US House of Representatives Votes to to restrict Iraqi and Syrian refugees entry Thursday Nov 19,2015

 

Defying President Barack Obama's veto threat, the US House easily passed a bill to halt the inflow of Syrian and Iraqi refugees until key national security agencies certify they don't pose a security risk.

Thursday's House vote in the wake of the deadly terrorist attacks on Paris was 289-137, with 47 Democrats joining 242 Republicans in favour of the bill, just nine votes short of a two-thirds majority needed to override Obama's veto.

It also faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Democrat House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he supported the bill because "it is against the values of our nation and the values of a free society to give terrorists the opening they are looking for".

Minority Leader Harry Reid said he will try to block the bill. But the high number of Democrats voting for the bill was worrisome for the White House.