[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3443-S3445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1957. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle D of title X of division A, add the
following:
[[Page S3444]]
SEC. 1035. COUNTERING WHITE IDENTITY TERRORISM.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Countering Global White Supremacist Terrorism Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) ``White Identity Terrorism'' is the term used by the
Department of State to encompass white nationalist and white
supremacist terrorists. Individuals who adhere to white
nationalist and white supremacist ideologies share a common
belief that white people and ``white identity'' in western
countries are under siege and pursue the destruction of
pluralistic values intrinsic to the American way of life.
(2) The Global Terrorism Database and corresponding Global
Terrorism Index have recorded a rise in the number and
lethality of white identity terrorist incidents during the
past decade, both domestically and internationally.
(3) Various individuals, networks, and organizations fall
under the umbrella of the global white identity terrorist
movement, whose adherents are becoming increasingly
internationalized, with fighters and terrorist ideology
moving across borders.
(4) Irresponsible social media sites are enabling the
internationalization of the white identity terrorist movement
in terms of organization and recruitment. State and nonstate
actors have helped to build a global, online white identity
terrorist echo chamber, including by translating terrorist
manifestos and promoting other violent extremist content.
This activity includes countries using ``troll farms'' to
exacerbate fears of immigrants, Muslims, Jews, and other
minorities in western countries among potentially sympathetic
audiences.
(5) There is evidence that adherents of the white identity
movement in the United States are increasingly traveling
overseas for training, further contributing to the
internationalization of white identity terrorism. Jihadist
experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria highlight the
dangers that such individuals can pose because of the
connections and capabilities they bring with them when they
return home.
(6) The global white identity terrorist movement has
manifested a decentralized organizational approach that
encourages individuals to operate independently from one
another and execute terrorist attacks on their own. This
approach poses challenges to law enforcement efforts to
track, monitor, and disrupt planned violence. In the same way
that Islamist terrorists have looked to figures in al-Qaeda
and the Islamic State, white identity terrorists draw on one
another for inspiration.
(7) The growing global interconnectivity of the white
identity terrorist movement means that the United States must
confront this threat as part of an integrated, whole-of-
government approach.
(c) Countering White Identity Terrorism Globally.--
(1) Strategy and coordination.--Not later than 6 months
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
State shall--
(A) develop and submit to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the House of Representatives a Department of State-wide
strategy entitled the ``Department of State Strategy for
Countering White Identity Terrorism Globally'' (in this
subsection referred to as the ``strategy'').
(B) designate the Coordinator for Counterterrorism of the
Department of State to coordinate Department of State efforts
to counter white identity terrorism globally, including with
United States diplomatic and consular posts, the Director of
the National Counterterrorism Center, the Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency, the Attorney General, the
Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads
of other relevant Federal departments or agencies.
(2) Elements.--The strategy shall, at a minimum, contain
the following:
(A) An assessment of the global threat from white identity
terrorism abroad, including geographic or country
prioritization based on the assessed threat to the United
States.
(B) A description of the coordination mechanisms between
relevant bureaus and offices within the Department of State,
including United States diplomatic and consular posts, for
developing and implementing efforts to counter white identity
terrorism.
(C) A description of how the Department of State plans to
build on any existing strategy developed by the Bureau of
Counterterrorism--
(i) to adapt or expand existing Department programs,
projects, activities, or policy instruments based on existing
authorities for the specific purpose of degrading and
delegitimizing the white identity terrorist movement
globally; and
(ii) to identify the need for any new Department programs,
projects, activities, or policy instruments for the specific
purpose of degrading and delegitimizing the white identity
terrorist movement globally, including a description of the
steps and resources necessary to establish any such programs,
projects, activities, or policy instruments, noting whether
such steps would require new authorities.
(D) Detailed plans for using public diplomacy, including
the efforts of the Secretary of State and other senior
executive branch officials, including the President, to
degrade and delegitimize white identity terrorist ideologues
and ideology globally, including by--
(i) countering white identity terrorist messaging and
supporting efforts to redirect potential supporters away from
white identity terrorist content online;
(ii) exposing foreign government support for white identity
terrorist ideologies, objectives, ideologues, networks,
organizations, and internet platforms;
(iii) engaging with foreign governments and internet
service providers and other relevant technology entities to
prevent or limit white identity terrorists from exploiting
internet platforms in furtherance of or in preparation for
acts of terrorism or other targeted violence, as well as the
recruitment, radicalization, and indoctrination of new
adherents to white identity terrorism; and
(iv) identifying the roles and responsibilities for the
Office of the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy
and Public Affairs and for the Global Engagement Center in
developing and implementing such plans.
