HR 4038 114th Congress House

American SAFE Act of 2015

Official title: To require that supplemental certifications and background investigations be completed prior to the admission of certain aliens as refugees, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 18, 2015 Introduced by: McCaul, Michael T. Republican · Texas See on congress.gov

Immigration Border security and unlawful immigrationCongressional oversightCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal justice information and records

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Government studies and investigationsImmigration status and proceduresIraqMiddle EastRefugees, asylum, displaced personsSyriaTerrorism

Everywhere this bill has been 20 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jan 20, 2016

Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55 - 43. Record Vote Number: 4. (consideration: CR S111; text: CR S111)

Jan 20, 2016

Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S111)

Jan 12, 2016

Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S63; text: CR S63)

Jan 12, 2016

Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S63)

Nov 19, 2015

Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Deemed read the second time, pursuant to the order of November 19, 2015. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 300.

Nov 19, 2015

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Nov 19, 2015

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 289 - 137 (Roll no. 643). (text: CR H8381)

Nov 19, 2015

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 180 - 244 (Roll no. 642).

Nov 19, 2015

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H8399)

Nov 19, 2015

Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Thompson (MS) motion to recommit with instructions pending a reservation of a point of order. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment requiring the Department of Homeland Security to have procedures in place to ensure that it has requisite information to confirm the identity of refugee applicants; authorizing a comprehensive review of refugees to identify security threats; requiring DHS to certify that a comprehensive review was undertaken; and providing for monthly DHS reports on refugee applications from Syria and Iraq and DHS Inspector General reviews of DHS certifications. Subsequently, the reservation of a point of order was withdrawn.

Nov 19, 2015

Mr. Thompson (MS) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (consideration: CR H8397-8399; text: CR H8397-8398)

Nov 19, 2015

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H8397)

Nov 19, 2015

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4038.

Nov 19, 2015

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4038 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.

Nov 19, 2015

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 531. (consideration: CR H8381-8400)

Nov 19, 2015

Rule H. Res. 531 passed House.

Nov 18, 2015

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 531 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4038 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.

Nov 17, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

Nov 17, 2015

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Nov 17, 2015

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 2

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Nov 19, 2015	House · vote #643	On Passage	Passed	289–137	See who voted →
Nov 19, 2015	House · vote #642	On Motion to Recommit with Instructions	Failed	180–244	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 7

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
SAMDT 2,951	–	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,950	–	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,949	–	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,948	–	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,947	–	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,946	Thune, John	–	Pending	–
SAMDT 2,945	Thune, John	–	Pending	–

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Latest action January 20, 2016

Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55 - 43. Record Vote Number: 4. (consideration: CR S111; text: CR S111)

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a background investigation before U.S. refugee admission.

A "covered alien" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who:

is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria,
has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or
has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011.

A covered alien:

may not be admitted as a refugee until the FBI certifies to DHS and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that he or she has received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the alien is a U.S. security threat; and
may only be admitted to the United States after DHS, with the unanimous concurrence of the FBI and the DNI, certifies to Congress that he or she is not such a threat.

The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications.

DHS shall report monthly to Congress on the total number of admission applications for which a certification was made and the number of covered aliens for whom such a certification was not made for the preceding month. The report shall include for each covered alien for whom a certification was not made the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by the certification.

Related & companion bills 5

Bill text 3 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Placed on Calendar Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 59

Comstock, Barbara

· Nov 19, 2015

DesJarlais, Scott