[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8027-H8032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF
THREATS IN AMERICA ACT
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 3106) to require a joint domestic terrorism
report, establish within the Department of Homeland Security a National
Center for the Study of Domestic Terrorism, authorize research within
the Department of Homeland Security on current trends in domestic
terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3106
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Domestic and International
Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America
Act'' or the ``Domestic and International Terrorism DATA
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee
on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the
Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(3) Domestic terrorism.--The term ``domestic terrorism''
has the meaning given such term in section 2331 of title 18,
United States Code.
(4) Hate crime.--The term ``hate crime'' means criminal
offenses committed in violation of sections 241, 245, 247,
and 249 of title 18, United States Code, and section 3631 of
title 42, United State Code.
(5) International terrorism.--The term ``international
terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 2331
of title 18, United States Code.
(6) Online platform.--The term ``online platform'' means
any public-facing website, web application, or digital
application, including a mobile application, and includes a
social network, an ad network, a search engine, or an email
service.
(7) Personally identifiable information.--The term
``personally identifiable information'' means any information
about an individual elicited, collected, stored, or
maintained by an agency, including the following:
(A) Any information that can be used to distinguish or
trace the identity of an individual, such as a name, a social
security number, a date and place of birth, a mother's maiden
name, or biometric records.
(B) Any other information that is linked or linkable to an
individual, such as medical, educational, financial, or
employment information.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.
TITLE I--FEDERAL EFFORTS AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM
SEC. 101. JOINT DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM REPORT.
(a) Annual Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter
for five years, the Secretary, the Attorney General, and the
Director shall submit to the Comptroller General of the
United States and the appropriate congressional committees a
joint report on domestic terrorism and international
terrorism.
(b) Contents.--
(1) In general.--Each report submitted under subsection (a)
shall include the following:
(A) All guidance, policy memos, and related documents
regarding the following:
(i) The criteria for opening an investigation for domestic
terrorism or international terrorism or another crime with a
nexus to domestic terrorism or international terrorism,
including any standards of proof required before opening such
investigation.
(ii) Sharing of domestic terrorism or international
terrorism information across law enforcement agencies.
(iii) Federal requirements and compliance with privacy,
civil rights, and civil liberties policies and protections,
including protections against the public release of the names
or personally identifiable information of individuals
involved in incidents, investigations, indictments,
prosecutions, or convictions for which data is reported under
this section.
(B) A description of the methodology utilized to identify
domestic terrorism and international terrorism investigative
classifications (including any subcategories) and to assign
an investigative classification (including any subcategory)
to a domestic terrorism or international terrorism incident.
(C) Threat prioritization determinations made each year by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, consistent with
appropriate classification standards.
(D) The information required under paragraph (2).
(2) Information on domestic terrorism and international
terrorism.--Except as provided in subparagraph (A), each
report submitted under subsection (a) shall include
information on incidents of domestic terrorism and
international terrorism, including, with respect to each
investigative classification (including any subcategory) of
each such incident, the number and type of actual and
attempted property crimes, the number and type of actual and
attempted attacks on persons, the number of people injured,
and the number of people killed, and--
(A) in the first such report, data on incidents or
attempted incidents of domestic terrorism and international
terrorism that have occurred in the United States since April
19, 1995, disaggregated by fiscal year, including, with
respect to each such incident, the number and type of
property crimes, the number and type of actual and attempted
attacks on persons, the number of people injured, and number
of people killed; and
(B) in each subsequent report for the preceding fiscal
year--
(i) data on incidents or attempted incidents of domestic
terrorism and international terrorism that occurred in the
United States, including, with respect to each such incident,
the number and type of actual and attempted property crimes,
the number and type of actual and attempted attacks on
persons, the number of people injured, and the number of
people killed;
(ii) the number of--
(I) assessments, preliminary investigations, and full
investigations with a domestic terrorism or international
terrorism nexus initiated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, disaggregated by investigative classification
(including any subcategories), and the number of such
investigations that were initiated as a result of a hate
crime investigation;
(II) indictments with a domestic terrorism or international
terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative
classification (including any subcategories) and component or
sub-component responsible for each such indictment, and an
explanation of each such indictment;
(III) prosecutions with a domestic terrorism or
international terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative
classification (including any subcategories) and component or
sub-component responsible for each such prosecution, and an
explanation of each such prosecution; and
(IV) convictions with a domestic terrorism or international
terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative
classification (including any subcategories) and component or
sub-component responsible for each such conviction, and an
explanation of each such conviction;
(iii) the number of full-time staff, including position
descriptions, employed by the Department of Homeland Security
and the Department of Justice to handle matters described in
subclauses (I) through (IV) of clause (ii), disaggregated by
domestic terrorism and international terrorism; and
[[Page H8028]]
(iv) the number of referrals to State authorities with a
domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus,
disaggregated by investigative classification (including any
subcategories) and component or sub-component responsible for
each such referral, and an explanation of each such referral.
