[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3348-S3349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4352. Mr. CARPER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle I of title X, add the following:
SECTION 1097. AUTHORIZATION OF THE OFFICE FOR PARTNERSHIPS
AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY.
(a) In General.--The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by inserting after section 801 the following:
``SEC. 802. OFFICE FOR PARTNERSHIPS AGAINST VIOLENT
EXTREMISM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
``(2) Assistant secretary.--The term `Assistant Secretary'
means the Assistant Secretary for Partnerships Against
Violent Extremism designated under subsection (c).
``(3) Countering violent extremism.--The term `countering
violent extremism' means proactive and relevant actions to
counter recruitment, radicalization, and mobilization to
violence and to address the immediate factors that lead to
violent extremism and radicalization.
``(4) Domestic terrorism; international terrorism.--The
terms `domestic terrorism' and `international terrorism' have
the meanings given those terms in section 2331 of title 18,
United States Code.
``(5) Radicalization.--The term `radicalization' means the
process by which an individual chooses to facilitate or
commit domestic terrorism or international terrorism.
``(6) Violent extremism.--The term `violent extremism'
means international or domestic terrorism.
``(b) Establishment.--There is in the Department an Office
for Partnerships Against Violent Extremism.
``(c) Head of Office.--The Office for Partnerships Against
Violent Extremism shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary
for Partnerships Against Violent Extremism, who shall be
designated by the Secretary and report directly to the
Secretary.
``(d) Deputy Assistant Secretary; Assignment of
Personnel.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) designate a career Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Partnerships Against Violent Extremism; and
``(2) assign or hire, as appropriate, permanent staff to
the Office for Partnerships Against Violent Extremism.
``(e) Responsibilities.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall be
responsible for the following:
``(A) Leading the efforts of the Department to counter
violent extremism across all the components and offices of
the Department that conduct strategic and supportive efforts
to counter violent extremism. Such efforts shall include the
following:
``(i) Partnering with communities to address
vulnerabilities that can be exploited by violent extremists
in the United States and explore potential remedies for
Government and non-government institutions.
``(ii) Working with civil society groups and communities to
counter violent extremist propaganda, messaging, or
recruitment.
``(iii) In coordination with the Office for Civil Rights
and Civil Liberties of the Department, managing the outreach
and engagement efforts of the Department directed toward
communities at risk for radicalization and recruitment for
violent extremist activities.
``(iv) Ensuring relevant information, research, and
products inform efforts to counter violent extremism.
``(v) Developing and maintaining Department-wide strategy,
plans, policies, and programs to counter violent extremism.
Such plans shall, at a minimum, address each of the
following:
``(I) The Department's plan to leverage new and existing
Internet and other technologies and social media platforms to
improve non-government efforts to counter violent extremism,
as well as the best practices and lessons learned from other
Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, and foreign
partners engaged in similar counter-messaging efforts.
``(II) The Department's countering violent extremism-
related engagement efforts.
``(III) The use of cooperative agreements with State,
local, tribal, territorial, and other Federal departments and
agencies responsible for efforts relating to countering
violent extremism.
``(vi) Coordinating with the Office for Civil Rights and
Civil Liberties of the Department to ensure all of the
activities of the Department related to countering violent
extremism fully respect the privacy, civil rights, and civil
liberties of all persons.
``(vii) In coordination with the Under Secretary for
Science and Technology and in consultation with the Under
Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, identifying and
recommending new empirical research and analysis requirements
to ensure the dissemination of information and methods for
Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial countering
violent extremism practitioners, officials, law enforcement
personnel, and non-governmental partners to utilize such
research and analysis.
``(viii) Assessing the methods used by violent extremists
to disseminate propaganda and messaging to communities at
risk for recruitment by violent extremists.
``(B) Developing a digital engagement strategy that expands
the outreach efforts of the Department to counter violent
extremist messaging by--
``(i) exploring ways to utilize relevant Internet and other
technologies and social media platforms; and
``(ii) maximizing other resources available to the
Department.
``(C) Serving as the primary representative of the
Department in coordinating countering violent extremism
efforts with other Federal departments and agencies and non-
governmental organizations.
``(D) Serving as the primary Department-level
representative in coordinating with the Department of State
on international countering violent extremism issues.
``(E) In coordination with the Administrator, providing
guidance regarding the use of grants made to State, local,
and tribal governments under sections 2003 and 2004 under the
allowable uses guidelines related to countering violent
extremism.
``(F) Developing a plan to expand philanthropic support for
domestic efforts related to countering violent extremism,
including by identifying viable community projects and needs
for possible philanthropic support.
``(2) Communities at risk.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `communities at risk' shall not include
a community that is determined to be at risk solely on the
basis of race, religious affiliation, or ethnicity.
``(f) Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism in the United
States.--
``(1) Strategy.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate, the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the
House of Representatives a comprehensive Department strategy
to counter violent extremism in the United States.
[[Page S3349]]
``(2) Contents of strategy.--The strategy required under
paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, address each of the
following:
``(A) The Department's digital engagement effort, including
a plan to leverage new and existing Internet, digital, and
other technologies and social media platforms to counter
violent extremism, as well as the best practices and lessons
learned from other Federal, State, local, tribal,
territorial, nongovernmental, and foreign partners engaged in
similar counter-messaging activities.
``(B) The Department's countering violent extremism-related
engagement and outreach activities.
