Both U.S. senators from Hawaii voted no Wednesday on a bill that would require refugees from Iraq and Syria to receive background checks from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz voted against the Republican-sponsored bill, which would require heads of the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the director of national intelligence to personally certify that a refugee does not present a security threat.
The bill failed by a 55-43 vote. It required 60 votes to pass.
In a statement, Hirono described the measure as a political stunt.
“Keeping Americans safe should always be our first priority. However, this legislation does nothing to improve national security,” she said, suggesting that Congress instead focus on increasing resources for federal, state and local anti-terror collaboration.
“We should focus on measures that make our communities more secure, not less welcoming to those who may be a different religion or from a particular region — especially if they are fleeing violence in search of peace and a better life,” Hirono said.
Schatz could not be reached for comment by press time.
Last year, he issued a statement following the announcement of President Barack Obama’s proposed refugee resettlement plan, which would bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States.
“Applying a religious, ethnic or national origin test to those who seek freedom and who are fleeing terrorism is antithetical to our values,” Schatz said.
In November, following the terror attacks in Paris, HR 4038 passed the House of Representatives by a large margin, 289-137.
At the time, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was one of a handful of Democrats to vote in favor of the measure.
In a statement released after her vote, Gabbard said she was unsatisfied with the reasoning given
by Department of Homeland Security Secretary and White House chief of staff for their opposition to the bill: that there was not enough staff to complete such a vetting process.
Currently, the United States accepts refugees only after a referral from the United Nations. Refugees are fingerprinted, questioned about their political activities, and given criminal and terrorist background checks.
The process takes a minimum of 18 months.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
