Hudson criticizes Senate vote

The U.S. Senate this week couldn’t muster enough votes to approve discussion on a Syrian refugee bill authored by a local congressman.

The Senate needed 60 votes to advance the bill. Mostly along party lines, the Senate voted 55 to 43 to advance the bill. It fell just short of the required number.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8, authored the original version of the Syrian refugee bill, which aimed to increase vetting standards and put a temporarily pause on immigrants. In a statement, Hudson said he was disappointed by the vote.

“Americans are anxious about the administration’s ability to properly vet thousands of refugees from Syria and Iraq – and rightfully so,” Hudson said. “I’m disappointed Senate Democrats have ignored these concerns and the glaring vulnerabilities – pointed out by President Obama’s own security experts – and have chosen to politicize our national security. The bottom line is Republicans and Democrats came together in the House in a veto-proof majority to protect our national security, but Senate Democrats won’t even entertain a serious debate. I’ll continue to work to address this problem to help keep terrorists out and the American people safe.”