Ryan calls for ‘pause’ on Syrian refugee program

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday suggested a 'pause” to admitting Syrian refugees into the United States, citing national security risks in the wake of the Paris attacks.

'Our nation has always been welcoming, but we cannot let terrorists take advantage of our compassion,” Ryan, R-Wis., said after emerging from a closed-door meeting for House Republicans. 'This is a moment where it's better to be safe than to be sorry.”

Ryan said Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will lead a task force consisting of six key committee chairmen to look at ways for Congress to address the refugee crisis and the battle against the Islamic State terror group, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks Friday. Legislation addressing the issue could hit the House floor by the end of this week, Republicans said Tuesday.

'This is not something that will be solved overnight, but there are issues right before us when it comes to the refugees,” McCarthy said.

Some Republican lawmakers said they want a broader halt to the flow of refugees coming into the United States, arguing that potential terrorists and terrorist sympathizers could come from countries other than Syria.

On Monday more than a score of governors, including Iowa's Gov. Terry Branstad, said they would not permit Syrian refugees to settle in their states.

Meanwhile, the White House set up a conference call with Branstad and 33 other governors Tuesday to discuss the Syrian refugee situation, according to the White House. It lasted almost 90 minutes.

‘Better guarded'

Ryan said the 'pause” he is advocating would be targeted.

'It's important that we have a refugee system in place. We respect that,” he said. 'But we think it's simply prudent that for this particular program in this particular situation that we be better guarded against any possible infiltration of ISIS coming through this program.”

Most Republican lawmakers Monday discussed addressing the Syrian refugee program in a spending bill that is expected to be considered ahead of a Dec. 11 deadline for funding the government. But Ryan said he anticipates stand-alone legislation to pause the refugee program that would move sooner. 'We don't want to wait that long,” he said.

Task force members said they would produce a proposal before members leave for the Thanksgiving holiday.

'The goal is to get thoughtful legislation out as soon as we can, like this week,” said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., who is on the task force along with the chairmen of the Homeland Security, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, and Appropriations committees.

But Republicans are aware that stand-alone legislation might not overcome resistance from Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama.

'Holding the money is the best,” said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., talking about the spending bill and re-examining the entire visa waiver program.

Enhanced vetting

Democrats warn that dragging refugee resettlement into the year-end appropriations process is politically perilous.

'Yet another reason to shut down the government,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. 'Let's see, we had Planned Parenthood, Obamacare - and now let's have refugees.”

'Anti-immigrant zealots are using the Paris tragedy to advance their anti-immigrant agenda,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., ranking member on the Judiciary panel's immigration subcommittee. 'Do they want to shut the government down? What they're doing is playing into the hands of ISIS.”

House Democratic leaders, meanwhile, are holding rank with the White House's position that the United States should continue to take in Syrian refugees, even if vetting standards must be enhanced.

'Hopefully, we can work out a constructive path forward on this,” Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said

Also on Tuesday, Presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said he wouldn't ban Syrian refugees from entering the country, separating himself from most Republican governors and his party's presidential field.