people escaping religious persecution."

Your posts generally illustrate quite clearly your ignorance, but this one is beyond the pale. Sure, some of the early colonists were escaping religious persecution, but not the founders. They were escaping British Empire tyranny of the type now being attempted by President Obama.

"The sources and interpretation of the Declaration have been the subject of much scholarly inquiry. The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing colonial grievances against King George III, and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution."

The United States Declaration of Independence - Wiki

Additional homework assignment (the grievances):

Twenty-Seven Grievances of the US Colonies against British Rule - www.USHistory.org

Are you a U.S. citizen residing in the U.S.?

Because if you are a US citizen you are the one that should be feeling "inadequate".

If not, it seems to me to have a suspicious agenda. There is no test of religion in the refugee screening bill (American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015) that just passed a US Congressional vote (including many Obama-defying Democrats) and that Obama has said he will veto. Read about it HERE (Reuters)

[Usernames]

If FDR had been more like Obama, the world would be speaking either Japanese or German.

Indeed.

Here’s a “robust” method for vetting Syrian “refugees”, failing a step is automatic rejection.

Step 1. Ask basic yet probing questions on Christianity, such as which apostle betrayed Jesus or quote a parable, etc.

Step 2. Have them pet and play with a dog.

Step 3. Have them draw a picture of Mohammed

Step 4. Ask them to tear a page from the Koran.

Step 5. Have them eat a ham sandwich or taste some BACON.

Step 6. Have them wash sandwich down with a beer.

Step 7. Welcome to America!

USA was founded by people escaping religious persecution. Your racist rant displays a desire to perpetuate persecution.

I always consider racism/religionism/xenophobia as a form of inferiority complex. Putting others down to boost one's own feelings of inadequacy.

"USA was founded by people escaping religious persecution."

Your posts generally illustrate quite clearly your ignorance, but this one is beyond the pale. Sure, some of the early colonists were escaping religious persecution, but not the founders. They were escaping British Empire tyranny of the type now being attempted by President Obama.

"The sources and interpretation of the Declaration have been the subject of much scholarly inquiry. The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing colonial grievances against King George III, and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution."

The United States Declaration of Independence - Wiki

Additional homework assignment (the grievances):

Twenty-Seven Grievances of the US Colonies against British Rule - www.USHistory.org

Are you a U.S. citizen residing in the U.S.?

Because if you are a US citizen you are the one that should be feeling "inadequate".

If not, it seems to me to have a suspicious agenda. There is no test of religion in the refugee screening bill (American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015) that just passed a US Congressional vote (including many Obama-defying Democrats) and that Obama has said he will veto. Read about it HERE (Reuters)

Indeed. Quite correct. Jamestown was founded as a company with the idea of making a profit on agricultural items, such as tobacco. This is what fueled colonial America at the beginning.