(3) Breakdown of certain information.--The information
provided under paragraph (2) related to the number of people
killed or injured shall include a breakdown of law
enforcement, first responders, military personnel, and other
government officials.
(c) Format.--The information required pursuant to
subclauses (I) through (IV) of subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii) may
be provided in a format that uses the marking associated with
the Central Records System or any successor system.
(d) Information Quality.--Each report submitted under
subsection (a) shall comply with the guidelines issued by the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to
section 515 of title V of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-554; 114 Stat. 2763A-154) (commonly
referred to as the ``Data Quality Act'').
(e) Classification and Public Release.--Each report
submitted under subsection (a) shall be--
(1) unclassified with a classified annex only if necessary;
and
(2) in the case of the unclassified portion of each such
report, posted on the public websites of the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
SEC. 102. ANNUAL COMPTROLLER GENERAL AUDIT OF JOINT REPORT ON
DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.
(a) Reviews Required.--Not later than 180 days after each
submission of a joint report on domestic terrorism and
international terrorism under section 101(a) and for five
years thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees an audit of each such report.
(b) Elements of Review.--In conducting each audit under
subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States
shall--
(1) use standard methodology and reporting formats in order
to identify, demonstrate, and display any changes over time,
including relating to the number of investigations,
indictments, prosecutions, convictions, and full-time staff
between report submissions;
(2) evaluate adherence to such standard methodology and the
privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties policies and
protections set forth in section 101(b)(1)(A)(iii) and
101(b)(1)(B);
(3) evaluate all guidance, policy memos, and related
documents utilized to decide to initiate investigations with
a domestic terrorism nexus; and
(4) include any other subject matter the Comptroller
General determines appropriate.
(c) Access to Relevant Data.--The Attorney General, the
Director, and the Secretary shall ensure that the Comptroller
General of the United States has access to all data necessary
to conduct each audit under subsection (a), consistent with
section 716(a) of title 31, United States Code.
TITLE II--HOMELAND SECURITY RESEARCH ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
SEC. 201. RESEARCH ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.
(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology
of the Department of Homeland Security, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on
international terrorism with a nexus, including an
ideological or other relationship, with a current trend in
domestic terrorism in the United States. Each such report
shall take into consideration acts that resulted in
indictment, prosecution, or conviction, and any patterns
among such terrorist acts.
(b) Contents.--Each report submitted under subsection (a)
shall include the following:
(1) Information on international terrorism with
ideological, financial, logistical, or other connections to
domestic terrorism.
(2) Information on trends in the use of online platforms
for such terrorism.
(3) Strategies that foreign governments have undertaken to
counter such terrorism.
(4) The potential benefits and risks of implementing such
strategies in the United States, including any potential harm
to local communities, privacy, civil rights, civil liberties,
and safety.
(c) Form.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall
be submitted in unclassified format but may contain a
classified annex only if the Secretary determines such is
necessary. Each such unclassified report shall be posted on
the public website of the Department of Homeland Security.
TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2020 through 2026 to carry out this Act, of
which $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each of
such fiscal years for the completion of the joint reports on
domestic terrorism and international terrorism under section
101, and $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each
of such fiscal years to carry out section 201.
SEC. 302. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) PII.--No report or database created pursuant to this
Act may contain the personally identifiable information of
any person except persons indicted or convicted of a crime
with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus.
(b) Discourse.--No report or database created pursuant to
this Act may contain the name or other identifiable
information of any organization engaged in lawful political
or public discourse in the United States protected under the
First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
(c) Protection.--Nothing in this Act abrogates, diminishes,
or weakens the provisions of any Federal or State law that
prevents or protects against the unauthorized collection or
release of personal records or personally identifiable
information.
