Hartzler: We must prevent extremists from entering our country

(From Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler)

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) today voted in favor of the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, making Americans’ safety a priority as global threats become increasingly complex and expansive.

“We are a compassionate nation and are sympathetic to the plight of those trying to escape terror in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East,” Hartzler said. “However, until we can fully guarantee the safety of our citizens here at home, I cannot support continuing to freely accept refugees from unstable and war-torn countries.”

“Terrorists around the world, not just ISIS, are looking to exploit any weaknesses in our security they can,” Hartzler stated. “Allowing thousands of refugees to freely enter our borders provides those who wish us harm an easily exploitable weakness to bring their evil to our shores. This security gap is amplified given the unstable nature of governments in the region that aren’t able to accurately identify and track known or suspected terrorists.”

“First and foremost, we must ensure, as this bill does, we are taking measures to ensure refugees coming to our land do not pose a security threat to our citizens,” Hartzler continued. “More is needed, though. We need to secure our borders, prevent extremists from entering our country, and stop homegrown terrorism. Now, more than ever, we must act and be vigilant.”