September 26, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 156 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THREATS IN AMERICA ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 156
(House of Representatives - September 26, 2019)
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[Pages H8027-H8032] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THREATS IN AMERICA ACT Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3106) to require a joint domestic terrorism report, establish within the Department of Homeland Security a National Center for the Study of Domestic Terrorism, authorize research within the Department of Homeland Security on current trends in domestic terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3106 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 and International Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act'' or the ``Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (3) Domestic terrorism.--The term ``domestic terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 2331 of title 18, United States Code. (4) Hate crime.--The term ``hate crime'' means criminal offenses committed in violation of sections 241, 245, 247, and 249 of title 18, United States Code, and section 3631 of title 42, United State Code. (5) International terrorism.--The term ``international terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 2331 of title 18, United States Code. (6) Online platform.--The term ``online platform'' means any public-facing website, web application, or digital application, including a mobile application, and includes a social network, an ad network, a search engine, or an email service. (7) Personally identifiable information.--The term ``personally identifiable information'' means any information about an individual elicited, collected, stored, or maintained by an agency, including the following: (A) Any information that can be used to distinguish or trace the identity of an individual, such as a name, a social security number, a date and place of birth, a mother's maiden name, or biometric records. (B) Any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, or employment information. (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland Security. TITLE I--FEDERAL EFFORTS AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM SEC. 101. JOINT DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM REPORT. (a) Annual Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary, the Attorney General, and the Director shall submit to the Comptroller General of the United States and the appropriate congressional committees a joint report on domestic terrorism and international terrorism. (b) Contents.-- (1) In general.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include the following: (A) All guidance, policy memos, and related documents regarding the following: (i) The criteria for opening an investigation for domestic terrorism or international terrorism or another crime with a nexus to domestic terrorism or international terrorism, including any standards of proof required before opening such investigation. (ii) Sharing of domestic terrorism or international terrorism information across law enforcement agencies. (iii) Federal requirements and compliance with privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties policies and protections, including protections against the public release of the names or personally identifiable information of individuals involved in incidents, investigations, indictments, prosecutions, or convictions for which data is reported under this section. (B) A description of the methodology utilized to identify domestic terrorism and international terrorism investigative classifications (including any subcategories) and to assign an investigative classification (including any subcategory) to a domestic terrorism or international terrorism incident. (C) Threat prioritization determinations made each year by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, consistent with appropriate classification standards. (D) The information required under paragraph (2). (2) Information on domestic terrorism and international terrorism.--Except as provided in subparagraph (A), each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include information on incidents of domestic terrorism and international terrorism, including, with respect to each investigative classification (including any subcategory) of each such incident, the number and type of actual and attempted property crimes, the number and type of actual and attempted attacks on persons, the number of people injured, and the number of people killed, and-- (A) in the first such report, data on incidents or attempted incidents of domestic terrorism and international terrorism that have occurred in the United States since April 19, 1995, disaggregated by fiscal year, including, with respect to each such incident, the number and type of property crimes, the number and type of actual and attempted attacks on persons, the number of people injured, and number of people killed; and (B) in each subsequent report for the preceding fiscal year-- (i) data on incidents or attempted incidents of domestic terrorism and international terrorism that occurred in the United States, including, with respect to each such incident, the number and type of actual and attempted property crimes, the number and type of actual and attempted attacks on persons, the number of people injured, and the number of people killed; (ii) the number of-- (I) assessments, preliminary investigations, and full investigations with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, disaggregated by investigative classification (including any subcategories), and the number of such investigations that were initiated as a result of a hate crime investigation; (II) indictments with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative classification (including any subcategories) and component or sub-component responsible for each such indictment, and an explanation of each such indictment; (III) prosecutions with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative classification (including any subcategories) and component or sub-component responsible for each such prosecution, and an explanation of each such prosecution; and (IV) convictions with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative classification (including any subcategories) and component or sub-component responsible for each such conviction, and an explanation of each such conviction; (iii) the number of full-time staff, including position descriptions, employed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to handle matters described in subclauses (I) through (IV) of clause (ii), disaggregated by domestic terrorism and international terrorism; and [[Page H8028]] (iv) the number of referrals to State authorities with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus, disaggregated by investigative classification (including any subcategories) and component or sub-component responsible for each such referral, and an explanation of each such referral. (3) Breakdown of certain information.