(d) Domestic Terrorism Related Information.--Nothing in
this Act may be construed as authorizing the submission of
the joint report required under section 101 of this Act in a
form that does not include information required with respect
to domestic terrorism.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
General Leave
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Mississippi?
There was no objection.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3106, the Domestic and
International Terrorism DATA Act.
El Paso. Poway. Pittsburgh. Charlottesville. Charleston. Oak Creek.
In the last 7 years, these great American cities have found
themselves involuntarily linked by the horror of domestic terrorism.
{time} 1500
Just last year, in 2018, there were 50 extremist killings in the
United States. Every single one had links to rightwing extremism,
mostly white supremacist extremism.
Between 2009 and 2018, there were 427 deaths linked to extremism in
America. Nearly three-fourths of those were linked to domestic
rightwing extremists, as compared to the less than one-fourth linked to
Islamist extremists.
The Committee on Homeland Security has tackled the challenge of
understanding and preventing domestic terrorism head-on. In May of this
year, the committee held its first-ever hearing on domestic terrorism
while we took testimony from the FBI, DHS, and the Justice Department
on white supremacist and other domestic terrorism movements.
Since then, the committee has broadened its oversight of domestic
terrorism by not only weaving it into our traditional work with respect
to foreign terrorist groups but also by focusing on how social media
platforms are exploited to recruit, plan, and carry out terrorist
attacks.
All along, the committee has given special attention to the
challenges associated with keeping places of worship and other public
spaces secure in a current terrorism climate by, among other things,
holding roundtables in Jackson, Mississippi, and Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here to present H.R. 3106, a bill that
was approved by the committee on a bipartisan basis to improve the
Federal response to domestic terrorism.
Today, Americans have a sense that domestic terrorism threats are
significant but have not been presented with the full-threat picture.
There is some information available to the public, but it is limited.
Americans have learned, for example, there were more arrests tied to
domestic terrorism than to international terrorism in 2017 and 2018.
In May, the FBI revealed that it had around 850 active domestic
terrorism investigations across the country. As of July, according to
the FBI, the number of domestic terrorism arrests in 2019 is on par
with the number of international terrorism arrests.
[[Page H8029]]
In the absence of complete and reliable information from the Federal
Government, groups like the Anti-Defamation League have done this
Nation a great service by collecting and publishing data on the threat
of extremist violence in the United States.
My bill would require the FBI, the Justice Department, and the
Department of Homeland Security to publish an annual report on
terrorism. Enactment of this legislation would help Americans
understand, over time, the nature of the terrorism threat and how it is
evolving.
Importantly, the legislation also requires Federal agencies to share
information on how the government is keeping us safe. We need to know
how many staff are on the job and how many terrorism-related
investigations, indictments, prosecutions, and convictions there have
been.
The bill has been endorsed by the Anti-Defamation League, the Arab
American Institute, the Jewish Federations of North America, the
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership
Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Muslim Advocates, the NAACP,
the National Action Network, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record endorsement letters from the
following organizations: the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, the
Arab American Institute, the Jewish Federations of North America; the
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the Southern Poverty
Law Center.
July 12, 2019.
Dear Representative: We are writing to urge you to support
H.R. 3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis
of Threats in America Act, or the Domestic Terrorism DATA
Act, which we have endorsed.
The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is a leading anti-hate
organization and has been working to secure justice and fair
treatment to all since its founding in 1913. As part of our
mandate, we have been compiling and analyzing comprehensive
domestic terrorism data for years. We use this data to
investigate the threat of extremist groups and domestic
terrorism, work with law enforcement to help keep our
communities safe from those threats, and inform debates about
how to shape policy. ADL has long found that data collection
is essential to effectively counter hate and extremism in all
forms. Without transparency, collective efforts, and
comprehensive data collection, advocacy and solutions are not
possible.
Our data show that threats against Jews, Muslims, and other
minorities in the United States are at disturbingly high
levels, and a key reason for that is the resurgence of white
supremacist ideologies. ADL's latest report on extremist-
related murders, Murder and Extremism in the United States in
2018, found that 78% of the 50 murders committed by
extremists in 2018 were tied specifically to white supremacy.
The ten-year overview tells a similar story: Of the 313
people killed by right-wing extremists between 2009 to 2018,
76% were killed by white supremacists, making white
supremacists the deadliest extremist movement in the United
States over the past decade.
