[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4982-H4985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NONPROFIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2022

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6825) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
the funding and administration of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program 
of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6825

       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 ``Nonprofit Security Grant 
     Program Improvement Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENTS TO FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
                   NONPROFIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

       (a) In General.--Section 2009 of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609a) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and threats'' before 
     the period at the end;
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``this'' before ``subsection''; and
       (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) determined by the Secretary to be at risk of 
     terrorist attacks and threats.'';
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as 
     subparagraphs (A), (B), and (E), respectively, and moving 
     such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, two ems to the right;
       (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so 
     redesignated, by striking ``The recipient'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The recipient'';
       (C) in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``equipment and inspection and screening systems'' and 
     inserting ``equipment, inspection and screening systems, and 
     alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or physical 
     facilities'';
       (D) by inserting after subparagraph (B), as so 
     redesignated, the following new subparagraphs:
       ``(C) Facility security personnel costs, including costs 
     associated with contracted security.
       ``(D) Expenses directly related to the administration of 
     the grant, except that such expenses may not exceed five 
     percent of the amount of the grant.''; and
       (E) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) Retention.--Each State through which a recipient 
     receives a grant under this section may retain up to five 
     percent of each grant for expenses directly related to the 
     administration of the grant.'';
       (4) in subsection (e)--
       (A) by striking ``2020 through 2024'' and inserting ``2022 
     through 2028''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Each 
     such report shall also include information on the number of 
     applications submitted by eligible nonprofit organizations to 
     each State, the number of applications submitted by each 
     State to the Administrator, and the operations of the 
     Nonprofit Security Grant Program Office, including staffing 
     resources and efforts with respect to subparagraphs (A) 
     through (E) of subsection (c)(1).'';
       (5) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (j);
       (6) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsections:
       ``(f) Administration.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this subsection, the Administrator 
     shall establish within the Federal Emergency Management 
     Agency a program office for the Program (in this section 
     referred to as the `program office'). The program office 
     shall be headed by a senior official of the Agency. The 
     Administrator shall administer the Program (including, where 
     appropriate, in coordination with States), including relating 
     to the following:
       ``(1) Outreach, engagement, education, and technical 
     assistance and support to eligible nonprofit organizations 
     described in subsection (b), with particular attention to 
     such organizations in underserved communities, prior to, 
     during, and after the awarding of grants, including web-based 
     training videos for eligible nonprofit organizations that 
     provide guidance on preparing an application and the 
     environmental planning and historic preservation process.
       ``(2) Establishment of mechanisms to ensure program office 
     processes are conducted in accordance with constitutional, 
     statutory, regulatory, and other legal and agency policy 
     requirements that protect civil rights and civil liberties 
     and, to the maximum extent practicable, advance equity for 
     members of underserved communities.
       ``(3) Establishment of mechanisms for the Administrator to 
     provide feedback to eligible nonprofit organizations that do 
     not receive grants.
       ``(4) Establishment of mechanisms to collect data to 
     measure the effectiveness of grants under the Program.
       ``(5) Establishment and enforcement of standardized 
     baseline operational requirements for States, including 
     requirements for States to eliminate or prevent any 
     administrative or operational obstacles that may impact 
     eligible nonprofit organizations described in subsection (b) 
     from receiving grants under the Program.
       ``(6) Carrying out efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and 
     abuse, including through audits of grantees.
       ``(g) Grant Guidelines.--For each fiscal year, prior to 
     awarding grants under this section, the Administrator--
       ``(1) shall publish guidelines, including a notice of 
     funding opportunity or similar announcement, as the 
     Administrator determines appropriate; and
       ``(2) may prohibit States from closing application 
     processes prior to the publication of such guidelines.
       ``(h) Allocation Requirements.--
       ``(1) In general.--In awarding grants under this section, 
     the Administrator shall ensure that--

[[Page H4983]]