--The information provided under paragraph (2) related to the number of people killed or injured shall include a breakdown of law enforcement, first responders, military personnel, and other government officials. (c) Format.--The information required pursuant to subclauses (I) through (IV) of subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii) may be provided in a format that uses the marking associated with the Central Records System or any successor system. (d) Information Quality.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall comply with the guidelines issued by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to section 515 of title V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-554; 114 Stat. 2763A-154) (commonly referred to as the ``Data Quality Act''). (e) Classification and Public Release.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall be-- (1) unclassified with a classified annex only if necessary; and (2) in the case of the unclassified portion of each such report, posted on the public websites of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. SEC. 102. ANNUAL COMPTROLLER GENERAL AUDIT OF JOINT REPORT ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. (a) Reviews Required.--Not later than 180 days after each submission of a joint report on domestic terrorism and international terrorism under section 101(a) and for five years thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an audit of each such report. (b) Elements of Review.--In conducting each audit under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall-- (1) use standard methodology and reporting formats in order to identify, demonstrate, and display any changes over time, including relating to the number of investigations, indictments, prosecutions, convictions, and full-time staff between report submissions; (2) evaluate adherence to such standard methodology and the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties policies and protections set forth in section 101(b)(1)(A)(iii) and 101(b)(1)(B); (3) evaluate all guidance, policy memos, and related documents utilized to decide to initiate investigations with a domestic terrorism nexus; and (4) include any other subject matter the Comptroller General determines appropriate. (c) Access to Relevant Data.--The Attorney General, the Director, and the Secretary shall ensure that the Comptroller General of the United States has access to all data necessary to conduct each audit under subsection (a), consistent with section 716(a) of title 31, United States Code. TITLE II--HOMELAND SECURITY RESEARCH ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM SEC. 201. RESEARCH ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. (a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on international terrorism with a nexus, including an ideological or other relationship, with a current trend in domestic terrorism in the United States. Each such report shall take into consideration acts that resulted in indictment, prosecution, or conviction, and any patterns among such terrorist acts. (b) Contents.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) Information on international terrorism with ideological, financial, logistical, or other connections to domestic terrorism. (2) Information on trends in the use of online platforms for such terrorism. (3) Strategies that foreign governments have undertaken to counter such terrorism. (4) The potential benefits and risks of implementing such strategies in the United States, including any potential harm to local communities, privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and safety. (c) Form.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified format but may contain a classified annex only if the Secretary determines such is necessary. Each such unclassified report shall be posted on the public website of the Department of Homeland Security. TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2026 to carry out this Act, of which $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each of such fiscal years for the completion of the joint reports on domestic terrorism and international terrorism under section 101, and $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each of such fiscal years to carry out section 201. SEC. 302. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. (a) PII.--No report or database created pursuant to this Act may contain the personally identifiable information of any person except persons indicted or convicted of a crime with a domestic terrorism or international terrorism nexus. (b) Discourse.--No report or database created pursuant to this Act may contain the name or other identifiable information of any organization engaged in lawful political or public discourse in the United States protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. (c) Protection.--Nothing in this Act abrogates, diminishes, or weakens the provisions of any Federal or State law that prevents or protects against the unauthorized collection or release of personal records or personally identifiable information. (d) Domestic Terrorism Related Information.--Nothing in this Act may be construed as authorizing the submission of the joint report required under section 101 of this Act in a form that does not include information required with respect to domestic terrorism. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi. General Leave Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi? There was no objection. