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WASHINGTON – Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., today voted in favor of legislation that would strengthen the vetting system for Syrian and Iraqi refugees being admitted to the United States. 
            
“Obama administration officials have said there are inherent shortcomings in the current screening process for refugees, especially those fleeing embattled Middle East countries where government databases are unreliable or nonexistent,” said Foxx. “Comparing an individual's information against such deficient data leaves significant intelligence gaps and exposes the United States to insufficiently vetted individuals. This legislation is a first step toward understanding and addressing those security risks.”
            
H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, would put in place the most robust national-security vetting process in history to ensure terrorists do not exploit humanitarian programs to enter the United States. The legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security, in unanimous concurrence with the FBI Director and the Director of National Intelligence, to certify to Congress that each refugee from Iraq and Syria is not a security threat. 
            
The bill also would require the FBI Director to certify that an individual has received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine that the refugee is not a security threat to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General would be required to independently assess the refugee approvals and provide an annual report detailing its findings to Congress.
 
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