[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 163 (Monday, September 21, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4583-H4589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DOMESTIC TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2020

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 5602) to authorize dedicated domestic terrorism offices 
within the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, 
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to analyze and monitor domestic 
terrorist activity and require the Federal Government to take steps to 
prevent domestic terrorism, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5602

       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 Terrorism 
     Prevention Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Recent reports have demonstrated that White 
     supremacists and other far-right-wing extremists are the most 
     significant domestic terrorism threat facing the United 
     States, including--
       (A) a February 22, 2019, New York Times op-ed, by a Trump 
     Administration United States Department of Justice official, 
     who wrote that ``white supremacy and far-right extremism are 
     among the greatest domestic-security threats facing the 
     United States. Regrettably, over the past 25 years, law 
     enforcement, at both the Federal and State levels, has been 
     slow to respond. . . . Killings committed by individuals and 
     groups associated with far-right extremist groups have risen 
     significantly.'';
       (B) an April 2017 Government Accountability Office report 
     on the significant, lethal threat posed by domestic violent 
     extremists, which--
       (i) explained that ``[s]ince September 12, 2001, the number 
     of fatalities caused by domestic violent extremists has 
     ranged from 1 to 49 in a given year.''; and
       (ii) noted that ``[F]atalities resulting from attacks by 
     far right wing violent extremists have exceeded those caused 
     by radical Islamist violent extremists in 10 of the 15 years, 
     and were the same in 3 of the years since September 12, 2001. 
     Of the 85 violent extremist incidents that resulted in death

[[Page H4584]]