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act. El Paso. Poway. Pittsburgh. Charlottesville. Charleston. Oak Creek. In the last 7 years, these great American cities have found themselves involuntarily linked by the horror of domestic terrorism. {time} 1500 Just last year, in 2018, there were 50 extremist killings in the United States. Every single one had links to rightwing extremism, mostly white supremacist extremism. Between 2009 and 2018, there were 427 deaths linked to extremism in America. Nearly three-fourths of those were linked to domestic rightwing extremists, as compared to the less than one-fourth linked to Islamist extremists. The Committee on Homeland Security has tackled the challenge of understanding and preventing domestic terrorism head-on. In May of this year, the committee held its first-ever hearing on domestic terrorism while we took testimony from the FBI, DHS, and the Justice Department on white supremacist and other domestic terrorism movements. Since then, the committee has broadened its oversight of domestic terrorism by not only weaving it into our traditional work with respect to foreign terrorist groups but also by focusing on how social media platforms are exploited to recruit, plan, and carry out terrorist attacks. All along, the committee has given special attention to the challenges associated with keeping places of worship and other public spaces secure in a current terrorism climate by, among other things, holding roundtables in Jackson, Mississippi, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here to present H.R. 3106, a bill that was approved by the committee on a bipartisan basis to improve the Federal response to domestic terrorism. Today, Americans have a sense that domestic terrorism threats are significant but have not been presented with the full-threat picture. There is some information available to the public, but it is limited. Americans have learned, for example, there were more arrests tied to domestic terrorism than to international terrorism in 2017 and 2018. In May, the FBI revealed that it had around 850 active domestic terrorism investigations across the country. As of July, according to the FBI, the number of domestic terrorism arrests in 2019 is on par with the number of international terrorism arrests. [[Page H8029]] In the absence of complete and reliable information from the Federal Government, groups like the Anti-Defamation League have done this Nation a great service by collecting and publishing data on the threat of extremist violence in the United States. My bill would require the FBI, the Justice Department, and the Department of Homeland Security to publish an annual report on terrorism. Enactment of this legislation would help Americans understand, over time, the nature of the terrorism threat and how it is evolving. Importantly, the legislation also requires Federal agencies to share information on how the government is keeping us safe. We need to know how many staff are on the job and how many terrorism-related investigations, indictments, prosecutions, and convictions there have been. The bill has been endorsed by the Anti-Defamation League, the Arab American Institute, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Muslim Advocates, the NAACP, the National Action Network, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record endorsement letters from the following organizations: the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, the Arab American Institute, the Jewish Federations of North America; the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. July 12, 2019. Dear Representative: We are writing to urge you to support H.R. 3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act, or the Domestic Terrorism DATA Act, which we have endorsed. The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is a leading anti-hate organization and has been working to secure justice and fair treatment to all since its founding in 1913. As part of our mandate, we have been compiling and analyzing comprehensive domestic terrorism data for years. We use this data to investigate the threat of extremist groups and domestic terrorism, work with law enforcement to help keep our communities safe from those threats, and inform debates about how to shape policy. ADL has long found that data collection is essential to effectively counter hate and extremism in all forms. Without transparency, collective efforts, and comprehensive data collection, advocacy and solutions are not possible. Our data show that threats against Jews, Muslims, and other minorities in the United States are at disturbingly high levels, and a key reason for that is the resurgence of white supremacist ideologies. ADL's latest report on extremist- related murders, Murder and Extremism in the United States in 2018, found that 78% of the 50 murders committed by extremists in 2018 were tied specifically to white supremacy. The ten-year overview tells a similar story: Of the 313 people killed by right-wing extremists between 2009 to 2018, 76% were killed by white supremacists, making white supremacists the deadliest extremist movement in the United States over the past decade. The proliferation of hate and the dangerous ideology of white supremacy puts our communities at risk. From Charlottesville to Pittsburgh to Poway, American communities are under attack. In a time of crisis such as this, one might expect a complete overhaul of the priorities, policies, and resources that the U.S. government brings to bear to counter and prevent this ideology from claiming its next victims. Instead, Americans have been met with an abdication of that duty, while the government, in fact, has reduced resources to counter domestic terrorism, leaving our communities more vulnerable to the next inevitable tragedy. The Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act focuses on increasing the coordination, accountability, and transparency of the federal government in collecting and recording data on domestic terrorism. H.R. 3106 would Require FBI, DOJ, and DHS to produce an annual, unclassified joint report that provides the following: data on domestic terrorist incidents; assessments, investigations, indictments, prosecutions, and convictions with a domestic terrorism nexus; the number of full-time staff working on domestic terrorism employed by DOJ and DHS, as well as a new requirement for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit the annual joint reports. Data drives policy; we cannot address what we are not measuring. Collecting accurate and transparent data on domestic terrorism is an essential way to ensure this threat to American democracy receives the attention it deserves. That is why we urge you to support the Domestic Terrorism DATA Act. Sincerely, Erika Moritsugu, Vice President, Government Relations, Advocacy and Community Engagement. ____ NAACP June 27, 2019. Hon. Bennie Thompson, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Re: NAACP Strong Support for H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act'' Dear