[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

[[Page H8031]]

     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.

                          ____________________