     since September 12, 2001, far right wing violent extremist 
     groups were responsible for 62 (73 percent) while radical 
     Islamist violent extremists were responsible for 23 (27 
     percent).''; and
       (C) an unclassified May 2017 joint intelligence bulletin 
     from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department 
     of Homeland Security, which found that ``white supremacist 
     extremism poses [a] persistent threat of lethal violence,'' 
     and that White supremacists ``were responsible for 49 
     homicides in 26 attacks from 2000 to 2016 . . . more than any 
     other domestic extremist movement''.
       (2) Recent domestic terrorist attacks include--
       (A) the August 5, 2012, mass shooting at a Sikh gurdwara in 
     Oak Creek, Wisconsin, in which a White supremacist shot and 
     killed 6 members of the gurdwara;
       (B) the April 13, 2014, mass shooting at a Jewish community 
     center and a Jewish assisted living facility in Overland 
     Park, Kansas, in which a neo-Nazi shot and killed 3 
     civilians, including a 14-year-old teenager;
       (C) the June 8, 2014, ambush in Las Vegas, Nevada, in which 
     2 supporters of the far-right-wing ``patriot'' movement shot 
     and killed 2 police officers and a civilian;
       (D) the June 17, 2015, mass shooting at the Emanuel AME 
     Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in which a White 
     supremacist shot and killed 9 members of the church;
       (E) the November 27, 2015, mass shooting at a Planned 
     Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in which an 
     anti-abortion extremist shot and killed a police officer and 
     2 civilians;
       (F) the March 20, 2017, murder of an African-American man 
     in New York City, allegedly committed by a White supremacist 
     who reportedly traveled to New York ``for the purpose of 
     killing black men'';
       (G) the May 26, 2017, attack in Portland, Oregon, in which 
     a White supremacist allegedly murdered 2 men and injured a 
     third after the men defended 2 young women whom the 
     individual had targeted with anti-Muslim hate speech;
       (H) the August 12, 2017, attacks in Charlottesville, 
     Virginia, in which--
       (i) a White supremacist killed one and injured nineteen 
     after driving his car through a crowd of individuals 
     protesting a neo-Nazi rally, and of which former Attorney 
     General Jeff Sessions said, ``It does meet the definition of 
     domestic terrorism in our statute.''; and
       (ii) a group of 6 men linked to militia or White 
     supremacist groups assaulted an African-American man who had 
     been protesting the neo-Nazi rally in a downtown parking 
     garage;
       (I) the July 2018 murder of an African-American woman from 
     Kansas City, Missouri, allegedly committed by a White 
     supremacist who reportedly bragged about being a member of 
     the Ku Klux Klan;
       (J) the October 24, 2018, shooting in Jeffersontown, 
     Kentucky, in which a White man allegedly murdered 2 African 
     Americans at a grocery store after first attempting to enter 
     a church with a predominantly African-American congregation 
     during a service;
       (K) the October 27, 2018, mass shooting at the Tree of Life 
     Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which a White 
     nationalist allegedly shot and killed 11 members of the 
     congregation;
       (L) the April 27, 2019, shooting at the Chabad of Poway 
     synagogue in California, in which a man yelling anti-Semitic 
     slurs allegedly killed a member of the congregation and 
     wounded 3 others;
       (M) the August 3, 2019, mass shooting at a Walmart in El 
     Paso, Texas, in which a White supremacist with anti-immigrant 
     views killed 22 people and injured 26 others;
       (N) the December 10, 2019, shooting at a Kosher supermarket 
     in Jersey City, New Jersey, in which 2 men with anti-Semitic 
     views killed 3 people in the store and a law enforcement 
     officer in an earlier encounter; and
       (O) the December 28, 2019, machete attack at a Hanukkah 
     celebration in Monsey, New York, in which a man who had 
     expressed anti-Semitic views stabbed 5 individuals.
       (3) In November 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
     released its annual hate crime incident report, which found 
     that in 2018, violent hate crimes reached a 16-year high. 
     Though the overall number of hate crimes decreased slightly 
     after three consecutive years of increases, the report found 
     a 4-percent increase in aggravated assaults, a 15-percent 
     increase in simple assaults, and a 13-percent increase in 
     intimidation. There was also a nearly 6-percent increase in 
     hate crimes directed at LGBTQ individuals and a 14-percent 
     increase in hate crimes directed at Hispanic and Latino 
     individuals. Nearly 60 percent of the religion-based hate 
     crimes reported targeted American Jews and Jewish 
     institutions. The previous year's report found that in 2017, 
     hate crimes increased by approximately 17 percent, including 
     a 23-percent increase in religion-based hate crimes, an 18-
     percent increase in race-based crimes, and a 5-percent 
     increase in crimes directed against LGBTQ individuals. The 
     report analyzing 2016 data found that hate crimes increased 
     by almost 5 percent that year, including a 19-percent rise in 
     hate crimes against American Muslims. Similarly, the report 
     analyzing 2015 data found that hate crimes increased by 6 
     percent that year. Much of the 2015 increase came from a 66-
     percent rise in attacks on American Muslims and a 9-percent 
     rise in attacks on American Jews. In all 4 reports, race-
     based crimes were most numerous, and those crimes most often 
     targeted African Americans.
       (4) On March 15, 2019, a White nationalist was arrested and 
     charged with murder after allegedly killing 50 Muslim 
     worshippers and injuring more than 40 in a massacre at the Al 
     Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. 
     The alleged shooter posted a hate-filled, xenophobic 
     manifesto that detailed his White nationalist ideology before 
     the massacre. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled the 
     massacre a terrorist attack.
       (5) In January 2017, a right-wing extremist who had 
     expressed anti-Muslim views was charged with murder for 
     allegedly killing 6 people and injuring 19 in a shooting 
     rampage at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada. It was the first-
     ever mass shooting at a mosque in North America, and Prime 
     Minister Trudeau labeled it a terrorist attack.
       (6) On February 15, 2019, Federal authorities arrested U.S. 
     Coast Guard Lieutenant Christopher Paul Hasson, who was 
     allegedly planning to kill a number of prominent journalists, 
     professors, judges, and ``leftists in general''. In court 
     filings, prosecutors described Lieutenant Hasson as a 
     ``domestic terrorist'' who in an email ``identified himself 
     as a White Nationalist for over 30 years and advocated for 
     `focused violence' in order to establish a white homeland.''.
       (7) On November 3rd, 2019 a 24 year old man who authorities 
     say was among masked Antifa supporters attacking 
     conservatives at a June Demonstration in Portland, Oregon, 
     was sentenced Friday to nearly six years in prison in 
     connection with brutal assault. Gage Halupowski pleaded 
     guilty to second-degree assault after authorities accused him 
     of using a weapon against a conservative demonstrator who 
     suffered blows to the head that the victim claims left him 
     with a concussion and cuts that required 25 staples to close.
       (8) On December 12, 2019, an assailant involved in the 
     prolonged firefight in Jersey City, NJ, that left six people 
     dead, including one police officer, was linked on Wednesday 
     to the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, and had public anti-
     Semitic posts online, a law enforcement official said.
       (9) On February 8, 2020, A gunman stormed a NYPD precinct 
     after firing at police van, wounding 2. The police 
     commissioner called the Bronx rampage an ``assassination 
     attempt,'' on law enforcement.
       (10) In August 2020, a juvenile armed with a semi-automatic 
     rifle heeded the online call posted by a self-proclaimed 
     militia group on Facebook to confront protestors in Kenosha, 
     Wisconsin. He allegedly shot and killed two protestors and 
     wounded a third. After the shootings, local police officers 
     waved the alleged murderer through their lines, even after 
     bystanders identified him as the shooter. The armed juvenile 
     then traveled across State lines to his home.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the Federal 
     Bureau of Investigation;
       (2) the term ``domestic terrorism'' has the meaning given 
     the term in section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, 
     except that it does not include acts perpetrated by 
     individuals associated with or inspired by--
       (A) a foreign person or organization designated as a 
     foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189);
       (B) an individual or organization designated under 
     Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note); or
       (C) a state sponsor of terrorism as determined by the 
     Secretary of State under section 6(j) of the Export 
     Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. 4605), section 40 of 
     the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780), or section 620A 
     of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);
       (3) the term ``Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee'' 
     means the committee within the Department of Justice tasked 
     with assessing and sharing information about ongoing domestic 
     terrorism threats;
       (4) the term ``hate crime incident'' means an act described 
     in section 241, 245, 247, or 249 of title 18, United States 
     Code, or in section 901 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 
     U.S.C. 3631);
       (5) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security; and
       (6) the term ``uniformed services'' has the meaning given 
     the term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.