Congressman Thompson: On behalf of the NAACP, our nation's oldest, largest and most widely-recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization, I would like to thank you for your leadership and courage in introducing H.R. 3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America (the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA'') Act. Upon enactment, your bill would foster crucial transparency and facilitate informed policymaking on domestic terrorism. Today, federal efforts to address domestic terrorism are largely outside of public view. Furthermore, genuine threats to the American people are misunderstood, or driven by limited information. Yet according to the Washington Post, right-wing domestic terrorism is on the rise, and currently presents a more dangerous threat to our nation and her people than terrorism that has international origins. There is a need for centralized, reliable, publically accessible information on domestic terrorism to inform effective counter-terrorism policymaking. By requiring an annual, unclassified joint report produced by the FBI and US Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Justice that provides, among other things, an assessment of domestic threats, H.R. 3106 will help to advance Congressional and public understanding of trends in domestic terrorism. It is through this informed understanding of the extent to which these genuine threats to our well-being as a nation that we will be able to effectively address this challenge. H.R. 3106 will not only help us measure this threat, but also manage the programmatic solutions. Thank you again for your visionary leadership in introducing H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA'' Act. The NAACP is pleased to endorse this crucial legislation and we will work with you and other, like-minded Members of Congress to pass it into law. Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at my office. Sincerely, Hilary O. Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau & Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy. ____ Arab American Institute, July 17, 2019. Hon. Bennie Thompson, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: We write in support of the Domestic and International Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act (H.R. 3106). Your bill would provide Congress and the general public with more information about federal counterterrorism activities related to acts that meet the definitions of domestic terrorism and interntional terrorism codified in federal criminal law. In addition to promoting increased transparency, accountability, and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act would also promote a better understanding of the nature and extent of acts that meet the definitions of domestic terrorism and international terrorism. Members of Congress and the general public lack sufficient understanding of how the federal government utilizes existing authorities and resources to investigate and prosecute acts that meet either definition of terrorism. As demonstrated in recent congressional hearings, there is a general desire among lawmakers for more information about the federal government's approach to counterterrorism, particularly when it comes to white supremacist violence. Many communities, including Arab Americans, are concerned about the increased threat of white supremacist violence. However, many of these same communities are also concerned about the impact of federal counterterrorism policies on civil rights and civil liberties. The Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act is responsive to both concerns, as the data collection and reporting required of the federal government would produce statistics on different threats facing communities, including that of white supremacist violence, while also creating opportunities for transparency, accountability, and oversight of federal counterterrorism activities. This legislation comes at a time when many are questioning the adequacy of the federal government's response to the threat of white supremacist violence, and whether additional authorities or resources are needed. Research from AAI and other organization indicates that while the federal government's response to white supremacist violence is inadequate, the problem is one of priorities and not a lack of tools. The federal government already has the requisite authorities and resources to effectively respond to threats of white supremacist violence. Critically, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act does not provide additional tools, but simply requires the federal [[Page H8030]] government to demonstrate how it is using its existing authorities and resources to effectively report and respond to white supremacist violence. In addition to providing critical information about the federal government's approach to acts that fall within the definition of domestic terrorism, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act will provide information about federal efforts under the ``international terrorism'' label as well. Congress and the general public will benefit from increased oversight of the federal approach to counterterrorism activities, regardless of whether those activities are initiated under the heading of ``domestic terrorism'' or ``international terrorism.'' Your staff may follow up with our Policy Counsel. Respectfully, Maya Berry, Executive Director. ____ The Jewish Federations of North America, June 6, 2019. Hon. Bennie Thompson, Chairman, House Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: On behalf of The Jewish Federations, I want to convey our support for the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act.'' Over the past three months, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) have issued no less than 6 Joint Intelligence Bulletins (JIBs) on threats to synagogues, churches, and mosques, cultural community centers, and other establishments or individuals associated with various faiths. According to these JIBs, the FBI has investigated more than 100 threats to religious institutions over the past year, and the FBI, DHS, and NCTC assess ``domestic actors will continue to pose a lethal threat to faith-based communities in the Homeland and remain concerned about the difficulty of detecting US-based threat actors and HVEs, especially lone offenders, and the individualized nature of radicalization to violence.'' The JIBs highlight a number of incidents, including: The Chabad of Poway attack in San Diego, CA, April 2019; The Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, PA, October 