Democrats Withhold Endorsement of Task Force Report
Today, the Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry to the United States released the below joint statement on their inability to sign-on to the Task Force’s final report. The Democratic membership of the Task Force, led by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), includes Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA).
“We as Democratic Members of the Task Force remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing policies to prevent terrorism by keeping dangerous individuals from traveling to this country. In the past we have supported bipartisan legislation aiming to do just that and we will continue to do so. Unfortunately, policy differences in some areas proved too great to overcome, and we are unable to sign onto the Task Force report.”
“We cannot support efforts to further President Trump's misguided extreme vetting or his un-American Muslim ban. We cannot endorse a broad, arbitrary, and potentially counterproductive expansion of social media vetting. We also do not support policy changes that are not the result of Task Force activities or findings. Instead, we should aim to reinforce proven initiatives that strengthen our security without undermining our values or constitutionally protected rights.”
“It is imperative that we build on the progress that has been made since 9/11 by securing our country from terrorism in a way that also protects our freedoms. Keeping Americans safe and secure is our paramount concern and we remain committed to enhancing security while upholding the values that truly make America great.”
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