Don’t shut the door on refugees
The U.S. Senate may soon consider an anti-refugee legislation, the American Security from Foreign Enemies Act of 2015, that would restrict the admission of Iraqi and Syrian refugees into the United States. In the midst of the largest refugee crisis since World War II, in which millions of Syrian families have been displaced because of a violent conflict, this bill would prevent the resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. In addition to jeopardizing the U.S.’s moral standing in the world, this proposed discriminatory legislation encourages Islamophobia and propels hate and bigotry.
The U.S. has a long history of welcoming those most in need into our communities. Our country has the most thorough refugee screening process in the world. Security screenings for refugees involve the State Department, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and the National Counterterrorism Center, biometric and investigatory background checks, and interviews that all occur after an individual completes security checks with the United Nations. The certifications proposed by this legislation are unnecessary. This bill would create more bureaucracy within our government agencies.
Refugees are part of our communities and the fabric of the U.S. Our government has the necessary structures to keep Americans safe while also welcoming those most in need. Now is not the time to shut our doors on those fleeing violence. I urge Sen. Angus King to take moral and political leadership in the Senate and vote no on the legislation.
Katherine Kusiak Carey
Fairfield
Collins’ climate leadership
World leaders are in Paris this week working toward a binding, international plan to combat climate change. The United States is well positioned as a global leader in responding to climate change thanks to the Clean Power Plan.
The president’s Clean Power Plan will regulate greenhouse gas emissions from our nation’s coal-fired power plants for the first time in history. The plan will reduce CO2 emissions from these power plants by 30 percent over the next 15 years. The plan allows the U.S. to demonstrate global leadership on climate change at the Paris climate talks.
That is why I am so proud that Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King voted last month against a measure in the Senate that would have torpedoed the Clean Power Plan. Big polluters and their allies in Congress tried to use a Congressional Review Act to throw out the plan. Although the measure passed, it failed to get enough votes to override a veto by the president.
Collins was one of three Senate Republicans to break from her party and vote in support of the Clean Power Plan. Her vote shows real courage and proves she represents Maine people, not the interests of big polluters. Thanks to our senators for standing up and supporting the Clean Power Plan.
Carole Boothroyd
Dover-Foxcroft
No teen truckers
As the congressional representatives continue negotiating the final language of the DRIVE Act, I am making one last request to remove the provision permitting interstate teen truckers. I am co-chair of Parents Against Tired Truckers. I became involved in this organization after my son, Jasen Swift, was killed in a truck crash Oct. 14, 1993. He was a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, and his life was needlessly ended by reckless teenage truck driver, which is why I am so adamantly opposed to this misguided measure.
Studies show that younger the driver is, the involvement rates in large truck crashes increases. It should come as no surprise, then, that young truck drivers, ages 18 to 20, have crash rates that are four to six times higher than those of truck drivers 21 and older.
When a similar pilot program for interstate teen truck drivers was considered in 2001, 96 percent of individuals and 88 percent of truck drivers opposed it. A majority of the motoring public as well as truck drivers were sensible enough to reject interstate teen truckers. It is time that Congress do the same.
Russ Swift
Wales