House Passes H.R. 4038 - American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer announced the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015. The bill prohibits the entry of refugees from Iraq and Syria into the United States unless the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certifies to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) the refugee has undergone a background investigation sufficient to determine if they would pose a threat our nation. In addition, the bill requires the DHS Secretary, FBI Director, and DNI to certify to Congress each refugee is not a security threat prior to his or her admission to the United States. Cramer is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

"The United States is the most compassionate country in the world. We have on numerous occasions opened our hearts and our homes to refugees escaping war and strife," said Cramer. "However, our compassion must not be exploited at the expense of national security. The recent cowardly terrorist attacks in Paris have shaken the world like no other event since the September 11 attacks on New York City. The primary duty of the federal government is to protect Americans from harm. Admitting Syrian and Iraqi refugees without proper background checks unnecessarily places national security and American lives at risk."

Cramer said ISIS threats need to be taken seriously even in North Dakota. "Early this year, ISIS online postings specifically threatened military personnel stationed in Minot. Hopefully nothing like what happened in Paris will happen in North Dakota, but even so, the bad guys win a little every time they make us apprehensive to do routine things like attending a concert or a sporting event. We must ensure we do everything possible to keep our nation safe from terrorists."

The bill also requires the DHS Inspector General to conduct a risk-based review of all certifications for admission of Iraqi or Syrian refugees made by DHS, FBI, and DNI each year and provide an annual report to Congress detailing its findings. The bill further requires the DHS Secretary to provide a monthly report to Congress on the total number of applications for admission of Iraqi and Syrian refugees for which certifications were made and the total number for whom a certification was not made, including the concurrence or non-concurrence of each required official.

A covered alien is defined in the bill as a refugee who is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or who has been present in one of those countries at any time on or after March 1, 2011.

Cramer advocated for reforming the nation's refugee admission program prior to last week's terrorist attacks in Paris. He is a co-sponsor of H.R. 3573, the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. This bill gives Congress the authority to approve the President's yearly refugee plans and adds additional security screening and involvement of the FBI and other intelligence agencies in the screening of refugees requesting admission into the United States.

Source