WASHINGTON, D.C. — West Virginia Congressman Evan Jenkins (R-WV3) voted in favor of the House bill which would require Syrian refugees to be fully vetted before they enter the United States.
“I’m putting the safety of the American people and safety of West Virginians first and foremost,” Jenkins said. “That is probably my most important responsibility as a member of Congress.”
The bill consists of four pages according to Jenkins. He said there are two key paragraphs which make up the meat of the legislation. The FBI director is to certify a full background check has been done on a person entering the country. The second requires Homeland Security, FBI, and CIA all agree the person is not a security threat to the United States. The head of the FBI has indicated it would be virtually impossible to make that proclamation.
“Seems to me to be pretty straight forward and simple,” Jenkins argued. “If they claim they can’t do this, then why should we be allowing somebody into the United States. ”
The bill is now before the U.S. Senate and if passed, President Obama is promising he will veto the measure. Jenkins believed anything less than the bill is risky.
“We have been effectively put on notice with what happened in Paris and in Mali that we are a risk. We are a target,” he said.