The proliferation of hate and the dangerous ideology of
white supremacy puts our communities at risk. From
Charlottesville to Pittsburgh to Poway, American communities
are under attack. In a time of crisis such as this, one might
expect a complete overhaul of the priorities, policies, and
resources that the U.S. government brings to bear to counter
and prevent this ideology from claiming its next victims.
Instead, Americans have been met with an abdication of that
duty, while the government, in fact, has reduced resources to
counter domestic terrorism, leaving our communities more
vulnerable to the next inevitable tragedy.
The Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of
Threats in America Act focuses on increasing the
coordination, accountability, and transparency of the federal
government in collecting and recording data on domestic
terrorism. H.R. 3106 would Require FBI, DOJ, and DHS to
produce an annual, unclassified joint report that provides
the following: data on domestic terrorist incidents;
assessments, investigations, indictments, prosecutions, and
convictions with a domestic terrorism nexus; the number of
full-time staff working on domestic terrorism employed by DOJ
and DHS, as well as a new requirement for the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to audit the annual joint
reports.
Data drives policy; we cannot address what we are not
measuring. Collecting accurate and transparent data on
domestic terrorism is an essential way to ensure this threat
to American democracy receives the attention it deserves.
That is why we urge you to support the Domestic Terrorism
DATA Act.
Sincerely,
Erika Moritsugu,
Vice President,
Government Relations, Advocacy and Community Engagement.
____
NAACP
June 27, 2019.
Hon. Bennie Thompson,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Re: NAACP Strong Support for H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic
Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in
America Act''
Dear Congressman Thompson: On behalf of the NAACP, our
nation's oldest, largest and most widely-recognized
grassroots-based civil rights organization, I would like to
thank you for your leadership and courage in introducing H.R.
3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of
Threats in America (the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA'') Act.
Upon enactment, your bill would foster crucial transparency
and facilitate informed policymaking on domestic terrorism.
Today, federal efforts to address domestic terrorism are
largely outside of public view. Furthermore, genuine threats
to the American people are misunderstood, or driven by
limited information. Yet according to the Washington Post,
right-wing domestic terrorism is on the rise, and currently
presents a more dangerous threat to our nation and her people
than terrorism that has international origins. There is a
need for centralized, reliable, publically accessible
information on domestic terrorism to inform effective
counter-terrorism policymaking. By requiring an annual,
unclassified joint report produced by the FBI and US
Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of
Justice that provides, among other things, an assessment of
domestic threats, H.R. 3106 will help to advance
Congressional and public understanding of trends in domestic
terrorism.
It is through this informed understanding of the extent to
which these genuine threats to our well-being as a nation
that we will be able to effectively address this challenge.
H.R. 3106 will not only help us measure this threat, but also
manage the programmatic solutions.
Thank you again for your visionary leadership in
introducing H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA'' Act.
The NAACP is pleased to endorse this crucial legislation and
we will work with you and other, like-minded Members of
Congress to pass it into law. Should you have any questions
or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at my
office.
Sincerely,
Hilary O. Shelton,
Director, NAACP Washington Bureau & Senior Vice President
for Policy and Advocacy.
____
Arab American Institute,
July 17, 2019.
Hon. Bennie Thompson,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: We write in support of the Domestic
and International Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of
Threats in America Act (H.R. 3106). Your bill would provide
Congress and the general public with more information about
federal counterterrorism activities related to acts that meet
the definitions of domestic terrorism and interntional
terrorism codified in federal criminal law. In addition to
promoting increased transparency, accountability, and
oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
Department of Justice (DOJ), and Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), the Domestic and International Terrorism
DATA Act would also promote a better understanding of the
nature and extent of acts that meet the definitions of
domestic terrorism and international terrorism.
Members of Congress and the general public lack sufficient
understanding of how the federal government utilizes existing
authorities and resources to investigate and prosecute acts
that meet either definition of terrorism. As demonstrated in
recent congressional hearings, there is a general desire
among lawmakers for more information about the federal
government's approach to counterterrorism, particularly when
it comes to white supremacist violence. Many communities,
including Arab Americans, are concerned about the increased
threat of white supremacist violence. However, many of these
same communities are also concerned about the impact of
federal counterterrorism policies on civil rights and civil
liberties. The Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act
is responsive to both concerns, as the data collection and
reporting required of the federal government would produce
statistics on different threats facing communities, including
that of white supremacist violence, while also creating
opportunities for transparency, accountability, and oversight
of federal counterterrorism activities.
