WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Austin Scott, representing Georgia’s Eighth District, released a statement Friday regarding the House passage of H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015:

“My first priority as a Member of Congress is the safety of my constituents and Americans across the country,” said Congressman Austin Scott. “Our nation has a proud history of opening its doors to refugees, but as we deal with the current refugee crisis, especially in light of the horrific events in Paris last week, it must be determined without a doubt that those seeking to come to our country pose no danger to our citizens. The SAFE Act of 2015 is the first step towards addressing our refugee resettlement program by putting a pause on the admission of Syrian refugees to allow our government agencies to ensure that our vetting procedures are not permitting terrorists to slip through our borders.”

The SAFE Act is a bipartisan effort to provide certain safeguards on the acceptance of refugees into the country in light of the increased incidence of terrorism around the globe emanating from Syria.