TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on World Refugee Day, to share
some facts on the United States Refugee Resettlement Program. America's Refugee Resettlement Program is a small but powerful
humanitarian expression of American values and founding principles. And
just as important, it makes us safer. Refugees go through vetting that is already extreme. If there is any
doubt about a refugee's identity, he or she is not admitted. The
process is so rigorous, there hasn't been a single fatal terrorist
attack carried out by a refugee in the United States since the Refugee
Act became law in 1980. Americans across our great country support resettlement. America's
faith communities are leading the call for America to stand by her
principles and shelter the fleeing victims of our enemies, including
the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany in my own 20th District
of New York. That is because it speaks directly to American values of
strength, inclusiveness, and compassion. New Yorkers have played a vital role in the resettlement program, and
refugees are positively contributing to communities across New York
State and beyond. The United States Committee for Refugees and
Immigrants' Albany field office has helped resettle refugees from
Afghanistan, from Burma, Iraq, Ukraine, and the Congo, just to name a
few. Some of these refugees are single mothers seeking a better life
for themselves and their children; others are families fleeing war and
persecution. We have the strength, the means, and the capacity to welcome these
refugees with open arms. Let us stand with these huddled masses and
remain a beacon of freedom around the world.
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