Babin Slams Administration’s Plan to Recklessly Expand Refugee Influx
– Leads New Effort to Pause Refugee Program from Terrorist Hotbeds –
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I was joined by 37 of my colleagues this week in requesting that provisions be included in the upcoming government funding bill that puts a moratorium on refugees coming from terrorist hotbeds in Syria, the Middle East, and North Africa until appropriate screening procedures are put in place and until Congress is given a full accounting of the costs of this program.
Our effort is extremely critical as it comes on the heels of President Obama’s dangerous and reckless announcement that he plans to raise the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. to 110,000 and bring in a “significantly higher” number of Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year. As someone who has been working tirelessly to stop this madness for over a year, I am deeply alarmed and troubled by this news. By doubling down and defying warnings from his own security experts, the President is further jeopardizing the security and well-being of each and every person in the United States.
As elected officials, there is no duty more important than ensuring the protection of the American people and it is critical that Congressional oversight and authority be restored over the refugee program. We cannot allow the refugee program to serve as a Trojan Horse threat to American national security. Our sworn duty is first and foremost to the safety and security of the American people.
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| House Passes Legislation To Make It Easier to Fire Failing VA Bureaucrats |
The House took another important step this week in our efforts to hold the VA accountable by passing the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act (H.R. 5620), which makes it easier to fire VA employees who are failing to properly care for our veterans. This bipartisan bill will also strengthen performance standards and accountability measures for VA employees, provide enhanced whistleblower protections for those who report misconduct and create a process to recoup bonuses or awards paid to certain employees.
We had a veterans’ town hall meeting in Woodville, Texas three weeks ago and I heard firsthand from over dozens of our veterans about the specific problems they are having with VA medical care, compensation and simply not getting answers to their questions. We also heard from VA officials who encouraged veterans to file complaints with exact details on specific employees who are failing to serve with duty and respect. It was clear to me that they wanted to fire bad employees too – and our bill will help them in that process. As a veteran myself and the father of a decorated Navy SEAL, I am committed to seeing that our nation’s heroes receive the respect and treatment they have earned and deserve.
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| Constitution Day |
This past Saturday marked Constitution Day. On this day, 229 years ago, thirty-nine American visionaries applied their signatures to one of the greatest documents in human history, the U.S. Constitution. As we celebrate this remarkable moment, let us remember that so many of our bedrock freedoms are under attack. We must recommit ourselves to preserving the Constitutional liberties for which so many Americans have selflessly given their lives to defend. As your representative, I am steadfastly committed to defending our nation’s founding document at all costs, as well as fighting tirelessly for the principles of limited government, freedom and liberty.
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| Babin Questions Witnesses on Voting Machine Attacks |
This week, at a House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing, I had the chance to question a group of election and security experts about the vulnerabilities we face from cyber and voting machine attacks. It's absolutely critical that we always work to ensure America's election system is secure and the integrity of the ballot box is protected.
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- VOTE ALERT -
House Votes to Block Release of Guantanamo Terrorists |
President Obama continues to give terrorists a one-way ticket back to the battlefield. Just this week we learned that two more former detainees have rejoined the fight and we already know that 30% of all those released have done the same. The American people do not want their security compromised by closing this much-needed and proven detention facility. On Thursday, the House voted to stop this madness and put America's national security first by passing legislation to ban the Obama Administration from transferring detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
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