Country, we want to know your story. If you live in the east or central part of the country, dialin at 2027488000. Gotten pacific at 2027488001. If youre outside, we want to hear your story as well. 2027488002. You can also join the conversation in twitter at http twitter. Com cspanwj. Or email us at journal cspan. Org. We will begin this morning with refugees only. Your experience trying to come to the United States or if you are outside the country, but has been your experience so far . If you are trying to get in or another country. We begin with molly otooles piece about the syrian and iraqi refugees trying to come. How fear slammed americas door on Syrian Refugees. The u. S. Has 2011 resettled just under 1900 Syrian Refugees. But the war in syria, nearly five years old, has displaced more than 12 million. Five have left the country, flooding the region and flowing into europe. Turkey has registered some 2 million refugees. Germany said it will pick up 800,000 this year. The u. S. Passed its global refugee intake at 70,000 per year. That is spurred by the growing crisis and horrific photos of its human toll. Resident obama recently raised next years cap to 85000 and 100,000 by 2017. We are expected to take in 10,000 Syrian Refugees next year but that is easier said than done, currently it takes 18 to 24 months to resettle a syrian refugee and the United States thanks to the lengthy clearance process imposed in the name of National Security. This, in the say piece, for Syrian Refugees fleeing the war and seeking a new life elsewhere, what comes first is registration with the United Nations refugee agency. The u. S. High commissioner for refugees, all of the more than 20,000 applications by syrians for refuge in the united dates received in 2011 come from this commission. They conduct rounds of interviews, first establishing identity and taking biometric data and Digging Deeper into previous lives. U. N. Workers determine whether refugees fall into one of about 45 categories of concern. From serving in particular government ministries or military units to being in specific locations at specific times, even missing family members. Of what au an idea refugee from syria, iraq, or any other country has to go through before they are allowed to come to be noted dates. The United States, we want to hear your story. Live in thecome and consensual part of the country,. Gain the numbers, 2027488000 mountain pacific, 2027488001. Outside the United States, 2027488002. As we told you, the house is set to vote on legislation that would freeze the syrian and iraqi program. Take a look at what speaker ryan had to say. People understand the plight of those fleeing the middle east, but they also want basic assurances for the safety of this country. We are a compassionate nation. We always have been, and we always will be. But we also must remember our First Priority is to protect the American People. We can be compassionate and we can also be safe. That is what the bill that we are bringing up tomorrow is all about. For a new standard of verification for refugees from syria and iraq. It would mean a pause in the program until we can be certain beyond any doubt that those coming here are not a threat. It is that simple. I dont think it is asking too much. I also want to point out that we will not have a religious test, only a security test. If the intelligence and Law Enforcement community cannot certify that a person presents no threat, they should not be allowed in. House onaker of the the floor talking about the legislation that lawmakers will vote on today. We are asking refugees only to call in and tell us about your experience ahead of this vote will happen today in the house. Its unclear what will happen in the senate but the president late yesterday issued a veto threat. In woodbridge virginia, tell us about your story. How did you come to the United States . Leone i am from sierra and i came as a refugee 10 years ago. The process was very long, about a year and six months and it was vigorous rigorous. You have to go through a lot of stuff, the process is very long. People as refugees, no bedding, the process, it is long, i believe that the United States trying to go back all of your their trying to make sure you are the right person to come to this country. The Refugee Program is a good thing. Host let me ask you under what category or how did you apply for status . What did you say to officials . On and when the war was civil war came, i went to neighboring country gu inea. And what it happened and they asked me to prove that i was from sierra leone and really am a refugee. A lot of the process is so long. Host did you have to stay there during this process . Caller yes, in refugee camps. The United NationsHigh Committee for Refugee Programs process, the good the camps, identify you. Progress. Gorous host did you have family . Caller yes, i can with my daughters. Host how old were they . Ler they were just seven three and five. Host what was the camp like . Caller it was crowded, unhealthy. Not something you want to describe. Host once you are granted the status in new guinea, what was a process like to get into the United States . Would you go . Where did you go . The statethink department provided the transportation for you, they must make sure that you have some leads in the United States, someone you know here. Person will go to that and the government will be supporting you for some time while you integrate. Get a job. Have one year to be on your own, to get on your own putting, is that the time when they gave you . Caller yes. Host what did you do to get a job . Come, theyn you connect you with agencies to give jobs. It