     SEC. 4. OFFICES TO COMBAT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

       (a) Authorization of Offices To Monitor, Analyze, 
     Investigate, and Prosecute Domestic Terrorism.--
       (1) Domestic terrorism unit.--There is authorized a 
     Domestic Terrorism Unit in the Office of Intelligence and 
     Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security, which shall 
     be responsible for monitoring and analyzing domestic 
     terrorism activity.
       (2) Domestic terrorism office.--There is authorized a 
     Domestic Terrorism Office in the Counterterrorism Section of 
     the National Security Division of the Department of Justice--
       (A) which shall be responsible for investigating and 
     prosecuting incidents of domestic terrorism; and
       (B) which shall be headed by the Domestic Terrorism 
     Counsel.
       (3) Domestic terrorism section of the fbi.--There is 
     authorized a Domestic Terrorism Section within the 
     Counterterrorism

[[Page H4585]]

     Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which shall 
     be responsible for investigating domestic terrorism activity.
       (4) Staffing.--The Secretary, the Attorney General, and the 
     Director shall each ensure that each office authorized under 
     this section in their respective agencies shall--
       (A) have adequate number of employees to perform the 
     required duties;
       (B) have not less than 1 employee dedicated to ensuring 
     compliance with civil rights and civil liberties laws and 
     regulations; and
       (C) require that all employees undergo annual anti-bias 
     training.
       (5) Sunset.--The offices authorized under this subsection 
     shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date 
     of enactment of this Act.
       (b) Joint Report on Domestic Terrorism.--
       (1) Biannual report required.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, and each 6 months 
     thereafter for the 10-year period beginning on the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
     the Attorney General, and the Director of the Federal Bureau 
     of Investigation shall submit a joint report authored by the 
     domestic terrorism offices authorized under paragraphs (1), 
     (2), and (3) of subsection (a) to--
       (A) the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on 
     Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Select 
     Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on 
     Homeland Security, and the Permanent Select Committee on 
     Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
     shall include--
       (A) an assessment of the domestic terrorism threat posed by 
     White supremacists and neo-Nazis, including White supremacist 
     and neo-Nazi infiltration of Federal, State, and local law 
     enforcement agencies and the uniformed services; and
       (B)(i) in the first report, an analysis of incidents or 
     attempted incidents of domestic terrorism that have occurred 
     in the United States since April 19, 1995, including any 
     White-supremacist-related incidents or attempted incidents; 
     and
       (ii) in each subsequent report, an analysis of incidents or 
     attempted incidents of domestic terrorism that occurred in 
     the United States during the preceding 6 months, including 
     any White-supremacist-related incidents or attempted 
     incidents; and
       (C) a quantitative analysis of domestic terrorism for the 
     preceding 6 months, including--
       (i) the number of--

       (I) domestic terrorism related assessments initiated by the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the number of 
     assessments from each classification and subcategory, with a 
     specific classification or subcategory for those related to 
     White supremacism;
       (II) domestic terrorism-related preliminary investigations 
     initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including 
     the number of preliminary investigations from each 
     classification and subcategory, with a specific 
     classification or subcategory for those related to White 
     supremacism, and how many preliminary investigations resulted 
     from assessments;
       (III) domestic terrorism-related full investigations 
     initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including 
     the number of full investigations from each classification 
     and subcategory, with a specific classification or 
     subcategory for those related to White supremacism, and how 
     many full investigations resulted from preliminary 
     investigations and assessments;
       (IV) domestic terrorism-related incidents, including the 
     number of incidents from each classification and subcategory, 
     with a specific classification or subcategory for those 
     related to White supremacism, the number of deaths and 
     injuries resulting from each incident, and a detailed 
     explanation of each incident;
       (V) Federal domestic terrorism-related arrests, including 
     the number of arrests from each classification and 
     subcategory, with a specific classification or subcategory 
     for those related to White supremacism, and a detailed 
     explanation of each arrest;
       (VI) Federal domestic terrorism-related indictments, 
     including the number of indictments from each classification 
     and subcategory, with a specific classification or 
     subcategory for those related to White supremacism, and a 
     detailed explanation of each indictment;
       (VII) Federal domestic terrorism-related prosecutions, 
     including the number of incidents from each classification 
     and subcategory, with a specific classification or 
     subcategory for those related to White supremacism, and a 
     detailed explanation of each prosecution;
       (VIII) Federal domestic terrorism-related convictions, 
     including the number of convictions from each classification 
     and subcategory, with a specific classification or 
     subcategory for those related to White supremacism, and a 
     detailed explanation of each conviction; and
       (IX) Federal domestic terrorism-related weapons recoveries, 
     including the number of each type of weapon and the number of 
     weapons from each classification and subcategory, with a 
     specific classification or subcategory for those related to 
     White supremacism; and