This legislation comes at a time when many are questioning
the adequacy of the federal government's response to the
threat of white supremacist violence, and whether additional
authorities or resources are needed. Research from AAI and
other organization indicates that while the federal
government's response to white supremacist violence is
inadequate, the problem is one of priorities and not a lack
of tools. The federal government already has the requisite
authorities and resources to effectively respond to threats
of white supremacist violence. Critically, the Domestic and
International Terrorism DATA Act does not provide additional
tools, but simply requires the federal
[[Page H8030]]
government to demonstrate how it is using its existing
authorities and resources to effectively report and respond
to white supremacist violence.
In addition to providing critical information about the
federal government's approach to acts that fall within the
definition of domestic terrorism, the Domestic and
International Terrorism DATA Act will provide information
about federal efforts under the ``international terrorism''
label as well. Congress and the general public will benefit
from increased oversight of the federal approach to
counterterrorism activities, regardless of whether those
activities are initiated under the heading of ``domestic
terrorism'' or ``international terrorism.''
Your staff may follow up with our Policy Counsel.
Respectfully,
Maya Berry,
Executive Director.
____
The Jewish Federations
of North America,
June 6, 2019.
Hon. Bennie Thompson,
Chairman, House Committee on Homeland Security, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: On behalf of The Jewish
Federations, I want to convey our support for the ``Domestic
Terrorism DATA Act.''
Over the past three months, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) have issued no
less than 6 Joint Intelligence Bulletins (JIBs) on threats to
synagogues, churches, and mosques, cultural community
centers, and other establishments or individuals associated
with various faiths.
According to these JIBs, the FBI has investigated more than
100 threats to religious institutions over the past year, and
the FBI, DHS, and NCTC assess ``domestic actors will continue
to pose a lethal threat to faith-based communities in the
Homeland and remain concerned about the difficulty of
detecting US-based threat actors and HVEs, especially lone
offenders, and the individualized nature of radicalization to
violence.'' The JIBs highlight a number of incidents,
including:
The Chabad of Poway attack in San Diego, CA, April 2019;
The Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, PA,
October 2018--the most deadly attack on the US Jewish
community ever recorded;
The killing of two African- American patrons at a Kruger's
grocery store after failing to gain entrance to the
predominantly African-American First Baptist Church of
Jeffersontown, KY, October 2018;
The surveillance of the physical security measures by
alleged agents of the Government of Iran at the Chabad House
(synagogue), August 2018; and
The Bombing attack at the Dar AI-Farooq Islamic Center in
Bloomington, MN August 2017, among others.
Together, the FBI, DHS, and NCTC warn that the county must
remain vigilant in light of the enduring threat to faith-
based communities posed by domestic extremists, homegrown
violent extremists, and international terrorist
organizations. Unfortunately, the threat to Jewish communal
security emanates from across the entire ideological
spectrum.
For these reasons, The Jewish Federations of North America
endorses the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act,'' as an important
measure to assist policy makers, federal, state, and local
counterterrorism and law enforcement officials, and private
sector security partners to better and more effectively
deter, prevent, preempt, and respond to hate crime incidents
and domestic and international terrorist threats in the
United States. JFNA looks forward to working with you and
your staff to build bipartisan support for the bill.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Goldberg,
Senior Director, Legislative Affairs.
____
The Jewish Federations
of North America,
July 12, 2019.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Mike Rogers,
Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Rogers: The
Jewish Federations of North America endorses H.R. 3106, the
``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act.''
The markup of H.R. 3106 coincides with the United States
Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center's release
of its second annual report on mass attacks in public spaces
The Secret Service studied 27 incidents where a total of 91
people were killed and 107 more injured in public spaces in
2018. Among the incidents: the fatal attack at the Tree of
Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
In introducing the report, Secret Service Director James M.
Murray wrote that each new tragedy, including the attack on a
synagogue in Poway, CA, ``serves as a reminder that we must
continue to research and provide robust training and
awareness to help prevent these tragic outcomes.'' The
report's findings underscore that research and information
sharing, communitywide, are essential to preventing attacks
directed at houses of worship, workplaces, schools, and other
public spaces, and concludes that threat assessment,
supported by leadership, collaboration, and information
sharing, are required to facilitate effective prevention.