       ``(A) 50 percent of amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
     authorization of appropriations under subsection (k) is 
     provided to eligible recipients located in high-risk urban 
     areas that receive funding under section 2003 in the current 
     fiscal year or received such funding in any of the preceding 
     ten fiscal years, inclusive of any amounts States may retain 
     pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (c); and
       ``(B) 50 percent of amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
     authorizations of appropriations under subsection (k) is 
     provided to eligible recipients located in jurisdictions not 
     receiving funding under section 2003 in the current fiscal 
     year or have not received such funding in any of the 
     preceding ten fiscal years, inclusive of any amounts States 
     may retain pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (c).
       ``(2) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the 
     Administrator may allocate a different percentage if the 
     Administrator does not receive a sufficient number of 
     applications from eligible recipients to meet the allocation 
     percentages described in either subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
     such paragraph. If the Administrator exercises the 
     authorization under this paragraph, the Administrator shall, 
     not later than 30 days after such exercise, report to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate regarding such exercise.
       ``(i) Paperwork Reduction Act.--Chapter 35 of title 44, 
     United States Code (commonly known as the `Paperwork 
     Reduction Act'), shall not apply to any changes to the 
     application materials, Program forms, or other core Program 
     documentation intended to enhance participation by eligible 
     nonprofit organizations in the Program.'';
       (7) in subsection (j), as so redesignated--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$75 million for each of 
     fiscal years 2020 through 2024'' and inserting ``$75,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2022 and $500,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2023 through 2028''; and
       (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) Operations and maintenance.--Of the amounts 
     authorized to be appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), not 
     more than five percent is authorized--
       ``(A) to operate the program office; and
       ``(B) for other costs associated with the management, 
     administration, and evaluation of the Program.''; and
       (8) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(k) Treatment.--Nonprofit organizations determined by the 
     Secretary to be at risk of extremist attacks other than 
     terrorist attacks and threats under subsection (a) are deemed 
     to satisfy the conditions specified in subsection (b) if 
     protecting such organizations against such other extremist 
     attacks would help protect such organizations against such 
     terrorist attacks and threats.''.
       (b) Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency shall submit to the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate a plan for the administration of the program 
     office for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program established 
     under subsection (f) of section 2009 of the Homeland Security 
     Act 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609a), as amended by subsection (a), 
     including a staffing plan for such program office.
       (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2008 of the Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c) by striking ``sections 2003 and 
     2004'' and inserting ``sections 2003, 2004, and 2009''; and
       (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``section 2003 or 2004'' 
     and inserting ``sections 2003, 2004, or 2009''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. LaTurner) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6825, the Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program Improvement Act.
  More than 20 years after the September 11 attacks, the terrorism 
threat landscape has grown significantly more complex, and houses of 
worship and other nonprofits have become targets for domestic and 
foreign terrorists.
  Earlier this year, four Americans were held at gunpoint by a 
terrorist at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. During the Colleyville 
attack, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker used security training to help 
bring the standoff to an end without injury to his congregants.
  The training that proved so crucial that Sabbath was funded by the 
Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The 
NSGP, as it has come to be known, is a competitive grant program that 
provides funding to nonprofit organizations, such as religious 
institutions, at high risk of a terrorist attack to help bolster their 
security.
  Grant funding is primarily used to pay for active shooter training, 
fencing, barriers, and surveillance cameras.
  In recent years, demand for the program has grown exponentially, 
given the heightened threat environment that we face. Over the past 3 
years, to meet this demand, Congress has increased funding almost 
threefold to $250 million in fiscal year 2022.
  Even with significant new resources, FEMA reported that, in fiscal 
year 2021, there was a $200 million gap between applications and 
funding. To provide FEMA with more resources to help bolster the 
security of more at-risk nonprofits, H.R. 6825 authorizes $500 million 
in grant funding for fiscal years 2023 to 2028.
  This bipartisan bill, which was introduced by the leaders of the 
Committee on Homeland Security, Chairman Bennie Thompson and Ranking 
Member   John Katko, also includes a range of enhancements to the 
program's operations.
  H.R. 6825 would establish a dedicated program office to carry out 
education, outreach, and engagement to provide technical assistance and 
support. Among other things, it includes technical changes to eliminate 
or prevent administrative or operational obstacles that may impact 
access by eligible applicants; sets baseline requirements for States 
that administer the program; and requires audits to prevent waste, 
fraud, and abuse.
  The legislation, which was developed in close coordination with FEMA, 
was unanimously supported by the committee in March.
  Before I conclude, I would like to address an article that appeared 
in the Jewish Link, a prominent news outlet for the Jewish community in 
New Jersey and New York, in which questions were raised about the grant 
guidance for the program for the current fiscal year.
  On behalf of Chairman Thompson, let me express my appreciation to 
Representatives Pascrell and Gottheimer, in particular, for alerting 
the committee to these concerns and the chairman's commitment to engage 
FEMA about the questions that were raised.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 6825, the Nonprofit Security Grant 
Program Improvement Act of 2022.
  FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program is an important resource 
available to nonprofit organizations, especially our houses of worship. 
As we all know, faith-based communities across the country face varying 
levels of discrimination, and it is vital that we strengthen our 
Nation's emergency preparedness posture to prevent violence against all 
religious groups.
  H.R. 6825 expands the use of Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds 
to include alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or physical 
facilities and facility security personnel costs, including costs 
associated with contracted security.
  This bill requires more accountability on the part of FEMA to 
Congress by requiring the Administrator of FEMA to include information 
on the number of applications submitted by eligible nonprofit 
organizations to each State, the number of applications submitted by 
each State, and specific operations of the grant office in FEMA's 
annual report to Congress.
  Finally, this legislation also establishes an office within FEMA to 
provide outreach, engagement, education, and technical assistance to 
support eligible nonprofit organizations. This will better ensure that 
eligible organizations, including houses of worship, know the resources 
available to them.
  I urge Members to support H.R. 6825, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.