       (ii) an explanation of each individual case that progressed 
     through more than 1 of the stages described under clause (i), 
     including the specific classification or subcategory for each 
     case.
       (3) Hate crimes.--In compiling a joint report under this 
     subsection, the domestic terrorism offices authorized under 
     paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) shall, in 
     consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department 
     of Justice and the Civil Rights Unit of the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation, review each hate crime incident reported 
     during the preceding 6 months to determine whether the 
     incident also constitutes a domestic terrorism-related 
     incident.
       (4) Classification and public release.--Each report 
     submitted under paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) unclassified, to the greatest extent possible, with a 
     classified annex only if necessary; and
       (B) in the case of the unclassified portion of the report, 
     posted on the public websites of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau 
     of Investigation.
       (5) Nonduplication.--If two or more provisions of this 
     subsection or any other law impose requirements on an agency 
     to report or analyze information on domestic terrorism that 
     are substantially similar, the agency shall construe such 
     provisions as mutually supplemental, so as to provide for the 
     most extensive reporting or analysis, and shall comply with 
     each such requirement as fully as possible.
       (c) Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee.--There is 
     authorized a Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee, which 
     shall--
       (1) meet on a regular basis, and not less regularly than 4 
     times each year, to coordinate with United States Attorneys 
     and other key public safety officials across the country to 
     promote information sharing and ensure an effective, 
     responsive, and organized joint effort to combat domestic 
     terrorism; and
       (2) be co-chaired by--
       (A) the Domestic Terrorism Counsel authorized under 
     subsection (a)(2)(B);
       (B) a United States Attorney or Assistant United States 
     Attorney;
       (C) a member of the National Security Division of the 
     Department of Justice; and
       (D) a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
       (d) Focus on Greatest Threats.--The domestic terrorism 
     offices authorized under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of 
     subsection (a) shall focus their limited resources on the 
     most significant domestic terrorism threats, as determined by 
     the number of domestic terrorism-related incidents from each 
     category and subclassification in the joint report for the 
     preceding 6 months required under subsection (b).

     SEC. 5. TRAINING TO COMBAT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

       (a) Required Training and Resources.--The Secretary, the 
     Attorney General, and the Director shall review the anti-
     terrorism training and resource programs of their respective 
     agencies that are provided to Federal, State, local, and 
     Tribal law enforcement agencies, including the State and 
     Local Anti-Terrorism Program that is funded by the Bureau of 
     Justice Assistance of the Department of Justice, and ensure 
     that such programs include training and resources to assist 
     State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in 
     understanding, detecting, deterring, and investigating acts 
     of domestic terrorism and White supremacist and neo-Nazi 
     infiltration of law enforcement and corrections agencies. The 
     domestic-terrorism training shall focus on the most 
     significant domestic terrorism threats, as determined by the 
     quantitative analysis in the joint report required under 
     section 4(b).
       (b) Requirement.--Any individual who provides domestic 
     terrorism training required under this section shall have--
       (1) expertise in domestic terrorism; and
       (2) relevant academic, law enforcement, or other community-
     based experience in matters related to domestic terrorism.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and twice each year thereafter, the 
     Secretary, the Attorney General, and the Director shall each 
     submit a biannual report to the committees of Congress 
     described in section 4(b)(1) on the domestic terrorism 
     training implemented by their respective agencies under this 
     section, which shall include copies of all training materials 
     used and the names and qualifications of the individuals who 
     provide the training.
       (2) Classification and public release.--Each report 
     submitted under paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) unclassified, to the greatest extent possible, with a 
     classified annex only if necessary; and
       (B) in the case of the unclassified portion of each report, 
     posted on the public website of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau 
     of Investigation.

     SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, the Director, 
     the Secretary, and the Secretary of Defense shall establish 
     an interagency task force to analyze and combat White 
     supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed 
     services and Federal law enforcement agencies.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     interagency task force is established

[[Page H4586]]

     under subsection (a), the Attorney General, the Director, the 
     Secretary, and the Secretary of Defense shall submit a joint 
     report on the findings of the task force and the response of 
     the Attorney General, the Director, the Secretary, and the 
     Secretary of Defense to such findings, to--
       (A) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs of the Senate;
       (C) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
       (E) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (F) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (G) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
     House of Representatives; and
       (H) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Classification and public release.--The report 
     submitted under paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) submitted in unclassified form, to the greatest extent 
     possible, with a classified annex only if necessary; and
       (B) in the case of the unclassified portion of the report, 
     posted on the public website of the Department of Defense, 
     the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of 
     Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

     SEC. 7. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SUPPORT FOR HATE CRIME 
                   INCIDENTS WITH A NEXUS TO DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

       (a) Community Relations Service.--The Community Relations 
     Service of the Department of Justice, authorized under 
     section 1001(a) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
     2000g), may offer the support of the Service to communities 
     where the Department of Justice has brought charges in a hate 
     crime incident that has a nexus to domestic terrorism.
       (b) Federal Bureau of Investigation.--Section 249 of title 
     18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(e) Federal Bureau of Investigation.--The Attorney 
     General, acting through the Director of the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation, shall assign a special agent or hate crimes 
     liaison to each field office of the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation to investigate hate crimes incidents with a 
     nexus to domestic terrorism (as such term is defined in 
     section 3 of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 
     2020).''.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department 
     of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
     Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of 
     Defense such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. 
Armstrong) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  First, I certainly want to thank all of the sponsors of this bill, 
and I thank Mr. Schneider for all of the important work that has been 
done on this legislation.
  With the consideration of H.R. 5602, the Domestic Terrorism 
Prevention Act, the House takes affirmative steps in this time to 
address the rising menace of domestic terrorism and white supremacy.
  This bill creates three offices, one each within the Department of 
Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation to monitor, investigate, and prosecute cases of domestic 
terrorism.
  These newly created offices would focus their resources based on data 
collected on the most significant threats with specific emphasis on 
white supremacist terrorism. Additionally, pursuant to this bill, DOJ 
and DHS would issue joint biennial reports to Congress assessing the 
state of domestic terrorism threats.
  Let me say, Mr. Speaker, that this legislation is not based on a 
whim. It is not based on someone's taste or distaste; likes or 
dislikes. This is based on facts. And as we continue to view the 
modeling of domestic terrorism, we will begin to continue to respond to 
it legislatively. But now we have a solid base of information dealing 
with the issues of growing white supremacy.
  The creation of these offices and congressional reporting are much-
needed measures to refocus the Federal Government's domestic terrorism 
efforts on the greatest threat to the American people: white supremacy 
and white nationalism.
  In April of last year, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled: 
``Hate Crimes and the Rise of White Nationalism.'' Sadly, since then 
there have been countless domestic terrorism attacks.
  The shooting spree at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in August of 2019 
was the deadliest attack in modern times against the Latino community 
in the United States and the third deadliest act of violence by 
domestic terrorism extremists in more than 50 years.
  I joined my colleagues who represented that area, and the pain that 
they experienced was without comparison. I went to a funeral. I went to 
the memorial. I went to where the place was that had been set up as a 
temporary place of honor. The pain was unceasing in that community. And 
just a few months ago, they had to commemorate the bitterness of 1 
year.
  I also went to the hospital and visited individuals who had put 
themselves in the line of fire to protect others. I think since that 
time one person, in particular, has passed away.
  This was a painful experience, and I can imagine that it will be 
painful for a very long time.
  In the last decade, places of worship, a Sikh temple in Milwaukee, 
the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mother Emanuel, where 
the victims who remained alive actually forgave the perpetrator who 
came and sat down and prayed; sat among people who were praying, who 
welcomed him. They lost a distinguished pastor and people who were so 
kind. People could not understand why they lost their lives. Thousands 
came to the memorial, and, of course, our President at that time, 
President Obama. That is how painful it was for this Nation.
  Then, of course, Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. I visited 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and met individuals who had been impacted by 
this horrific tragedy. In the midst of Rosh Hashanah, to our friends 
who are in the midst of their holiday, it is more than fitting that we 
acknowledge how domestic terrorism can divide so many communities, so 
many innocent communities, whether they happen to be of a particular 
faith, a particular ethnicity, or a particular status.
  We have seen all of this become tragic symbols of deadly threats a 
white supremacist poses even to the faith community.
  Just last Thursday in a committee that I participated in, FBI 
Director Christopher Wray--the Homeland Security Committee--once again 
stated that white supremacists constitute the largest portion of 
racially motivated violent extremists.
  In the same vein, before the House Homeland Security Committee, 
Director Wray testified that antigovernment and antiauthority groups 
have been responsible for the most lethal attacks this year. We know 
that. So we want to be sure that we are protecting the American people.