allows you to go through Vocational Training and there are jobs they will provide for you. People,hrough several these are jobs you do for the time being while you try to get your life together. Host what about income . Did you make enough to make a living, are you making enough now . Caller yes. At that time no. You try to do the best that you can. , you have thist status, are you a citizen now of the United States . Caller yes. Host did that happen right away, how long did that take . Caller about five years. Host did you speaking wish when you came here . Caller yes i do. Host but 10 years ago. Caller i came from an englishspeaking country so yes. He came here 10 years ago from sierra leone, steve in chesapeake, virginia. Good morning. Caller i just want to share my experience. Host we are listening. Caller hello . Host where did you come from . Czechoslovakia. I came here in 1982. I was in a refugee camp in germany. Awaited for about a year and half. But ia job in germany didnt want to stay there so i came here in august of 82. It took about two months to find my first job and i got a green and in 1989 and became a citizen. I turn on the tv and refugees from syria and the middle east, i think of my own experience. Why they der host you came in 1983 and by 1989 you started your own business . 1987 actually. Host four years after arriving you said your own business. Do you consider america your home . Yes, but im being pretty real, i pay taxes. Important for a country to maintain control of its borders. , before iere came here i interviewed at the german consulate and United States consulate. They had a chance in germany to say yes you can, or no you cannot come. And the other countries, canada australia, and including i hope this country continues his tradition of accepting refugees. To it has to be represented the people who want to be here. It should not be based on the conditions or i dont know what or whatit should be but it should be based on but thats what i want to say. Host we are talking to refugees only. Janet and ohio, tell us your story. I came from vietnam. Host when did you come . I came in 1975. When they tried to take over in saigon. Host what was the process like and how long did it take . We went to the embassy 1 00 in thethere at to the next day. The American People took us to a came to from there, we the country some other country before we came here. Host because it was a war, it happened quickly. Outer yeah, we were run from saigon. They shoot and made us go to saigon so 1975, are you in a citizen of the United States now . To the yes, we came country in 1980 we live here five years. Thats janet from vietnam in 1975, talking about her experience with coming to the United States. Henry in evanston, illinois. Youre on the air. Good morning. Refugees only this morning. Tell us your story. Henry . Caller yes i am on the phone. Good morning. Germany, i came from 19 from 1937, i am 101 years old. It took me more than four years to get the visa. And then irejected tried again. I tried again, finally, after four years, i got the visa and i came here in 1937. Difficult, with the law in effect at that time. I had to have somebody sign for someone inas only Financial Difficulties at the time so it took very long. Host thats why it took four years or you were rejected because you needed somebody to sign for you in the United States . Enough,yes, strangely he wasnt financially difficult, so it waslaw difficult. So i came here and served in world war ii with overseas service. I served in the u. S. Army. Yearsere very difficult when i had to wait. It was not pleasant living in germany. Host what was it like living here . The consulate was hard to handle at that time. We are hearing from refugees only, giving your stories about what it was like to make your trip to the United States, to navigate the process of getting here. In light of what is happening in capitol hill today, where the house is going to be voting on the legislation that would add some layers of vetting to the process of accepting refugees from syria and iraq and that would require the signoff of , the additional 10,000 president obama wants to bring to the United States and resettle in america. Additional vetting process for them. The fbi, Homeland Security, National Intelligence director, they all would have to sign off on each and every one of those refugees. A democrat of connecticut came to the floor yesterday in opposition. His what he had to say. Mr. Speaker, the houses scared. You hear it in the voices of my colleagues and because the American People are scared as they learn the capabilities of these evil psychopaths. Mr. Speaker, when we are scared, we do dumb things. We spend time forcing the cafeteria to rename french fries, we invaded iraq because we are angry at what comes of the middle east. Transatlantic liner the st. Louis sale to germany with almost 1000 aboard, all jews seeking to flee arrest of it off. The ship went to cuba with the idea it would come to the u. S. But it was denied entry. Refugees were reported to be communist and anarchists and we were scared of them. Jewish refugees fleeing hitler. The ship was turned back nearly a quarter of the thousand souls, lost their lives in hitlers holocaust. It was not a good moment for the United States. It is a moral stain on our history. Lets keep our history safe thus kedarfe qs lets keep our people safe. Host some democrats are indicating they will be voting for this legislation when the vote takes place on the floor today. Of course, we will have coverage of the floor proceedings here on cspan. The Editorial Boards are weighing in, New York Times saying refugees are not