In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out on the Senate floor late last week against several Republican efforts to halt the flow of Syrian war refugees into the U.S.
“We will reflect in years to come about what happened in this world in the last week," Durbin said. "We will reflect on the terrible tragedy that occurred in Paris, France, in Beirut, and other nations that was led by ISIS terrorists. We will reflect on those poor victims who died as a result of their terrorist acts.
“And we will also reflect on acts of heroism and wisdom that emerged from this terrible tragedy, heroism on the ground in Paris and other places from those who defied these terrorists, and those who risked their lives to bring those responsible to justice, and the wisdom and compassion shown by leaders around the world not to exploit this situation," Durbin said.
Durbin said French President Francois Hollande has led by example by not holding refugees accountable for the terrorist attacks and agreeing to take in an additional 30,000 refugees after the carnage.
“In time of war, in time of attack, sometimes rash decisions are made,” Durbin said. “I predict that in the course of history, as people in the future reflect on what happened in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives this week, they will hope that saner voices would have prevailed.”
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