In this context, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act,'' is an
important and timely measure to assist policy makers,
federal, state, and local counterterrorism and law
enforcement officials, and private sector partners, such as
The Jewish Federations, to better and more effectively deter,
prevent, preempt, and respond to Domestic Terrorism. Through
the DATA Act, communitywide stakeholders will gain a better
understanding of the domestic terrorism threat landscape and
how best to allocate resources.
For these reasons, we urge bipartisan support for H.R.
3106, and respectfully urge the Committee to favorably report
the bill by voice vote and without objection.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Goldberg,
Senior Director, Legislative Affairs.
____
Lawyers' Committee for
Civil Rights Under Law,
June 19, 2019.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: On behalf of the National Lawyers'
Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers' Committee), I
write to express our support for The Domestic Terrorism
Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America (Domestic
Terrorism DATA) Act.
Diverse communities across the country are targeted for
hate crimes and acts of mass violence. As the Lawyers'
Committee works to confront hate targeting communities, we
are faced with challenges from the federal government,
including the underreporting of hate crimes, and little
publicly available data on crimes that meet the definition of
domestic terrorism.
The Lawyers' Committee supports efforts to improve data
collection around hate crimes and domestic terrorism
investigations. During a time when communities have
experienced an increase in white supremacist violence, and a
time when the Federal Bureau of Investigation created the
``Black Identity Extremist'' designation, it is imperative
that our policies are data driven, and that communities,
advocates, and lawmakers have access to data on domestic
terrorism investigations. The Domestic Terrorism DATA Act
would assist in fostering transparency and would facilitate
informed policy making.
As Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the
National Lawyers' Committee testified at a House Judiciary
Committee Hearing on April 9th, we encourage the use of
existing laws to investigate and prosecute acts of hate
violence to the full extent of law, and to oppose efforts to
create new legislation that risk the further criminalization
of communities of color.
Chairman Thompson, your important efforts to improve data
collection around white supremacist violence is a necessary
step to address the crisis of violence targeting impacted
communities. The Domestic Terrorism DATA Act does so in a
manner that would improve data collection without risking the
further criminalization of communities of color, many of whom
have been targeted by counterterrorism policies in the past.
We applaud your leadership and look forward to working with
you.
Sincerely,
Nadia N. Aziz,
Interim Co-Director and Policy Counsel,
Stop Hate Project.
____
Southern Poverty Law Center,
Montgomery, AL, June 10, 2019.
Chairman Bennie Thompson,
Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: I write to extend the Southern
Poverty Law Center's full support for the chairman's recently
introduced H.R. 3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation
and Analysis of Threats in America Act (also known as the
Domestic Terrorism DATA Act). We believe the bill's goals of
fostering transparency surrounding domestic terrorism data
and increasing research on the issue are of paramount
importance. In testimony on June 4, 2019, before the
Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, my
colleague Lecia Brooks included specific support for this
legislative effort in her remarks.
We fully agree with your comment that, ``There's an urgent
need for robust, centralized, and transparent Federal data to
inform counterterrorism policymaking--and Americans deserve
to know exactly how their government is allocating resources
to understanding and confronting the scourge of domestic
terrorism. At this critical time, Congress needs to lead on
the issue of domestic terrorism and direct Federal agencies
to prioritize efforts to counter these homeland security
threats.''
We believe this proposed legislation is an important step
toward countering the growing problem of white supremacist
terrorism in the United States and abroad. We thank
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the chairman for taking this legislative initiative and offer
our assistance in this effort if it can be helpful in any
way.
Cordially,
Heidi Beirich, Ph.D.,
Director, Intelligence Project,
Southern Poverty Law Center.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, put simply, H.R. 3106 is a
commonsense bill that will improve transparency into a growing homeland
security threat.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this critical
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, September 19, 2019.
Hon. Bennie Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: This is to advise you that the
Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to
review the provisions in H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism
DATA Act,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I
appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The
Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them
in the resolution for consideration on the House floor, and
to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on
H.R. 2106, with the understanding that we do not thereby
waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions
or their subject matters.
In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar
legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the
right to request an appropriate number of conferees to
address any concerns with these or similar provisions that
may arise in conference.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record
during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank
you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked
regarding this matter and others between our committees.
Sincerely,
Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, September 18, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of
Representatives Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act.'' The Committee
on Homeland Security recognizes that the Committee on the
Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 3106, and I
appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on
the House floor.
I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does not
in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with
respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or
similar legislation in the future, and I would support your
effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees to any House--Senate conference involving this
legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 3106 in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill.