(E) An outline of the steps the Department of State is
taking or will take in coordination, as appropriate, with the
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, the
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Attorney
General, the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary
of Homeland Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads
of any other relevant Federal departments or agencies to
improve information and intelligence sharing with other
countries on white identity terrorism based on existing
authorities by--
(i) describing plans for adapting or expanding existing
mechanisms for sharing information, intelligence, or
counterterrorism best practices, including facilitating the
sharing of information, intelligence, or counterterrorism
best practices gathered by Federal, State, and local law
enforcement; and
(ii) proposing new mechanisms or forums that might enable
expanded sharing of information, intelligence, or
counterterrorism best practices.
(F) An outline of how the Department of State plans to use
designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (under
Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note)) or foreign
terrorist organization (pursuant to section 219 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) to support
the strategy, including--
(i) an assessment and explanation of the utility of
applying or not applying such designations when individuals
or entities satisfy the criteria for such designations; and
(ii) a description of possible remedies if such criteria
are insufficient to enable designation of any individuals or
entities the Secretary of State considers a potential
terrorist threat to the United States.
(G) A description of the Department of State's plans, in
consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to work
with foreign governments, financial institutions and other
related entities to counter the financing of white identity
terrorists within the parameters of current law, or if no
such plans exist, a description of why such plans were not
developed.
(H) A description of how the Department of State plans to
implement the strategy in conjunction with ongoing efforts to
counter the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist
threats to the United States.
(I) A description of how the Department of State will
integrate into the strategy lessons learned in the ongoing
efforts to counter the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and other
terrorist threats to the United States.
(J) An identification of any additional resources or staff
needed to implement the strategy.
(3) Interagency coordination.--The Secretary of State shall
develop the strategy in coordination with the Director of the
National Counterterrorism Center and in consultation with the
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Attorney
General, the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary
of Homeland Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads
of any other relevant Federal departments or agencies.
(4) Stakeholder inclusion.--The strategy shall be developed
in consultation with representatives of United States and
international civil society and academic entities with
experience researching or implementing programs to counter
white identity terrorism.
(5) Form.--The strategy shall be submitted in unclassified
form that can be made available to the public, but may
include a classified annex if the Secretary of State
determines such is appropriate.
(6) Implementation.--Not later than 3 months after the
submission of the strategy, the Secretary of State shall
begin implementing the strategy.
(7) Consultation.--Not later than 3 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than
annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall consult
with the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
regarding the development and implementation of the strategy.
[[Page S3445]]
(d) Annual Country Reports on Terrorism.--Section 140(a) of
the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988
and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) all credible information about white identity
terrorism, including--
``(A) relevant attacks;
``(B) the identity of perpetrators and victims of such
attacks;
``(C) the size and identity of organizations and networks;
and
``(D) the identity of notable ideologues.''.
(e) Report on Sanctions.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the
submission of each of the Annual Country Reports on Terrorism
pursuant to section 140 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C.
2656f), and 240 days thereafter, the President shall submit
to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
a report that determines whether the foreign persons,
organizations, and networks identified in such reports
satisfy the criteria to be designated as--
(A) foreign terrorist organizations under section 219 of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or
(B) Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations
under Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note).
(2) Form.--Each determination required under paragraph (1)
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex, if appropriate.
(f) Requirement for Independent Study to Map the Global
White Identity Terrorism Movement.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall enter
into a contract with a Federally funded research and
development center with appropriate expertise and analytical
capability to carry out the study described in paragraph (2).
(2) Study.--The study described in this paragraph shall
provide for a comprehensive social network analysis of the
global white identity terrorism movement--
(A) to identify key actors, organizations, and supporting
infrastructure; and
(B) to map the relationships and interactions between such
actors, organizations, and supporting infrastructure.
(3) Report.--
(A) To the secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the Secretary of State enters into a contract
pursuant to paragraph (1), the Federally funded research and
development center referred to in such subsection shall
submit to the Secretary a report containing the results of
the study required under this section.
(B) To congress.--Not later than 30 days after receipt of
the report under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State
shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives such report, together with any additional
views or recommendations of the Secretary.
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