III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 56 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should remain 

a global leader in welcoming and providing refuge to refugees and asylum 

seekers and that no person should be banned from entering the United 

States because of their nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 6), 2017 

Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. 

REED, Mr. CARPER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. COONS, Mr. VAN

HOLLEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

UDALL, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. BENNET, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

FRANKEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. SCHATZ, 

Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. HEINRICH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. 

DURBIN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. SCHUMER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States 

should remain a global leader in welcoming and providing 

refuge to refugees and asylum seekers and that no person should be banned from entering the United States 

because of their nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender. 

Whereas the United States is a country founded on the principles of religious and political freedom; 


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•SRES 56 IS 

Whereas hateful rhetoric against refugees and asylum seekers 

betrays the principles on which the United States was 

founded; 

Whereas for centuries, people from around the world have 

sought refuge in the United States in pursuit of freedom 

and protection for themselves and their families; 

Whereas people often seek refuge and asylum in the United 

States to flee war, armed conflict, violence, and religious, 

ethnic, and political persecution; 

Whereas refugees and asylum seekers have been welcomed by 

towns, cities, and States across the United States; 

Whereas refugees and asylum seekers have made their new 

communities stronger and more vibrant and have positively contributed to the betterment of the United States; 

Whereas the United States has a moral obligation to ensure 

that people fleeing violence and persecution are protected; 

Whereas the United States Senate should continue its legacy 

of bipartisan leadership on refugees and asylum seekers; 

Whereas a ban or halt on resettlement may result in prolonged and indefinite family separation; 

Whereas executive actions targeting refugees and asylum 

seekers could place these most vulnerable populations at 

serious risk of death or injury; and 

Whereas refugees are the most thoroughly screened and vetted entrants to the United States, undergoing multiple 

security checks by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of 

State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Counterterrorism Center: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 


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•SRES 56 IS 

1 (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (A) the United States should remain a 

3 global leader in welcoming and providing refuge 

4 to refugees and asylum seekers; and 

5 (B) no person should be banned from en6 tering the United States because of their na7 tionality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual ori8 entation, gender identity, or gender; 

9 (2) the Executive order titled ‘‘Protecting the 

10 Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the 

11 United States’’ issued by the President on January 

12 27, 2017, undermines the national interest of the 

13 United States; and 

14 (3) the Senate directs the Secretary of the Sen15 ate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to 

16 the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary 

17 of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 

18 Attorney General, the Director of the Federal Bu19 reau of Investigation, and the Director of National 

20 Intelligence. 

Æ 


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