US House approves bill halting Syrian refugees
The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved legislation to suspend President Barack Obama's program to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country.
The measure was approved on a vote of 289 to 137 on Thursday to support the bill, giving it the two-thirds majority the House would need to override a veto.
Under the proposal, no refugees from Syria or Iraq could enter the US until stricter screening measures are in place and it is clear that the refugees do not pose a national threat.
The measure now goes to the US Senate. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said on Thursday the bill on the refugee clampdown will never pass the Senate.
“The problem is not with refugees,” Reid said. “I don’t think we’ll be dealing with it over here.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t get passed,” Reid said, when asked about the prospect of the president vetoing the bill.
Earlier, President Obama had threatened to veto the legislation. Both houses would have to muster a two-thirds majority to override a veto.
Obama has planned to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees to enter the United States.
But Republicans have raised concerns that terrorists could enter the United States through the refugee program in the wake of the Paris attacks.
On Friday night, bombers and gunmen launched coordinated attacks in and around the French capital, killing at least 129 people and injuring more than 350 others.
Daesh (ISIL) terrorists, who were initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government, have claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks in France.
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The crisis has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people so far and displaced millions of others.
The US and its regional allies, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have been backing militants fighting against the Syrian government and people.
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