  None of us adhere to extremism or violence. We understand peaceful 
protests, but we stand for the principles of democracy of this Nation 
that has kept us a democracy for all of these many years.
  Just a few weeks ago our Nation was reminded how dangerous violent 
extremism can be. A rightwing militia boasting 3,000 members promoted 
an event on Facebook calling for patriots willing to take up arms and 
travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to confront protesters.
  Tragically, hours later, a 17-year-old youth heeded the call, 
traveled across State lines, and is alleged to have murdered two 
protesters and injured a third. He has yet to be brought to justice 
because he is still waiting on an extradition procedure.
  Yet, local police allowed this young man to safely pass through their 
lines and go home, despite the fact that bystanders had identified him 
as the shooter. That was one incident.
  We have seen law enforcement take up the issues of protecting our 
neighbors across the Nation and in those instances, of course, we 
recognize good policing and we thank them for it.

[[Page H4587]]

  The tragic events in Kenosha are yet another example of how rightwing 
militia groups continue to pose a present threat. Indeed, over the last 
decade, rightwing extremists have been responsible for 76 percent of 
all domestic extremist-related murders. The time for Congress to act is 
now.
  The key elements of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act seek to 
address fundamental deficiencies highlighted at the April 2019 
Judiciary Committee hearing in the Federal Government's response to 
domestic terrorism and specifically white supremacy.
  Let me be very clear. We want a comprehensive response to terrorism. 
We want to rely upon our intelligence communities as it relates to 
international terrorism.

                              {time}  1500

  We have done so because I have been on the Homeland Security 
Committee for a very long time and, as well, have seen the work of the 
Judiciary Committee. But we must be comprehensive in looking at 
terrorism; we must be responsive; and we must secure and make sure the 
American people are safe.
  Currently, the Federal Government has a number of statutory 
authorities to bring charges against domestic terrorists, including 
those who are white supremacists. Yet, it is clear that the Department 
of Justice has not initiated a sufficient number of these prosecutions. 
H.R. 5602 creates offices within the DOJ and DHS aimed at pooling the 
resources from all parts of each respective Department to focus them on 
the greatest threat of white supremacy.
  The reporting elements of this bill aim to keep Congress better 
informed of the domestic terrorism threats presented so that Congress 
can more readily assess what resources and authorities are necessary to 
protect the country against domestic terrorist activities.
  I am well aware of the work that was done in the last administration 
of trying to neutralize the idea of radicalizing individuals who were 
dealing with ISIS, al-Qaida, and others. Unfortunately, even that has 
been taken away from the work that we have been doing. This may be a 
time that that work begins to rise up as it relates to white supremacy 
and white nationalism.
  This legislation is a necessary and measured response to the real 
threats this country faces.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at a time when violent extremists are destroying cities 
nationwide, our Democratic colleagues here in the House continue to 
ignore this violence. The chairman of the Judiciary Committee even 
called Antifa violence a myth and imaginary. Instead of addressing 
violent leftwing extremism head-on, my colleagues across the aisle only 
want to use this bill for political purposes. They are not interested 
in passing legislation that would make any real difference in rooting 
out violence in our communities.
  Democrats are unable to call out the violent anarchists who are 
burning down cities all around the country. Instead, they seem to want 
to paint a picture that ties only conservatives to domestic terrorism. 
Not only is this bill blatantly political on its face, but it increases 
our already bloated bureaucracy by adding three new separate offices to 
do the exact same thing. That is the very definition of duplication and 
government waste.
  We already have dedicated law enforcement who fight domestic 
terrorism every day, and we should recognize them, commend them, and 
let them do their jobs. Unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle 
likely will not do that either.
  Democrats must end the partisan charades. Democrats must stop 
ignoring the leftwing violence and crime that has taken over American 
cities. Instead of this biased approach in this bill, we should pass 
legislation that roots out all kinds of domestic terrorism, not just 
the type that is politically convenient for Democrats.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing H.R. 5602, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, just one point that I want to make as I 
yield to the author and leader on this bill is that we are continuously 
fighting a known, recognized domestic terrorism. This vital bill will 
provide the reporting for a roadmap to do the right thing. That is what 
the Federal Government is challenged and charged to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Schneider). Congressman Schneider is a member of the 
Judiciary Committee and is the author of this legislation.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from 
Texas, for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of my bill, H.R. 5602, the 
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020.
  White supremacists and other far-right extremists are the most 
significant domestic terrorism threat facing the United States. Don't 
take my word for it. Making that point last week in testimony to the 
House Homeland Security Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated 
that domestic violence extremists, DVEs, ``pose a steady and evolving 
threat of violence and economic harm to the United States.''
  He notes in his next paragraph: ``The top threat we face from 
domestic violent extremists stems from those we identify as racially/
ethnically motivated violent extremists (RMVE).''
  RMVEs were the primary source of ideologically motivated lethal 
incidents and violence in 2018 and 2019. From the Tree of Life 
synagogue to Walmart in El Paso, Texas, we have all tragically seen the 
deadly effect.
  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of white 
nationalist groups rose by 55 percent since 2017. Last November, the 
FBI reported violent hate crimes reached a 16-year high in 2018, and 
that number went up in 2019.
  Groups like the boogaloos, Rise Above Movement, and white nationalist 
militias across the country are organizing, and so must we. Therefore, 
we need to equip our law enforcement officials, the FBI, and the 
Departments of Justice and Homeland Security with the tools necessary 
to identify, monitor, and prevent acts of violent terrorism.
  The bill before us today does just that. It establishes offices 
within the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Department of 
Homeland Security and empowers them to coordinate their efforts with 
each other. It requires them to report to Congress twice a year on the 
assessment of the threats, ranking them and allocating the resources 
based on their assessed threats.
  Congress must, with a single voice, definitively state that if you or 
your group is plotting violence or taking weapons--be they guns or 
knives or otherwise--into a crowd to intimidate or coerce others to 
further your ideological goals, you are a terrorist and will be treated 
as such.

