Text of US SR 56 (2017)

III 115TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 56 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should remain a global leader in welcoming and providing refuge to refugees and asylum seekers and that no person should be banned from entering the United States because of their nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual ori- entation, gender identity, or gender. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 7 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 6), 2017 Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. REED, Mr. CARPER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. COONS, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. UDALL, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. BENNET, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. SCHATZ, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. HEINRICH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. SCHUMER) submitted the fol- lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should remain a global leader in welcoming and providing refuge to refugees and asylum seekers and that no per- son should be banned from entering the United States because of their nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sex- ual orientation, gender identity, or gender. Whereas the United States is a country founded on the prin- ciples of religious and political freedom; VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:43 Feb 08, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR56.IS SR56 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 56 IS Whereas hateful rhetoric against refugees and asylum seekers betrays the principles on which the United States was founded; Whereas for centuries, people from around the world have sought refuge in the United States in pursuit of freedom and protection for themselves and their families; Whereas people often seek refuge and asylum in the United States to flee war, armed conflict, violence, and religious, ethnic, and political persecution; Whereas refugees and asylum seekers have been welcomed by towns, cities, and States across the United States; Whereas refugees and asylum seekers have made their new communities stronger and more vibrant and have posi- tively contributed to the betterment of the United States; Whereas the United States has a moral obligation to ensure that people fleeing violence and persecution are protected; Whereas the United States Senate should continue its legacy of bipartisan leadership on refugees and asylum seekers; Whereas a ban or halt on resettlement may result in pro- longed and indefinite family separation; Whereas executive actions targeting refugees and asylum seekers could place these most vulnerable populations at serious risk of death or injury; and Whereas refugees are the most thoroughly screened and vet- ted entrants to the United States, undergoing multiple security checks by the Department of Defense, the De- partment of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Na- tional Counterterrorism Center: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That— 1 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:43 Feb 08, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR56.IS SR56 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 56 IS (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— 1 (A) the United States should remain a 2 global leader in welcoming and providing refuge 3 to refugees and asylum seekers; and 4 (B) no person should be banned from en- 5 tering the United States because of their na- 6 tionality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual ori- 7 entation, gender identity, or gender; 8 (2) the Executive order titled ‘‘Protecting the 9 Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the 10 United States’’ issued by the President on January 11 27, 2017, undermines the national interest of the 12 United States; and 13 (3) the Senate directs the Secretary of the Sen- 14 ate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to 15 the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary 16 of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 17 Attorney General, the Director of the Federal Bu- 18 reau of Investigation, and the Director of National 19 Intelligence. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:43 Feb 08, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR56.IS SR56 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS