[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H343-H345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   DENOUNCEMENT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, sadly I rise to indicate that domestic 
terrorism is on the rise in America. We have all faced the tragedies of 
terroristic acts by our fellow Americans, chiefly, of course, the 
January 6 insurrection, which it is so striking to me that people want 
to dumb down the language used. It was insurrection by terrorists who 
happened to be Americans.
  We focused on 9/11. The very action of terrorism was associated 
internationally. I was in this place, in this Capitol on 9/11, in a 
meeting on 9/11. As we fled this building, clearly looking, as I went 
to the right to escape what we thought was an imminent attack on this 
building by foreign terrorists, I could see the building, the black 
smoke of the plane that had just hit the Pentagon. It is real, and 
January 6 is real as well.
  So it is important that we as Members of Congress address this for 
the Nation. One, it was real in Colleyville for my fellow Texans as 
they were attacked in their synagogue, their place of worship. How 
horrific anti-Semitism is. I stand against it, as I stand against the 
horrors of representing what critical race theory is, which it is not 
in any way an attempt to create racist divide. It is a college 
phenomenon. It is a higher-grad phenomenon. It is not teaching our 
elementary school children about George Washington Carver

[[Page H344]]

or the history of African Americans or slavery or the importance of 
passing H.R. 40, the commission to study slavery and develop 
reparations, not anything that is going to not stand on its own about 
the wonderment of our history and acknowledging the original sin.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of the dastardly behavior of the 
numbers of historically Black colleges in this month who have now 
received bomb threats. This is not something to take lightly. It is not 
something to ignore. It is not something that we, as Members of 
Congress, parents, who can understand the frightening prospect of 
parents who send their children to school, just as it was certainly 
frightening to have two officers in the Virginia college shot dead.
  We don't know what the facts are in that, but certainly that is an 
extreme action--to shoot dead. One of the witnesses said that when the 
officer was down, this perpetrator shot them dead blank, again. How 
outrageous. What could it be? I speculate we don't know what it is.
  As we are in the midst of a hearing with Homeland Security, I call 
upon Homeland Security and those reinforced entities dealing with 
social media. I also think the FBI should specifically focus on 
domestic terrorism with a more enhanced and reinforced section of 
agents that are dealing both with social media but, also, dealing more 
vigorously with an action that seems to be a collective action.
  So I want to put into the Record, tragically, the following colleges: 
Rust College, Tougaloo College, Jackson State, Alcorn State, 
Mississippi Valley State, Fort Valley State, Spelman, Morgan State, 
Coppin State, Harris-Stowe State University, Kentucky State, Xavier 
University, Philander Smith College, Edward Waters University, Howard 
University, the University of the District of Columbia.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record this article from the Washington 
Post.

                       [From the Washington Post]

    Fear, Anxiety Follow Third Wave of Bomb Threats Targeting HBCUs

                 (By Lauren Lumpkin and Susan Svrluga)

