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U.S. NEWSTuesday 17 November 2015
Republican lawmakers may try to block Syrian refugee plan
ERICA WERNER which one perpetrator is bama was among those propriations Committee. brought to the vetting pro-
Associated Press believed to have been a suggesting Monday that Absent congressional ac- cess.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- Syrian refugee. the legislation should in- tion, “The United States With the federal funding
publican lawmakers said The White House earlier clude provisions requiring will begin resettling tens of deadline less than a month
on Monday they will try this year announced plans congressional approval thousands of poorly vet- away, adding any conten-
to use must-pass govern- to accept an additional of increasing the number ted Syrian refugees who will tious policy fight to the bill
ment spending legislation 10,000 refugees from Syria, of refugees and funding, eventually be able to bring raises the prospect of a
to block President Barack and administration officials which could otherwise in their relatives,” Sessions partial government shut-
Obama’s plans to increase said that would continue happen without Congress’ wrote. down.
the flow of Syrian refugees despite the events in Paris. approval. A number of House Repub- But new House Speaker
into theU.S. Congress is facing a Dec. “The barbaric attacks in licans issued similar calls, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin did
Several said the nation’s 11 deadline to approve a Paris — an assault on civi- including Budget Commit- not rule out such an ap-
refugee program should package of annual spend- lization itself — add im- tee Chairman Tom Price of proach in an interview on
be suspended entirely fol- ing bills to keep the govern- mense new urgency,” Ses- Georgia, who said the U.S. Monday with conservative
lowing the deadly terror ment running. Republican sions said in a letter to the “must suspend our refugee talk host Bill Bennett.q
attacks Friday in Paris, in Sen. Jeff Sessions of Ala- leaders of the Senate Ap- program until certainty is
Carson: Congress should stop funding refugee resettlement
BILL BARROW ities. Carson suggested no
such practical solution ex-
KEN RITTER ists where Syrian migrants
are concerned. “This is a
Associated Press relatively unique situation
for our country,” he said.
HENDERSON, Nevada (AP) The nations of Europe,
meanwhile, are dealing
— Republican presidential with hundreds of thousands
of Syrian refugees, dwarf-
candidate Ben Carson is ing the number being de-
bated by American poli-
calling on Congress to with- ticians. Carson, a retired
neurosurgeon who is near
draw funding to resettle Syr- the top of many Repub-
lican presidential prefer-
ian refugees in the United ence polls, joins Texas Sen.
Ted Cruz, former Arkansas
States, arguing in the wake Gov. Mike Huckabee and
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio
of the Paris terrorist attacks as candidates who have
called for closing American
that there is no credible borders to Syrians.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb
way to tell the difference Bush suggested over the
weekend that the United
between an Islamic State States restrict admission
only to Syrian Christians.
militant and an innocent ci- Louisiana Gov. Bobby
Jindal on Monday issued
vilian fleeing war. an executive order intend-
ed to block Syrian refugees
In a letter to House Speaker from being resettled in his
state.q
Paul Ryan, Carson urged
congressional Republi-
cans to “extinguish” Syr-
ian resettlement programs,
saying the United States
“cannot, should not and
must not accept any Syr- Republican presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson speaks at a news conference, Monday, Nov.
16, 2015, in Henderson, Nev. Carson called for Congress to cut off funding for resettlement of Syr-
ian refugees.” Carson joins ian immigrants in the U.S.
other Republican presiden- (AP Photo/John Locher)
tial candidates expressing have taken action to block government spending leg- as many as 10,000 Syrian
resettlements or said they islation to block President refugees this fiscal year, up
caution or outright opposi- are exploring their legal op- Barack Obama’s plans to from 2,000 in fiscal 2015. The
tions. Members of the Re- increase the flow of Syrian State Department man-
tion to resettling Syrian refu- publican-controlled Con- refugees into the U.S. ages refugee resettlement
gress said on Monday they Obama earlier this year an- with the aid of private orga-
gees in the U.S. will try to use must-pass nounced plans to accept nizations like Catholic Char-
Elsewhere across the politi-
cal landscape, at least 10
governors, including those
in Michigan and Alabama,
Premier wants Canada PM to halt resettling 25,000 refugees
ROB GILLIES last month, campaigned can but let’s do it in a safe to address the urgent refu- might use the refugees as
Associated Press on a plan to resettle 25,000 way,” Wall said. “We’re gee crisis. “So while Paris cover to sneak across bor-
TORONTO (AP) — A Ca- Syrian refugees by Jan. 1. driving toward a date, 45 is a tragic situation ... we ders.
nadian provincial leader Brad Wall, the Conservative days from now, 25,000 ref- have always known there Canadian Public Safety
called on Prime Minister premier of Saskatchewan ugees and I don’t think it are risks involved in this but Minister Ralph Goodale,
Justin Trudeau to suspend province, sent a letter to should be driven by a date- we have always said we speaking last week before
his plan to bring in 25,000 Trudeau on Monday saying line and a quota.” will be responsible and we the Paris attacks, indicated
Syrian refugees by the end the current “date-driven” Trudeau, who was in Turkey will be address those risks in that security screenings for
of the year, citing security plan should be scrapped. on Monday for the Group a responsible way,” Philpott Syrian refugees could take
concerns in the wake of Wall argued that a rushed of 20 summit, has given no said. Several U.S. governors place both overseas and
the Paris attacks. But Can- refugee resettlement could indication that he will alter are threatening to halt ef- on Canadian soil.
ada’s health minister sig- have devastating results his refugee plan. His health forts to allow Syrian refu- The government also has
naled Monday the Liberal and said there needs to be minister, Jane Philpott, said gees into their states in the to determine where it will
government remains com- appropriate screening and the government is being aftermath of the attacks, conduct health screenings;
mitted to the goal. security checks. mindful of health and secu- responding to heightened Philpott would not provide
Trudeau, who was elected “Let’s take as many as we rity concerns while working concerns that terrorists specifics Monday.q
