As the nation debates whether to accept refugees from war-torn Syria, a bill sponsored by Rep. Richard Hudson has taken center stage in Congress.

Hudson, a Republican who represents the 8th Congressional District that includes part of Rowan County, introduced a bill on Monday to require Syrian refugees to go through background checks before entering the United States. Called the American SAFE Act of 2015, the bill sped through committee and was scheduled for a vote on the U.S. House floor today.

“America is a compassionate nation,” Hudson said in a Wednesday news release. “No country on Earth does more or spends more to care for our fellow man. But being compassionate doesn’t mean we have to have reckless policies that put American lives at risk.”

Hudson’s bill would require Syrians fleeing violence in their country to receive a background check from the FBI. The Department of Homeland Security secretary, U.S. attorney general, FBI director and National Intelligence would be required to confirm to Congress that refugees aren’t a security threat. The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general would also review 20 percent of all confirmations made to Congress about security risks.

Shortly after introduction, the bill was rolled into another measure by the same name. The second incarnation of Hudson’s bill has Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, as the primary sponsor. Hudson is the cosponsor. It adds a monthly report to appropriate congressional committees from the Department of Homeland Security as a requirement. A total of 12 congressional committees are listed in the bill.

As politicians on Capitol Hill began to debate the measure Wednesday, it attracted a veto threat from President Barack Obama, who said certification requirements at the core of Hudson’s measure would add delays and obstacles instead of additional security. The Obama administration said a variety of vetting measures are already in place.

Conversely, members of Congress who support Hudson’s bill cite statements made earlier this year by FBI Director James Comey that the federal government doesn’t have the ability to conduct thorough background checks.

“This veto threat is further proof that President Obama is out of touch,” Hudson said. “The American people want to be assured that terrorists aren’t exploiting our country’s compassion and posing as refugees. I am disappointed the president has issued a veto threat on this common sense, reasonable bill, and I encourage him to reconsider to keep terrorists out and the American people safe.”

Hudson’s proposal comes amid fiery, nationwide debate — sparked by terrorist attacks in Paris — about whether the U.S. should accept refugees from Syria. Half of the the nation’s governors, including Gov. Pat McCrory, have said Syrian refugees are not welcome.

In Paris, More than 120 people were killed and hundreds were injured on Friday following brutal terror attacks at multiple sites in Paris. The sites attacked were soft targets — relatively unprotected areas such as restaurants or music venues. One of the attackers posed as a Syrian refugee when entering Europe from Syria, a country in the Middle East that’s seen an exodus of millions as a result of an ongoing war.

A majority of refugees have relocated to neighboring countries in the Middle East. Thousands more traveled to other countries, including those in Europe.

It’s estimated fewer than 2,000 refugees have been accepted into the U.S. since 2011. In September, however, the Obama administration announced 10,000 more would be given entry.

Hudson’s office said he began drafting the bill before the terror attacks, after top security officials earlier this year said there was no way to guarantee terrorists weren’t among the refugees. Republican leaders in the U.S. House asked Hudson about the status of the bill last weekend following the Paris attacks.

When he introduced the bill on Monday, Hudson’s office characterized the measure as thwarting the Obama administration’s plan.

“I refuse to allow President Obama to open our front door to radical Islamic extremists who are bent on burning down our house,” Hudson said.

The original version of Hudson’s bill had 35 cosponsors in the House, including four of North Carolina’s 13 U.S. representatives. Cosponsors from North Carolina include Reps. Renee Ellmers, R-2, Walter Jones, R-3, David Rouzer, R-7, and George Holding, R-13. Hudson’s office said Rep. Brad Ashford, a Democrat from Nebraska, signed on to be a sponsor of the original bill, making it bipartisan.

Although other Republican U.S. House members from North Carolina haven’t signed on as cosponsors, they’ve all expressed support for stopping resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state. In a joint statement issued this week, 10 of North Carolina’s 13 U.S. House members called for the Obama administration to stop sending any refugees to the state.

“The Paris attacks highlighted that ISIL is not contained and still poses a grave threat to western democracies,” U.S. House members said in the joint statement. “Blocking the flow of Syrian refugees until we can better understand and address security risks they may pose is a necessary step to protect our state and homeland.”

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, who represents a portion of Rowan County, was one of the 10 included in the joint statement.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.