       For the third time in just a month, Howard University 
     warned its campus on Tuesday of a bomb threat. Each time, a 
     law enforcement search found no sign of the threatened 
     explosives.
       But as students spilled out of academic buildings and 
     headed to their next classes, or lined up for burritos at a 
     nearby Chipotle, the campus was still on edge.
       ``Most of us are feeling anxiety,'' said Troix McClendon, a 
     19-year-old freshman. ``There's not really a lot of 
     information.''
       The bomb threats at Howard are part of a wave to hit 
     historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) this 
     year. On Jan. 4, at least eight HBCUs were threatened. On 
     Monday, at least six were.
       Tuesday's threats, most coming early in the morning on the 
     first day of Black History Month, broadened and deepened the 
     sense of unease: At least 16 universities closed or swept 
     their campuses. In all, more than two dozen have faced 
     similar threats this year.
       No bombs were found, and law enforcement agencies did not 
     identify possible motives. But the threats weigh heavily on 
     many, particularly given the emotional attachment and deep 
     loyalty many students, faculty, staff and alumni feel for the 
     campuses--a haven, a calling, a family.
       ``February 1st, it's a moment when we usually celebrate the 
     innovation and the resilience of our people, and now to be 
     faced with an issue of this kind at our HBCUs nationwide, we 
     want our community to know that we're standing together,'' 
     said Tashni-Ann Dubroy, Howard's executive vice president and 
     chief operating officer.
       The university in the District has increased the police 
     presence on campus, reminded students of the safety resources 
     on campus and offered support, Dubroy said.
       The FBI has said it is working with law enforcement 
     partners to address potential threats, according to the 
     agency, and it asked the public to report anything suspicious 
     to law enforcement immediately.
       The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 
     also is aware of bomb threats received by some HBCUs, Carolyn 
     Gwathmey, a spokeswoman for the agency, said in a written 
     statement. ``We take all potential threats seriously and we 
     regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine 
     the threat credibility.''
       She said it could not comment on the specific details at 
     this time because it is a fluid situation with ongoing 
     investigations.
       The threats in the past month have touched some of the 
     country's most iconic schools, such as Howard and Spelman 
     College, as well as regional institutions all across the 
     country, triggering cancellations, lockdowns and fear.
       On Tuesday, the schools targeted included: Rust College, 
     Tougaloo College, Jackson State University and Alcorn State 
     University in Mississippi, as well as Mississippi Valley 
     State University; Fort Valley State University and Spelman 
     College in Georgia; Morgan State University and Coppin State 
     University in Maryland; Harris-Stowe State University in 
     Missouri; Kentucky State University; Xavier University of 
     Louisiana; Philander Smith College in Arkansas; Edward Waters 
     University in Florida; Howard University and the University 
     of the District of Columbia.
       ``We stand in solidarity with our historically Black 
     institutions,'' Jay A. Perman, chancellor of the University 
     System of Maryland--which includes Coppin State and Bowie 
     State, another school targeted by a threat this week--said 
     Tuesday in a written statement.
       He added: ``Knowing that their strength is our strength, 
     and that their power--on display like never before--will not 
     be diminished by cowardly acts meant to menace and harm and 
     intimidate. If the intent of these threats was to restrict 
     access to our historically Black institutions--to restrict 
     access to higher education itself--it will fail. If it was 
     meant to sow division, it will fail. If it was meant to 
     terrorize students and communities of color, it will fail.''
       At the University of the District of Columbia on Tuesday, 
     officials cleared a threat placed about 3:20 a.m. and opened 
     the campus.
       Xavier University of Louisiana evacuated the area of the 
     threat and issued a shelter-in-place order for students 
     living on campus, according to Patrice Bell, the school's 
     vice president and chief of staff, until it was cleared to 
     reopen by law-enforcement officials.
       Tougaloo College, one of several HBCUs threatened Tuesday 
     in Mississippi, received a call about 4:20 a.m. that brought 
     FBI and other law enforcement to sweep campuses. Even after 
     the threat was found to be unsubstantiated, the campus 
     remained in virtual mode for students, faculty and staff on 
     Tuesday, with college officials pledging to remain vigilant. 
     Mississippi Valley State University locked down after a 
     threat was received through its guardhouse.
       Philander Smith College, in Arkansas, lifted its lockdown 
     and resumed classes and operations at noon Tuesday. Kentucky 
     State University issued an all-clear Tuesday and planned to 
     resume normal operations and classes Wednesday.
       Morgan State University was also targeted. Leaders received 
     the threat around 4:50 a.m. and issued a shelter-in-place 
     order. Classes went virtual and employees were told to work 
     from home.
       ``My main concern is my students' mental health. As college 
     students, we already have so much mentally to deal with,'' 
     said Jamera Forbes, a senior at Morgan State and student body 
     president. ``We've tried to push through and overcome so much 
     with covid over the years, and we're just trying to get back 
     to a norm.''
       At Howard, freshman Jalen McKinney, 18, said the threats 
     are making him worried, but some on campus seem less 
     concerned.
       ``People are kind of brushing it off because it didn't 
     happen,'' McKinney said. D.C. and university police performed 
     a sweep after the threat was made about 2:55 a.m. ``But at 
     the same time, it could happen.''
       An expert in campus security was reassuring about the 
     potential danger.
       ``I've always subscribed to the theory that bombers bomb 
     and threateners threaten,'' said Robert Mueck, director of 
     public safety at St. John's College and a member of the 
     International Association of Campus Law Enforcement 
     Administrators' Domestic Preparedness Committee. Calling in a 
     bomb threat is ``more of a nuisance crime,'' he said, ``like 
     back in high school, kids pulling a fire alarm to get out of 
     an exam.''
       Of course, he said, officials cannot ignore it--they must 
     ensure there is no explosive.
       But Mueck cautioned against overreactions by college 
     officials, because the warnings, building closures and 
     lockdowns are disruptive and alarming.
       These particular threats are troubling, though, he said, 
     because they appear to be targeting HBCUs, and might be 
     motivated by bias. The menace is there: ``It's almost like 
     reaching out and saying, 'We can get you,''' he said.
       While law enforcement have not identified suspects or named 
     their motives, the recent threats evoked the long history of 
     intimidation and violence against Black schools, said Greg E. 
     Carr, chair of Howard's Afro-American studies department and 
     associate professor of Africana studies.
       ``There is this deep-seated racial insecurity that has 
     historically come from segments of White populations that 
     feel that somehow the self-improvement of Black folks will 
     cost them something, either in prestige or social position,'' 
     Carr said. ``Whether any of these threats would manifest into 
     anything tangible or not, it's just the idea that `Ya'll are 
     a little too big for your britches.' ''
       As officials continue to monitor the situation, students 
     and faculty are hoping to get back to business.
       ``Our response has been, historically, to simply redouble 
     our efforts,'' Carr said. ``The intimidation never works.''

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, my real point is that we need to get 
serious about domestic terrorism. The lives lost through domestic 
terrorism is compelling and increasing. Until we get serious about the 
actions of the Oath Keepers and the boogaloo boys

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and the Nazi wearers and proponents, in light of the First Amendment, 
which as a member of the Committee on the Judiciary I highly respect, 
we are losing lives. Our children are in jeopardy. Misrepresentation is 
occurring about innocent discussion about race and history. Let us put 
that kind of attack aside. Let us find a way to deal with domestic 
terrorism to save lives in America.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that I will draw upon my colleagues. I will be 
introducing legislation, as I have done, on dealing with this idea of 
bomb threats to universities in this instance, bomb threats to 
historically Black colleges last week and coming into this week. God 
knows what will be next. I pray for their safety, as I do all students 
and all Americans. We must stand against domestic terrorism.

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