House approves curbs on Syrian refugees

Republicans and many Democrats in the U.S. House on Thursday defied President Barack Obama's veto threat and overwhelmingly approved a bill that makes it harder for Syrian and Iraqi refugees fleeing civil war to enter the United States.

Two of Long Island's three Democrats and both of its Republicans in the House joined the veto-proof majority in a 289-137 vote, a setback for the president even though Senate Democratic leaders said a veto won't be needed because they'll block the bill in the upper chamber.

A quarter of House Democrats voted for the bill, which adds stringent screening requirements for Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

The vote came nearly a week after a well-coordinated suicide-bombing and shooting attacks in Paris by Islamic State terrorists killed 129 people, and amid reports that one of the suspects posed as a Syrian refugee to enter France.

"We are all hearing from constituents who agree that we cannot move forward with a program that does not adequately vet the incoming refugees to determine who won't pose a terrorist threat," Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) said by telephone.

Democratic Reps. Steve Israel of Huntington and Kathleen Rice of Garden City, as well as Republican Rep. Peter King of Seaford, voted yes.

"While the legislation I voted for today was far from perfect, it simply puts additional safeguards in place on an already rigorous process," Israel said.

Rice said, "This bill doesn't shut our doors to Syrian refugees -- I would never vote for something that did."

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans), the only lawmaker who represents part of Long Island to vote against the bill, said the current vetting process is "highly stringent" and has so far kept America safe.

"A new 'certification' requirement, which is deliberately poorly defined . . . will lead to years of extended delay and, in effect, leave the U.S. unable to provide asylum," he said in a statement.

The House vote came after Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he supported Obama's plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States next year. On Tuesday, he had said there might have to be a "pause" in that program.

Schumer said he dropped his reservations after a classified briefing assured him that it is working -- that none of the 2,000 or so Syrian refugees admitted so far have been arrested or deported for terrorism, and that "the overwhelming majority are women, children and the elderly."

Schumer added: "Everyone is checked thoroughly."

He joined Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and other Senate Democrats at a news conference to propose their own legislation.

One bill would tighten the visa waiver program, which allows upward of 19 million people from 38 countries -- mostly in Europe -- to visit for business or pleasure without a visa.

Another bill would bar people on the FBI's terrorist watch list from legally buying guns.

From 2004 to 2014, according to a federal Government Accountability Office report, 91 percent of the 2,233 people on that list who sought to buy weapons passed a background check.

The House sponsor of that bill is King, who has introduced a version of that legislation every year for the past eight years. King said he also supports tightening the visa waiver program.