House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) told Republicans in a closed-door meeting Thursday that he is looking to address this week the concerns many GOP lawmakers have raised about Syrian refugees in light of the Paris attack, an anonymous source in the room told Politico.
It’s not clear which steps Ryan will take, though Politico reported there are several legislative options to consider in the coming days.
Some Republicans have suggested attaching a measure blocking or restricting President Obama’s refugee resettlement program to the must-pass spending bill due in December. Avoiding a government shutdown over the refugee program — which Obama has continued to defend — will likely be Ryan’s first major test as speaker.
Ryan addressed the issue at the GOP House leadership press conference Tuesday, saying Republicans were working on a plan “to take a pause” and develop “a more comprehensive strategy” in regards to the Syrian refugee program.
“We have assembled a task force to consider legislation as quickly as possible,” he said.
He also gently pushed off the idea that Republicans will use December’s spending bill to attempt to block Obama’s program.
“We don’t want to wait that long. We want to work and act on this faster than that,” he said.
Update: This story has been updated to include remarks from Tuesday’s House leadership press conference.
I don’t seem to recall the same debate about refugees from Bosnia. Clearly, we are able to tell the “good” refugees from the “bad” refugees only if they are white.
He is seeking resolution from the stumble-bums and do nothings like himself who have never been out of their districts except to travel on the tax-payer dime for publicity and doubtful of having ever met - let alone spoken with a Muslim or refugee! Never been in a uniform of the USA.
Right lyin ryan! Chase that tail!
To me it is interesting to listen to the anti-immigration / refugee crowd talk of their concern that a terrorist might slip through the cracks and cause death and distruction to citizens of the U.S. Yet, by in large, this same group will fight to the end for the right of home grown, U.S. terrorists to own a automatic gun that can kill scores in minutes. It has been reported that in the U.S. we lose as many people in 36 hours as died in Paris. That is not to say Paris was not a tragic event, but so are the drive bys, school shootings, child shootings etc in the U.S.
Let’s call the hypocrites out!
Immigration reform? How long have the Republicans been ignoring this?
This week!..ha ha ha ha ha who the fuck does he think he’s fooling? A week to get something done with this congress.