The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved Republican legislation erecting fresh hurdles for Syrian and Iraqi refugees attempting to enter the United States.
Despite a veto threat of the legislation by President Barrack Obama, dozens of Democrats joined Republicans as the House passed the measure 289 – 137.
Today’s vote came six days after attacks in Paris killed 129 people, wounded many more, and revived post 9-11 jitters in the U.S. and Europe.
The legislation would require signatures from the head of the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence on each refugee as not being a threat to U.S. security.
Alaskan U.S. Representative Don Young issued a statement saying, “While I fully understand a review system exists today, I also share serious concerns with the level of information and intelligence available during that process. The FBI Director himself said that ‘when we don’t know much about somebody, there won’t be anything in our data’ and that there is no ‘assurance that there’s no risk associated with this.’ “