[[Page H4984]]

  

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, as an original member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I had the pleasure of serving with Chairman 
Thompson. It has only been lately that we understand what he means to 
this country. Together, we worked to establish and grow the Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program into what it is now.
  I associate myself with the words of the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Malinowski) and our associates from Arkansas and Kansas. I hope 
people listened to what they had to say on the previous bill because 
knowledge is power in trying to keep the American people safe.
  From Jersey City, to Colleyville, to Pittsburgh, our faith-based 
communities have become targets. Our churches, synagogues, and mosques 
are facing increased volatility, unpredictability, and threats. Now, 
that is either a fact or it is not a fact.

  The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a vital tool to help keep 
people safe from this dire threat. H.R. 6825 recognizes this growing 
threat by increasing the program's authorization, as you just heard. It 
is money that will be well spent.
  We must ensure that every community can get these resources. Too many 
communities do not have the historic ability to even write a grant, 
believe it or not.
  But revising the formula should not create obstacles for high-threat 
communities or regions, like my home State of New Jersey. I am closely 
monitoring the new formula FEMA has offered. It will give preference to 
applications with a higher Social Vulnerability Index.
  It is one of the pillars of America that our neighbors are secure in 
their houses of worship. I will fight hard for fairness in distributing 
these funds.
  I applaud Chairman Thompson for bringing this bill to the floor. 
Domestic terrorism threatens every community in our Nation, and we blew 
it 12 years ago. It is something I have warned about over a decade, and 
it is not abating but growing.
  This funding will save lives and secure houses of worship. I urge 
swift passage of H.R. 6825.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge Members 
to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), chairman of the Homeland 
Security Committee.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, violence shattered 
communities across the country this weekend, making it a very sad one 
for this Nation.
  First, on Friday night in Milwaukee, 21 people were injured in a mass 
shooting as the city hosted the NBA playoffs. Then, on Saturday, a 
gunman who posted a manifesto online espousing violent white 
supremacist viewpoints drove 2 hours to a grocery store in a 
predominantly Black area of Buffalo and opened fire on customers, 
killing 10 innocent people. Finally, yesterday, in Laguna Woods, 
California, an armed intruder burst into a predominantly Taiwanese 
Christian congregation meeting in a Presbyterian church, killing one 
congregant and critically wounding four others.
  Today, we mourn with these communities and families who were rocked 
by this violence, but we also must continue asking tough questions 
about what is fueling such racially motivated violent extremism.
  Just months ago, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress domestic 
terrorism is metastasizing through this country and was not going away 
any time soon. The intelligence community has recently warned that 
racially motivated violent extremism poses the most lethal domestic 
terrorism threat.
  While Americans may not see eye-to-eye on what factors contribute to 
the current threat landscape, there seems to be general agreement that 
public spaces, in general, and houses of worship, in particular, need 
to be more secure.
  That is where the Nonprofit Security Grant Program comes in. This 
grant program is incredibly important to at-risk nonprofits that need 
to bolster their security against mass shootings and terrorism threats.
  In 2020, I was proud to author legislation that was enacted into law 
to authorize this program. Today, I am here in support of H.R. 6825, 
legislation I introduced in the wake of a terrorist attack on a 
synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, to expand the availability of crucial 
funding to more at-risk nonprofits and improve the program's 
operations.
  My legislation, Mr. Speaker, does so by increasing the authorization 
for funding to $500 million annually through fiscal year 2028 and by 
establishing a dedicated program office.
  This past February, the National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin 
stated: ``Threats directed at historically Black colleges and 
universities and other colleges and universities, Jewish facilities, 
and churches cause concern and may inspire extremist threat actors to 
mobilize to violence.''

