124th Morrison Congress

2nd Session
S. 124-0
Title of the Bill:

Syrian Refugee Acceptance Act

Main Author(s): Sen. Praisye Yeo (D-VA)

Co-Sponsor(s):

Rep. Ariel Lo (D-MI), Rep. Lauren Baker (D-NJ)

BE IT ENACTED BY THE MORRISON CONGRESS

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

SECTION 1: Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
1) Since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, the number of registered Syrian
refugees in the world has swelled to nearly 4.6 million
2) the U.N. reports that Lebanon hosts more than 1 million refugees (amounting
to 1 in 5 people in the country), and Turkey hosts more than any other
country worldwide at 2.5 million.
3) Most flee to neighboring countries, however in these countries, without
secure legal and economic statuses, this is not the best long term solution.
4) Germany has accepted some 93,000 Syrian refugees and has said it could take
another 500,000 each year for several years, and France has promised to take
30,000 more Syrian refugees over the next two years.
5) The United States is almost two and a half times the size of the entire
European Union but only 10,000 Syrians were approved by the U.S. for
resettlement in fiscal year 2016.
SECTION 2: Purpose
This bill provides that the number of approved Syrian refugees admitted into the
United States annually is raised to 20,000. This shall include a thorough process
of background and security checks, lasting 18 to 24 months.
SECTION 3: General Provisions
The number of Syrian Refugees accepted into the United States shall increase
from 10,000 to 20,000. By doing so, we act as a global neighbor and show allies in
Europe and our friends in the Middle East the countries who are bearing that
burden that we are willing to step up.
These admitted refugees shall undergo intensive security checks, lasting from 18
to 24 months or more before resettlement in the United States. This shall ensure the
safety of the nation as aliens are accepted into, becoming part of the country.

29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

Shall these refugees be accepted for resettlement, they will obtain the rights and
freedoms of every American and shall not be discriminated against for any
reasons, whether it be race or religion, as they have become an American citizen.
SECTION 4: Definitions
Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war,
persecution, or natural disaster.
Neighboring countries: Countries situated next to or very near Syria, such as
Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.
Legal and economic status: a position or standing in the eyes of law.
Resettlement: the transfer of refugees from an asylum country to another State that
has agreed to admit them and ultimately grant them permanent settlement.

Works Cited:
http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/01/26/syrian-refugee-crisis/
ielanguages.com/esl/usvseurope.doc
http://www.unhcr.org/resettlement.html