  This is not a partisan issue but one that affects all Americans' 
personal and economic security. This bill passed out of committee with 
bipartisan support overwhelmingly, 24-2.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' This bill 
will make a real difference. Again, I thank the chairman and the 
Speaker for bringing my bill to the House today.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), the ranking member of the 
Judiciary Committee.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, Republicans denounce all violent extremism. Why won't 
the Democrats?
  Weeks ago in the committee, the Attorney General of the United States 
asked the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, asked the Democrats, why 
won't you speak out against the mob? Why won't you speak out against 
the violence that is taking place in our great cities all across the 
country this past summer?
  Guess what he got. Total, total silence.
  We have a bill on domestic terrorism, but a bill that barely mentions 
Antifa, one reference.
  Mr. Speaker, do you know why the one reference is in there? Because 
Republicans on the committee, through

[[Page H4588]]

Mr. Steube, offered an amendment in the committee.
  Not mentioned in the bill are two things that have happened in the 
last 30 days. The cold-blooded murder of a Trump supporter by an Antifa 
member was not mentioned in the resolution and is not mentioned in the 
bill. Not mentioned in the bill is the assassination attempt on two 
police officers sitting in their patrol car just 2 weeks ago.
  Let's condemn all violent extremism. Maybe they won't do that 
because, as my good friend from North Dakota said, the chairman of the 
House Judiciary Committee, the committee with that storied history of 
defending the rule of law, maybe because that individual said that 
Antifa is imaginary and that Antifa is a myth.
  Ask Andy Ngo that, Mr. Speaker. Ask the journalist who was attacked 
by Antifa a year ago. Ask the people in Portland, Oregon. For over 100 
days, their city has been under siege. There has been a siege on the 
Federal court building there by Antifa, but one reference only in their 
legislation, and that is only there because Mr. Steube offered the 
amendment in committee.
  For over 100 days, this organization has been targeting the business 
owners, the people, and the residents in Portland, Oregon, and in other 
cities around our country. Democrats can call what has been happening 
to our cities all summer peaceful protests, but calling rioting, 
looting, and arson peaceful protests doesn't make it so.
  Let's condemn all of it. We should speak out against all domestic 
terrorism. We should denounce the violence--the rioting, the looting, 
and the arson--that is taking place in our cities. We should not have 
another political messaging bill, which is exactly what this is.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, would you share the time remaining, 
please.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Texas has 8 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from North Dakota has 16 minutes remaining.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me thank my good friend from Ohio for bringing to 
our attention something that I think is very important. Then, it allows 
me to say that I don't know one single person in this body who condones 
violent protests. I have not run into anyone in the Judiciary 
Committee, and I have not seen anyone on the floor on either side of 
the aisle. That is why this legislation is so crucial because it 
generated bipartisan support on the work that the Congress should do.
  What is it that the Congress should do? Find a way for our agencies 
to work together.
  In the Judiciary Committee, we had a hearing with the Attorney 
General on the question of domestic terrorism. In the Homeland Security 
Committee, we had a hearing on the question of domestic terrorism. I 
think we found some, if you will, collegiality in recognizing that 
white supremacy and white nationalism were the greatest threat to 
domestic security.
  I remember in this legislation the generosity of Mr. Schneider and my 
commitment when the committee added Mr. Steube's--a Republican's--
amendment at markup that included findings that addressed 
antigovernment actors and violence against police. We passed that in a 
bipartisan way. I want to remind my colleagues that the legislation 
itself was passed in a bipartisan manner.
  We have seen what happens when we undermine coordination. We see what 
happens when the pandemic office was dismissed out of the White House 
that was coordinating with agencies on COVID-19 or other pandemics. We 
see the confusion that we have.
  This legislation is simply trying to make sure that our very fine 
public servants who are fighting domestic terrorism are fighting it 
with the best informational tools they can get.
  How do they do that? With this very fine legislation that allows us 
to be able to get the right kind of data.
  I want to just indicate a lot of things have been happening. I have 
watched peaceful protesters be subjected to violence. My heart goes 
out. Those are someone's children; they are young people; and they have 
a right to be protesting. They have a right, as our dear beloved 
colleague has always said, to speak up. John Robert Lewis always said 
to speak up and get into good trouble to make this Nation better.
  I have not heard any Member of this body not condemn, in the 
strongest terms, the shooting of Los Angeles deputies and are pleased 
to hear that they are recovering.

