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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green), today voted in favor of H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act, legislation that strengthens the vetting system for Syrian and Iraqi refugees being admitted to the U.S. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support. 

“This great nation has a long history of providing safe haven for many of the world's most vulnerable refugees; however, we must take measures to prevent Americans from being placed in harm’s way. The passage of this legislation is an essential step to minimize the risk of a terrorist attack on American soil,” said Rep. Latta. “The President’s own top national security officials, including FBI Director Comey, have repeatedly warned that the U.S. government does not have the resources nor the access to information needed to fully vet these refugees entering the country.”

The American SAFE Act requires that, following a thorough background investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Iraq and Syria refugees may only be admitted if the Department of Homeland Security, in unanimous concurrence with the FBI Director and Director of National Intelligence, certifies to Congress that each refugee is not a security threat.

“The first responsibility of the Federal Government is to keep the American people safe,” Latta continued. “ISIS has made it clear they intend to target additional Western countries in the future. Until we can ensure that those seeking refuge do not pose national security threats to our nation, the President’s current Syrian and Iraqi resettlement program should be paused, and this legislation must be passed into law.”