WASHINGTON, DC — Rules Committee Ranking Member Louise Slaughter (NY-25) reacted to House Republicans voting tonight to block consideration of The Statue of Liberty Values Act, legislation to defund and rescind President Donald Trump’s harmful executive order banning travel from Muslim countries and suspending the refugee program. In voting for the previous question, Republicans prevented a debate on this bill.

“The president’s xenophobic executive order is driven by fear. Apparently Congressional Republicans are also afraid, refusing to stand up to President Trump and demand that he rescind this dangerous plan. It is shameful that Republicans are allowing an executive order to stand that demonstrates such a callous indifference to human suffering, likely ignores the Constitution, and harms our national security. The growing protests around the country are proof that the American people are closely watching what goes on here. They will be holding their members of Congress accountable for turning a blind eye to this blatant attack on our values.”

The Statue of Liberty Values Act states that President Trump’s Executive Order will have no effect or force of law and states that no funds or fees shall be used to implement the order.  President Trump’s outrageous Executive Order shuts out people from several Muslim nations and ends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), running counter to our nation’s fundamental values. Over the weekend, Americans witnessed chaos at airports across the country as travelers - including Lawful Permanent Residents, children, and elderly persons - were denied entry to the United States.

The president’s Executive Order is bad policy and it makes our country less safe. A bipartisan group of national security experts, led by Secretaries Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger explained, “Categorically refusing to take [refugees] only feeds the narrative of ISIS that there is a war between Islam and the West, that Muslims are not welcome in the United States and Europe, and that the ISIS caliphate is their true home. We must make clear that the United States rejects this worldview by continuing to offer refuge to the world’s most vulnerable people, regardless of their religion or nationality.”

Text of the Statue of Liberty Values Act is available here.

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