The White House has threatened to veto the bill the House is taking up Thursday to put additional screening measures on Syrian refugees—who are already carefully screened.
"This legislation would introduce unnecessary and impractical requirements that would unacceptably hamper our efforts to assist some of the most vulnerable people in the world, many of whom are victims of terrorism," the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.
That actually only marginally increases the likelihood that Republicans will push for a government shutdown, as they seem hellbent on that outcome.
[D]ozens of lawmakers want to defund the program through the forthcoming fiscal 2016 omnibus spending bill, setting the stage for a budget showdown that could force another government shutdown. The resettlement program has so far allowed about 2,000 Syrians to move to the United States.
Nearly 60 Republican House members signed a letter authored by Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, supporting that strategy. The letter to the House leadership, including Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., asked for language to be included in the upcoming spending bill to "restore congressional oversight and authority over the refugee program." The proposed provision would cut off any federal funding for refugee travel or resettlement until Congress authorized it.
To add fuel to the showdown/shutdown fire, here's Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul trying to get attention for his presidential campaign by spouting off about "control of the power of the purse" and his efforts to end housing assistance to refugees. Because that $925 per refugee "to cover the costs of housing, household goods, food, and pocket money for the first 30 days" is way too generous for someone fleeing their homeland to save their life.
But that "control of the purse" is going to be the rallying cry, and Paul is going to be screaming it at the top of his lungs. The maniacs have just been itching for a shutdown since the last two failed. They won't be satisfied with less.
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