  I would just indicate that we need to adhere to what is right. This 
legislation is laying us on a pathway of getting facts and information 
so that we can do what is right to secure the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. Speaker, I was in the committee when we did this 
and when we accepted Republican amendments and garnered some support 
from people on my side of the aisle in committee. I have no doubt that 
my friends on the other side of the aisle condemn all kinds of 
violence, but somewhere between committee and here things got added to 
the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, do you know what didn't get added? Not one mention of 
the horrific attack against two police officers shot at pointblank 
range in their patrol car. The bill did not mention the murder of a 
Trump supporter in Portland. But we did manage to mention the juvenile 
from Kenosha.
  So, while the gentlewoman says she supports a certain thing or nobody 
condones certain things, their actions on how this occurs show us where 
their priorities are. The priorities are political because we could 
have added all of these things.
  I find it interesting and odd on the same day that we are talking 
about due process, rights to effective assistance of counsel, justice 
for juveniles, and all the election integrity and voting, we don't 
condemn the burning down of the post office in Minneapolis. We don't 
talk about these other things, but we will make sure we mention a 
juvenile offender in Kenosha prior to any of his court hearings being 
held.
  We can talk about delaying justice and the administration of justice, 
but that is not how it reads in the bill, and that is not how it was 
spoken to on the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, if we are going to do this, all I ask is that we are 
consistent. The gentlewoman can stand here and say that we condemn all 
forms of violence, but only one made it into the bill after committee. 
That is because it fits a particular political narrative, and we have 
no interest in actually rooting out domestic terrorism wherever it 
exists. We want to make sure it fits a particular narrative. That is 
what this bill is about, and that is why we should oppose it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1515

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank the gentleman for his commentary, but I am going to rise and 
ask my colleagues to support this legislation in a bipartisan manner.
  As indicated--I would correct my friend's interpretation--Mr. 
Steube's amendment was added in the markup and the findings at that 
time addressed antigovernment actors and violence against police. We 
made it very clear, and it was bipartisan, that we condemn violence of 
any kind.
  But what I would say as well is that the simple addition as it 
relates to Kenosha was in sharp contrast to the visual, the video, of a 
direct skin contact shooting of an individual whose back was turned, 
and then the call across the Nation for white supremacists and white 
nationalists to come and defend.
  Defend what?
  There was law enforcement there. I think the governor had even asked 
for the Wisconsin National Guard to safeguard everyone.
  But here was someone that came--a teenager. I am grateful that he 
remained alive; grateful. But he walked with guns, and is alleged to 
have killed, harmed, three people at least, never was confronted by 
officers, of course, to our knowledge, and got home to sleep in his 
bed.
  On the other hand, Jacob Blake, whose father I met, wound up in ICU, 
wound up paralyzed, a victim in the Kenosha shootings.
  And so it is crucial that we get the facts of what this legislation 
wants to

[[Page H4589]]

do, and that we don't get a young man from Illinois versus another 
young man from Ohio, who was 12 years old--Tamir Rice--who didn't get 
to go home. We want to make sure that we have fairness.
  Mr. Speaker, as I said, I am very concerned about the shootings of 
these individuals, the Los Angeles deputies. We don't know the motives 
of the assailants. It remains unknown. But we continue to seek justice 
for them, and we want to make sure that the threat of white 
supremacists and domestic terrorism is known.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill directs that directly and I think it will 
provide for a very important tool for our law enforcement--unbiased--
without any effort to try and stigmatize anyone.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, domestic terrorism is a serious threat to 
our country. We must take real action to address the rise of hate 
crimes and white supremacy. This legislation would address the rising 
tide of white supremacy without impinging on constitutional rights.
  It reflects a careful balance between empowering the investigatory 
agencies of the Federal Government to curb hateful and dangerous 
incidents of domestic terrorism and protecting the rights of free 
speech and assembly.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Brad Schneider for his leadership 
and his diligent work on this important legislation during this 
Congress. We will be better for the passage of this legislation. The 
Nation will be better. It is critical that we adopt this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
legislation, passed out of the Committee on the Judiciary in a 
bipartisan vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5602, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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