Here's why two Republicans voted against the Syria bill

By Curt Mills, Curt Mills

Published December 20, 2015

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Reps. Steve King, R-Iowa, and Walter Jones, R-N.C., said Thursday that they voted against legislation to impose enhanced background checks on all refugees from Syria because the bill didn't go far enough.

"How can we trust this Obama administration who will not utter the words 'radical Islamic jihad' to accurately screen Syrian and Iraqi refugees as required in this bill?" King said in a statement after the House passed the bill. "For that reason, I submitted an amendment to rules, which was ultimately not adopted, that would create international safe zones for refugees in their homeland. I respect the House trying to find a solution but I do not believe this was the right or strong enough one."

King is considered one of Congress' biggest hardliners on immigration issues, and recently threw his weight behind Ted Cruz's campaign for president.