[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BOMB THREATS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, next, bomb threats at HCBUs.
  All of us in the Senate are disturbed, sickened, and outraged, 
frankly, at the wave of anonymous bomb threats that have recently 
arisen across dozens of historically Black colleges and universities. 
Since the start of this year, at least 26 HBCUs in a dozen States and 
the District of Columbia have received such threats, including a dozen 
schools last week. These bomb threats are clearly racially motivated, 
and I join my colleagues in condemning these acts of hatred in the 
strongest possible terms.
  Bomb threats against HBCUs have an especially malevolent place in our 
country's history. Black Americans don't need to think that far back to 
when bombs were set off in the middle of the campus at Florida A&M 
University in 1999. To see these threats today is a reminder of the 
hatred we have yet to overcome.
  Nothing can be more sickening than efforts to use fear, violence, and 
White supremacy in hopes of stealing the promise of a good education 
for millions of Black Americans. HBCUs are a vital part of our economy 
and education system, educating some of our Nation's greatest leaders, 
innovators, and activists.
  I want to commend all the presidents, faculty, and staff across the 
country's HBCUs for responding to these acts of hatred with resolve and 
strength. And to all the students who attend HBCUs, this should never 
happen. Those responsible must--must--be prosecuted to the fullest 
extent of law.
  My colleagues and I have been in communication with the FBI, Homeland 
Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education on 
steps the Agencies and the Senate can take to address these violent 
threats. We are confident those responsible will be held accountable.

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