                              {time}  1500

  With each passing day, the list of potential targets for mass 
violence seems to expand, and FEMA has already told us that even with 
funding for the program increasing roughly three-fold in just a few 
short years, the demand for funding is still outpacing available 
funding. The additional resources provided under my bill will help FEMA 
do more to help more at-risk nonprofits.
  Importantly, H.R. 6825 requires FEMA to provide outreach, engagement, 
and technical support to nonprofits, with particular attention to 
eligible at-risk nonprofits in underserved communities.
  As was mentioned before, in recent days, questions have arisen about 
how FEMA plans to bring new at-risk nonprofits into the program, a goal 
that many of us support.
  I strongly believe that with the enhanced funding that Congress 
provides in this year's appropriations, FEMA can expand the program's 
reach while preserving funding to existing grantees that continue to be 
at risk.
  To that end, together with my colleague, Mr. Pascrell, I am engaging 
FEMA about its approach, and I look forward to resolving it.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to my colleagues' support in passing this 
critical legislation.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, back home in New Jersey, I make a point of checking in 
on faith communities as often as I can. We gather together, we talk 
about the issues of the day, we talk about how their members can help 
the community at large. And in every one of these conversations, I am 
sad to say, the issue of security comes up. We talk about this grant 
program and how it can help them protect themselves.
  It saddens me because I know that bulletproof glass is not the 
solution to hatred. Security guards and security cameras are not the 
solution to the violence that is plaguing our society. Security at the 
point of the religious institution is not the solution, it is the last 
resort. And yet, it is something that we have to do. Until we defeat 
the hatred, until we deal with how it spreads through our society, we 
have to harden our institutions so people can worship and gather 
peacefully in safety.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here with my colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle in support of a bill that addresses this need, H.R. 6825, 
the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act. It is a timely 
measure that is responsive to the current threat picture.
  Instances of anti-Semitic crime, for example, hit an all-time high in 
2021 in America. My home State of New Jersey and the neighboring State 
of New York, accounted for nearly 30 percent of the reported total.
  The bill is endorsed by The Jewish Federations of North America, the 
Anti-Defamation League, the Sikh Coalition, the Secure Community 
Network, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, and The 
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
  Just today, ahead of consideration of the bill, The Jewish 
Federations of North America reached out to say: ``The Nonprofit 
Security Grant Program is critically important to the safety and 
security of faith communities and others who are at risk. The Jewish 
Federations would like to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member 
Katko for advancing an

[[Page H4985]]

authorization bill that will strengthen the Nonprofit Security Grant 
Program and increase much-needed funding for at-risk institutions.''
  Mr. Speaker, for all these reasons, while it is not enough, I do 
strongly believe that enactment of H.R. 6825 will position this program 
to be effective in the future. It will enable us to provide these 
essential grants to every faith institution that needs them.
  None of us want to communicate to folks in our district that we were 
able to help this synagogue, this mosque, this church, but the one 
across the street, the one in a different neighborhood, we are sorry, 
we can't help you because we ran out of money. That is absolutely 
unacceptable, and we are going to solve this program.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6825, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6825, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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