Sen. McConnell: Hit Pause Button

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor yesterday, regarding Syrian refugees:

“It’s clear that the American people are concerned about the Administration’s ability to properly vet thousands of individuals from Syria.

“More than half of our nation’s governors, governors of both parties, have demonstrated their concern.

“Many members in Congress, members of both parties, have raised concerns too.

“Given all this and given all that’s happened in Paris, it simply makes sense to take a step back for now — to press ‘pause’ — so we can determine the facts and ensure we have the correct policies and security screenings in place.

“That’s the most responsible thing for the Administration to do right now.

“That’s the most reasonable and balanced thing for the Administration to do right now.

“We should also not lose sight of why we are in this position to begin with.

“The Syrian people are fleeing Syria because of a brutal civil war.

“The ultimate solution to this problem is to make a Syria a place the Syrian people can continue to return to.

“But the Administration has never had a coherent strategy to settle this conflict.

“Every single one of us knows that ISIL presents a threat to the homeland, and it’s not contained. So if the Administration is serious about starting to turn this situation around, then it’s going to have to develop a serious and workable strategy that can win strong bipartisan support.”