American Leadership

Statement

ISIS and the threat of radical Islamic extremism is a real and direct challenge to our way of life. We know there is no replacement for American leadership in the world. We must have a strategy to defeat terrorism and protect Americans. We can be successful, but we must unite as a nation behind a coherent strategy to bring our allies together with an unwavering commitment to defeating those who wish to rip away our freedoms and destroy us. Anything short of that is simply not acceptable.

When I visit with Iowans throughout the 3rd Congressional District, national and personal security is what I hear about more and more. Folks feel less safe and they do not feel as secure as they once had and should. The number one responsibility of the federal government is to keep Americans safe and secure. I take that responsibility seriously.

Congress is listening and acting to consider and pass commonsense, effective and bipartisan solutions. Before Thanksgiving, the U.S. House strengthened, with a veto-proof majority, a certification requirement for our refugee program. This was a measure to add an extra layer of scrutiny in the security process of our refugee program. It passed with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote with Democrats and Republicans coming together to recognize refugees simply need to be properly vetted and background checked before entering the United States. The federal government ought to fulfill its duty to protect Americans. Period. It is just that simple.

This is also why I led a letter from members of Congress to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson reiterating Congress and the administration has a responsibility to protect Americans "against all enemies, foreign and domestic." My letter asks the Secretary a series of important questions on our ability to effectively screen refugees, the states' role in this process, and what steps the Department of Homeland Security is taking to improve security screening of the Visa Waiver Program.

Then just this week the House acted again to reaffirm this commitment to national security and place the safety of Americans as our top priority. By a bipartisan vote of 407 yeas to 19 nays the House passed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act. This legislation closes loopholes in the visa waiver system to prevent terrorists from exploiting it.

Currently, there are 38 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries - where their citizens are able to gain access to the United States more easily. They do not have to visit a U.S. consulate to get a visa, they just fill out a form evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security which approves or denies travel to our country.

Right now, around 5,000 Europeans have left their country - many from VWP countries - to fight with ISIS in Iraq and Syria. We are facing a sophisticated enemy and America must adapt and go on the offensive to meet this threat. Many agree it is reasonable to make travelers who are nationals of - or have visited during the past five years - Iraq and Syria to go through a stronger screening requirement before they can come here. In the House, we stand ready to do more - keeping our values and the U.S. Constitution as our guide - to protect our citizens and safeguard our country from attack. The 9/11 Commission Report states: "For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons."

What these refugees are going through is horrific. We are a compassionate nation and we can be part of the solution in helping these refugees, but we need to take swift action to close loopholes ISIS is trying to exploit to harm America. This refugee crisis will persist and the very real threat of terrorist attacks on American soil will loom until these terrorists are defeated.

The lack of a coherent strategy to combat ISIS and meet this global threat with the resolve only America can provide is a grave mistake. Our strategy cannot be to contain ISIS. Nor can we dismiss their attacks as setbacks. Most importantly, we cannot underestimate ISIS's threats or determination to attack America. Only American leadership will win this fight. Congress is taking these terrorist threats seriously and we are listening to the American people and have acted. We must unify and lead. When we do, we will prevail.

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