``(C) The use of cooperative agreements with State, local,
tribal, territorial, and other Federal departments and
agencies responsible for activities relating to countering
violent extremism.
``(D) Ensuring all activities related to countering violent
extremism adhere to relevant Department and applicable
Department of Justice guidance regarding privacy, civil
rights, and civil liberties, including safeguards against
discrimination.
``(E) The development of qualitative and quantitative
outcome-based metrics to evaluate the Department's programs
and policies to counter violent extremism.
``(F) An analysis of the homeland security risk posed by
violent extremism based on the threat environment and
empirical data assessing terrorist activities and incidents,
and violent extremist propaganda, messaging, or recruitment.
``(G) Information on the Department's near-term, mid-term,
and long-term risk-based goals for countering violent
extremism, reflecting the risk analysis conducted under
subparagraph (F).
``(3) Strategic considerations.--In drafting the strategy
required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider
including the following:
``(A) Departmental efforts to undertake research to improve
the Department's understanding of the risk of violent
extremism and to identify ways to improve countering violent
extremism activities and programs, including outreach,
training, and information sharing programs.
``(B) The Department's nondiscrimination policies as they
relate to countering violent extremism.
``(C) Departmental efforts to help promote community
engagement and partnerships to counter violent extremism in
furtherance of the strategy.
``(D) Departmental efforts to help increase support for
programs and initiatives to counter violent extremism of
other Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial,
nongovernmental, and foreign partners that are in furtherance
of the strategy, and which adhere to all relevant
constitutional, legal, and privacy protections.
``(E) Departmental efforts to disseminate to local law
enforcement agencies and the general public information on
resources, such as training guidance, workshop reports, and
the violent extremist threat, through multiple platforms,
including the development of a dedicated webpage, and
information regarding the effectiveness of those efforts.
``(F) Departmental efforts to use cooperative agreements
with State, local, tribal, territorial, and other Federal
departments and agencies responsible for efforts relating to
countering violent extremism, and information regarding the
effectiveness of those efforts.
``(G) Information on oversight mechanisms and protections
to ensure that activities and programs undertaken pursuant to
the strategy adhere to all relevant constitutional, legal,
and privacy protections.
``(H) Departmental efforts to conduct oversight of all
countering violent extremism training and training materials
and other resources developed or funded by the Department.
``(I) Departmental efforts to foster transparency by
making, to the extent practicable, all regulations, guidance,
documents, policies, and training materials publicly
available, including through any webpage developed under
subparagraph (E).
``(4) Strategic implementation plan.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which the Secretary submits the strategy required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives an
implementation plan for each of the components and offices of
the Department with responsibilities under the strategy.
``(B) Contents.--The implementation plan required under
subparagraph (A) shall include an integrated master schedule
and cost estimate for activities and programs contained in
the implementation plan, with specificity on how each such
activity and program aligns with near-term, mid-term, and
long-term goals specified in the strategy required under
paragraph (1).
``(g) Annual Report.--Not later than April 1, 2017, and
annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to
Congress an annual report on the Office for Partnerships
Against Violent Extremism, which shall include the following:
``(1) A description of the status of the programs and
policies of the Department for countering violent extremism
in the United States.
``(2) A description of the efforts of the Office for
Partnerships Against Violent Extremism to cooperate with and
provide assistance to other Federal departments and agencies.
``(3) Qualitative and quantitative metrics for evaluating
the success of such programs and policies and the steps taken
to evaluate the success of such programs and policies.
``(4) An accounting of--
``(A) grants and cooperative agreements awarded by the
Department to counter violent extremism; and
``(B) all training specifically aimed at countering violent
extremism sponsored by the Department.
``(5) An analysis of how the Department's activities to
counter violent extremism correspond and adapt to the threat
environment.
``(6) A summary of how civil rights and civil liberties are
protected in the Department's activities to counter violent
extremism.
``(7) An evaluation of the use of section 2003 and section
2004 grants and cooperative agreements awarded to support
efforts of local communities in the United States to counter
violent extremism, including information on the effectiveness
of such grants and cooperative agreements in countering
violent extremism.
``(8) A description of how the Office for Partnerships
Against Violent Extremism incorporated lessons learned from
the countering violent extremism programs and policies of
foreign, State, local, tribal, and territorial governments
and stakeholder communities.
``(h) Annual Review.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this section, and every year thereafter, the
Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department
shall--
``(1) conduct a review of the Office for Partnerships
Against Violent Extremism activities to ensure that all of
the activities of the Office related to countering violent
extremism respect the privacy, civil rights, and civil
liberties of all persons; and
``(2) make publicly available on the website of the
Department a report containing the results of the review
conducted under paragraph (1).''; and
(2) in section 2008(b)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) to support any organization or group which has
knowingly or recklessly funded domestic terrorism or
international terrorism (as those terms are defined in
section 2331 of title 18, United States Code) or organization
or group known to engage in or recruit to such activities, as
determined by the Assistant Secretary for Partnerships
Against Violent Extremism in consultation with the
Administrator and the heads of other appropriate Federal
departments and agencies.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 101 note) is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 801 the following:
``Sec. 802. Office for Partnerships Against Violent Extremism.''.
(c) Sunset.--Effective on the date that is 7 years after
the date of enactment of this Act--
(1) section 802 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as
added by subsection (a), is repealed; and
(2) the table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 note) is amended by
striking the item relating to section 802.
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