Blue Dogs Endorse Bill to Crackdown on Domestic Terrorism
The Democratic Blue Dog Coalition has endorsed H.R. 4918, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, which is aimed at preventing acts of domestic terrorism by white supremacists and other extremist groups. This is a companion bill to legislation first introduced in the Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). The House bill was introduced by Blue Dogs Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), as well as Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
Last year, an FBI-DHS joint intelligence bulletin found white supremacist organizations were responsible for “49 homicides in 26 attacks from 2000 to 2016 … more than any other domestic extremist movement.” In January 2018, an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report stated the following: “The number of white supremacist murders in the United States more than doubled in 2017 compared to the previous year, far surpassing murders committed by domestic Islamic extremists and making 2017 the fifth deadliest year on record for extremist violence since 1970.”
After the attack in Charlottesville, the Blue Dog Coalition sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), calling for public hearings on domestic terrorism related to white supremacist groups. The letter was written in support of Blue Dog Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, who was the first member of the House of Representatives to write a letter to Chairman McCaul calling for a public hearing on domestic terrorism related to white supremacist groups after the horrific events that took place in Charlottesville in August 2017.
“From a church in Charleston to a peaceful counter demonstration in Charlottesville, our national consciousness has been seared by the violence of white supremacy and domestic terrorist groups,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), co-chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on National Defense. “As this vile and dangerous extremist ideology grows in strength, we need to take steps to protect Americans. This bill makes smart changes to ensure our federal agencies are effectively coordinating on monitoring these terrorist organizations and better able to prevent acts of violence. Addressing this threat is a matter of national security, and I am proud to gain the support of the Blue Dog Coalition for this important legislation.”
“Domestic terrorism is not merely a political issue—it’s a national security issue,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), co-chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on National Defense. “Our federal agencies must have the resources they need to keep Americans safe from the threats we face abroad and on our own soil. I am proud to join my colleagues as a co-author of legislation that dedicates federal time, energy, and resources to monitoring these harmful groups and strengthening partnerships with local and state law enforcement to combat hateful violence.”
"After the attack in Charlottesville, I was the first to call for hearings on the dangers posed by white supremacist terrorists,” said Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and co-author of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. “I’m pleased my Blue Dog colleagues have joined my call in prioritizing the dangers posed by white supremacists. Ensuring Americans are safe from domestic terrorism is a commonsense issue we should all support. Our nation’s law enforcement must be empowered to address domestic terrorism with the same vigor we confront international threats. This depends on Congress having enough information to make the decisions necessary to keep all Americans safe. This bill will help us get that information.”
“Every single American, no matter their background, deserves to be protected from the threat of terrorism,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications. “In order to better protect the American people, we cannot ignore the fact that white supremacist groups have been emboldened by the events over the past year. As Blue Dogs, we believe this national security issue has not been addressed properly, and we call on Congress to pass the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to empower law enforcement to combat threat white supremacist groups pose across the country.”
H.R. 4918, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to issue a yearly report on the threat posed by domestic terrorist groups, and focus their efforts on the threats outlined in the joint report.
The bill also codifies the Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee (DTEC) interagency task force, improves the training offered by the State and Local Anti-Terrorism Program, and streamlines coordination between the various agencies and offices, including state, local, and regional offices, working to combat domestic terrorism.
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