I look forward to working with you on this legislation and
other matters of great importance to this nation.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International
Terrorism DATA Act, introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr.
Thompson). I almost got up, Mr. Speaker, when you said, ``the gentleman
from Mississippi,'' because I happen to be in a small town just a few
miles away from where the chairman lives.
H.R. 3106, as amended, passed with bipartisan support during the
Committee on Homeland Security markup in July. I thank the gentleman
from New York (Mr. King) for developing the amendment in the nature of
a substitute, which passed unanimously, and broadened the scope of the
bill to cover all forms of terrorism.
A central lesson from the September 11, 2001, terror attacks is that
government cannot have a siloed approach to homeland security threats.
The importance of a broad ideological focus was stressed again during a
Committee on Homeland Security hearing on global terror threats held on
September 10, 2019.
There is bipartisan agreement on the need for more reliable public
reporting on both domestic and international terror threats to the
homeland.
The report mandated in the legislation requires the Department of
Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the
Department of Justice to produce an annual report for 6 years on a
number of investigative aspects of domestic and international
terrorism. Access to reliable data will help policymakers and the
public assess trends, emerging threats, and available resources.
The threat from international terrorism also remains high. Hundreds
of U.S. citizens were radicalized by ISIS and sought to travel to the
battlefield to carry out attacks in the homeland.
Mr. Speaker, 18 years after the horrific 9/11 terror attacks, both
al-Qaida and ISIS remain intent on targeting the United States. We were
also recently reminded by the direct threat posed by Iran when a
Hezbollah operative was arrested last week in New Jersey for allegedly
plotting attacks against the United States.
The broad range of ideologically based hatred and societal obsession
with violence has left scars across the country. Obtaining a
comprehensive threat picture and reliable data is essential for
developing legislation and determining what additional resources may be
necessary.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson)
for his willingness to work with us to ensure that the reporting
requirements in the bill track all forms of terrorism. I strongly
recommend that my colleagues support this bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3106, the
Domestic and International DATA Act. I am proud to join the gentleman
from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the chairman, my colleague and friend,
in support of this most important legislation.
This bill improves our understanding of the Federal Government's
response to the threat of domestic terrorism at a time that extremist-
related attacks in the United States are on the rise.
In May 2017, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released
a joint intelligence bulletin that predicted that the number of white
supremacist movement attacks were likely to continue to present a
lethal threat in the future.
Tragically, that prediction has proven to be true. After the horrific
acts of domestic terrorism committed in Charlottesville and the Tree of
Life shooting in Pittsburgh, I urged my congressional colleagues to
take action to counter hate crimes and domestic terrorism.
Chairman Thompson's H.R. 3106 helps increase transparency and
research on domestic terrorism. By requiring the Homeland Security and
Justice Departments to publish an annual public report on terrorism,
this bill will provide information that will help policymakers develop
and execute evidence-based counterterrorism strategies.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 3106.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my support for the
bill. I ask my colleagues to support it, and I thank, again, the
chairman and the ranking member for great collaboration that made this
an excellent bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3106, the Domestic and
International Terrorism DATA Act was approved unanimously by the
Committee on Homeland Security. This show of unity demonstrates that
there is bipartisan support for ensuring that the American public has
data on domestic terrorism and Federal efforts to counter this threat.
Congress and the American people need transparency from the
government. We need to know about the domestic terrorism threats we
face and how the government is allocating resources to confront them.
Importantly, in addition to ensuring that such critical data is made
available, H.R. 3106 requires DHS to research the transnational aspect
of domestic terrorism. Increasingly, there is an awareness that white
supremacist extremists rarely act in a vacuum. From the United States
to New Zealand to Norway, networks of extremists inspire each other to
violence.
Further, the committee recently received testimony about the
similarities and the recruitment tactics utilized by white supremacist
extremists and ISIS. Both groups engaged in tactics that focused on
victimization and distrust of political leaders and public institutions
and heavily on propaganda that
[[Page H8032]]
emphasized themes of purity and militancy.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank the staff of our committee who worked on
this. Sandeep Prasanna, Jenna Hopkins, Charles Carithers, and Nicole
Tisdale made a yeoman's effort toward getting us to where we are today.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3106 to ensure
greater transparency on this pressing and growing issue, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3106, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require
a joint domestic and international terrorism report, authorize research
within the Department of Homeland Security on current trends in
domestic terrorism, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________