Even though House legislators passed sweeping legislation to overhaul the visa process, the question remains whether President Barack Obama will sign it, Rep. David Jolly told
Newsmax TV on Thursday.
"There's reason to question it," the first-term Florida Republican told "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth. "The president has suggested that he will sign the visa waiver bill. He has said he's opposed to the refugee resettlement bill."
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"The president's policies have failed," Jolly added. "First thing the president needs to do is take the fight to ISIS overseas and destroy them on their soils so they don't come to ours."
The legislation passed Tuesday would create new visa requirements for citizens of Iraq, Syria and any other country deemed a terrorist hotspot — including anyone who's traveled to those countries in the previous five years.
Exceptions would be made for official government visits and military service.
A greatly enhanced vetting process will be the biggest outcome of the legislation, Jolly said.
"Strengthening the vetting of all visa applicants, in particularly for those who have traveled to a country like Iraq or Syria or another area that we know there is a threat," he told Hayworth. "If they have traveled there recently, then they should not be eligible for expedited entry, which is what the visa program provides for."
"The House also moved to strengthen our refugee resettlement vetting. We need increased surveillance of homegrown terror — and, yes, we do need to accomplish operational control of the border."
"Those four things are things we need to do right now to protect our homeland."
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