Earlier this month, the world was in shock as hundreds of individuals in Paris were killed or wounded by a terrorist attack. What happened in Paris is a very real reminder that terrorism is still a threat to America and our allies around the world.

The attack took place in France and was perpetrated, in part, by European citizens. However, its roots are in Syria, which has been in the throes of a violent civil war since 2011. Syrian government forces, rebel groups, militant Islamic extremists, sectarian militias, and foreign armies and their proxies are all engaged in this conflict, fighting with and against each other depending on the circumstances and the day of the week.

This ongoing conflict has prompted more than three million Syrians to flee the country over the past four years. The ongoing conflict has also allowed one group of militant Islamic extremists, who call themselves the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to carve out an area of territory in Syria and Iraq from which they have planned and executed terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The combination of a record flow of refugees fleeing Syria and ISIS’ desire to conduct terrorist attacks abroad has created a dangerous threat to our national security. The Paris attack is a case in point. While a number of the perpetrators were French and Belgian citizens, others exploited the plight of the refugees and infiltrated their ranks in order to travel from ISIS’ base in Syria to Paris. 

I deeply understand the importance of providing refuge to those in need. However, I remain firm in believing our nation’s first priority is to keep our fellow Americans and our homeland safe and secure. In order to do so, we must evaluate and properly address all discrepancies in our country’s refugee program before we allow any more refugees from this troubled region into the United States. Many of my colleagues feel the same and, as a result, the House passed the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act. This legislation, which I cosponsored, would place a moratorium on the admission of Syrian refugees until the FBI Director, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence can certify to Congress that every refugee being admitted to the U.S. from Syria and Iraq is not a security threat. In addition, the FBI Director must take all action to affirm that every refugee receives a thorough background investigation to determine if the refugee poses a security threat. It is my hope the Senate acts swiftly on this important legislation.

In addition, earlier this year the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act which reinforces the United States mission to combat ISIS, authorizing increased funding for the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq and for security assistance to Iraqi forces fighting ISIS. It also counters ISIS’ use of the Internet to spread propaganda and directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to counter the terrorists’ online efforts.

While I am pleased the House acted on a federal level, I also sent a letter along with my Missouri colleagues to Governor Jay Nixon urging him to publically oppose Syrian refugees in our state. As the governor, it is his duty to act in the best interest of the state’s citizens.

With the Obama Administration still committed to bringing 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States, we can and must do more, to ensure all Americans are kept safe. ISIS has proven the war on terror is not over and the United States government must not allow extremist groups to gain footholds from where they can harm anyone else in the world, including Americans at home and abroad.

Please know I will continue to keep the safety of Americans first and foremost in my mind.