the enemy. What thee more about United States has long since 9 11 and before about potential terrorists reached the shores. Individuals more often already live here or they come via a legal means. Unlike those, those seeking apply fromt must abroad. Half of those seeking status are approved. So far, half of the refugees accepted in the u. S. Have been children and another quarter over six years old. Roughly half are female and many are multi generational families, often with the primary threat. They write this is a fighting time from europe frightening time in europe. President obama is likely to veto it because it has little to do with fighting global terror. It is sad that this proposal has been described as a first chance for the speaker of the house, paul ryan, to cooperate with the senate. The wall street journal editorial says this, obamas refugee veto threat on the bill, they say the president asked democrats to shield him one more time. They write some gop president ial candidates have bee dogged the issue but to mitigate the worst of the refugee populism, rather than cut off funds for refugees, it would require the top official certified the refugees being admitted dont pose security risks. It includes no religious text. If mr. Obama werent so intent on trashing republicans as hed realizecists, this measure might serve as a way for republicans to mollify Public Opinion without shutting down all refugee entry. This president prefers to put ideological vanity above compromise. This book today, we are asking refugees only to call in. If you live in the east or central part of the country, 2027488000. Mountain pacific, 2027488001. Not only iraqi and Syrian Refugees, the heard from vietnam, germany, sierra leone. Whatever country you come from, we want to hear your story. If you are outside the United States, you can dial in at 2027488002. In potomac maryland, good morning to you. Caller good morning, can you hear me . I called the screener, sorry if i call them a screener, i am i was like three or four years old, my parents were russian jews. So, you know, i am an american citizen. By the that out the time they were big reagan fans. Said, my parents are no longer with us, and also i had branches in my family that were in the holocaust. This isis threat is unspeakable. But for republicans and even whatently some democrats, you showed. Look. Do not use this as a scare tactic because we are still what it says on the statue of liberty. Give us your tired, your huddled, your poor. , we are a nation of immigrants and we dont let this affect us just like we didnt paint a broad brush on all muslims. I dont agree with barack obama, yes i consider myself democrat and i consider him up using a ron iran. When it comes to refugees that have nothing to do with the country, and these countries are because of the british empire. Most of my ancestry comes from an area of europe and Eastern Europe and i guess west of the ural mountains, it was all based in empires and czars. My people were subject to the hollis got holocaust and progroms. To tie this in with what happened in paris is trivializing what happened with the peer isis threat. Are we nativists . Duke, this sends chills to my spine. Host in fairfax, virginia. That morning to you. Where are you from . Caller i am from northern iraq. Host when did you come here . Caller i have been to the United States in the mid90s, my father came here through the United NationsRelocation Program as a refugee. And my sisters and i came here shortly after. I was 11 when we came here and it was difficult for us to get resettled in a new country and , but back onnds him we had a lot of friends and families that we know. Thousands that wanted to come here. Time, canada and the United States were the only countries taking refugees. It was such a privilege to come to this country to have a chance to work and live together and be safe. Believe that during those days even though the process was difficult it took about three years. , but it was a reward. It doesnt have to be syrian, but if we turn our backs on the people, what does that show the world . I would have been devastated if america told us know in the 90s as an 11yearold who was a life in the midst of the civil war between the iraqis, the kurds, and the people in the south. This broke out as a civil war that the United States directly had an impact in. Result of our intervention and European Intervention in syria. We need to be responsible and do one of two things. Either we somehow put some sort of military action there to end the conflict, or we need to get the innocent people out of there. Host why was your father allowed if you knew many families who wanted to make the and get that stata center him to the United States . Why your father and why your family . Caller it was very difficult, you had to have someone young and energetic, somebody to get out of iraq. They want letting anybody leave. Anybodythey werent leaving. My dad had to go into turkey and we then, once we got to turkey, we were fine. Go through the same route traveling by night across the borders. It wasnt easy. I look back at my mom in those days and she was 25, she was with three kids, the ages 11, 9, and seven. It mustve been difficult. I dont see myself as a 28yearold being able to go to the same steps my parents did. Host do you know how much your parents had to pay to pay off guards and make the trip . Caller my father had to sell his mechanic shop. My mother was a college graduate. We had to sell everything we had. We sold everything and turkey only lived in a short time for six months while my father was still here, we lived in a onebedroom apartment with no e