2018--the most deadly attack on the US Jewish community ever recorded; The killing of two African- American patrons at a Kruger's grocery store after failing to gain entrance to the predominantly African-American First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown, KY, October 2018; The surveillance of the physical security measures by alleged agents of the Government of Iran at the Chabad House (synagogue), August 2018; and The Bombing attack at the Dar AI-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, MN August 2017, among others. Together, the FBI, DHS, and NCTC warn that the county must remain vigilant in light of the enduring threat to faith- based communities posed by domestic extremists, homegrown violent extremists, and international terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the threat to Jewish communal security emanates from across the entire ideological spectrum. For these reasons, The Jewish Federations of North America endorses the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act,'' as an important measure to assist policy makers, federal, state, and local counterterrorism and law enforcement officials, and private sector security partners to better and more effectively deter, prevent, preempt, and respond to hate crime incidents and domestic and international terrorist threats in the United States. JFNA looks forward to working with you and your staff to build bipartisan support for the bill. Sincerely, Robert B. Goldberg, Senior Director, Legislative Affairs. ____ The Jewish Federations of North America, July 12, 2019. Hon. Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Mike Rogers, Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Rogers: The Jewish Federations of North America endorses H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act.'' The markup of H.R. 3106 coincides with the United States Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center's release of its second annual report on mass attacks in public spaces The Secret Service studied 27 incidents where a total of 91 people were killed and 107 more injured in public spaces in 2018. Among the incidents: the fatal attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. In introducing the report, Secret Service Director James M. Murray wrote that each new tragedy, including the attack on a synagogue in Poway, CA, ``serves as a reminder that we must continue to research and provide robust training and awareness to help prevent these tragic outcomes.'' The report's findings underscore that research and information sharing, communitywide, are essential to preventing attacks directed at houses of worship, workplaces, schools, and other public spaces, and concludes that threat assessment, supported by leadership, collaboration, and information sharing, are required to facilitate effective prevention. In this context, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act,'' is an important and timely measure to assist policy makers, federal, state, and local counterterrorism and law enforcement officials, and private sector partners, such as The Jewish Federations, to better and more effectively deter, prevent, preempt, and respond to Domestic Terrorism. Through the DATA Act, communitywide stakeholders will gain a better understanding of the domestic terrorism threat landscape and how best to allocate resources. For these reasons, we urge bipartisan support for H.R. 3106, and respectfully urge the Committee to favorably report the bill by voice vote and without objection. Sincerely, Robert B. Goldberg, Senior Director, Legislative Affairs. ____ Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, June 19, 2019. Hon. Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: On behalf of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers' Committee), I write to express our support for The Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America (Domestic Terrorism DATA) Act. Diverse communities across the country are targeted for hate crimes and acts of mass violence. As the Lawyers' Committee works to confront hate targeting communities, we are faced with challenges from the federal government, including the underreporting of hate crimes, and little publicly available data on crimes that meet the definition of domestic terrorism. The Lawyers' Committee supports efforts to improve data collection around hate crimes and domestic terrorism investigations. During a time when communities have experienced an increase in white supremacist violence, and a time when the Federal Bureau of Investigation created the ``Black Identity Extremist'' designation, it is imperative that our policies are data driven, and that communities, advocates, and lawmakers have access to data on domestic terrorism investigations. The Domestic Terrorism DATA Act would assist in fostering transparency and would facilitate informed policy making. As Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the National Lawyers' Committee testified at a House Judiciary Committee Hearing on April 9th, we encourage the use of existing laws to investigate and prosecute acts of hate violence to the full extent of law, and to oppose efforts to create new legislation that risk the further criminalization of communities of color. Chairman Thompson, your important efforts to improve data collection around white supremacist violence is a necessary step to address the crisis of violence targeting impacted communities. The Domestic Terrorism DATA Act does so in a manner that would improve data collection without risking the further criminalization of communities of color, many of whom have been targeted by counterterrorism policies in the past. We applaud your leadership and look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Nadia N. Aziz, Interim Co-Director and Policy Counsel, Stop Hate Project. ____ Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, June 10, 2019. Chairman Bennie Thompson, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: I write to extend the Southern Poverty Law Center's full support for the chairman's recently introduced H.R. 3106, the Domestic Terrorism Documentation and Analysis of Threats in America Act (also known as the Domestic Terrorism DATA Act). We believe the bill's goals of fostering transparency surrounding domestic terrorism data and increasing research on the issue are of paramount importance. In testimony on June 4, 2019, before the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, my colleague Lecia Brooks included specific support for this legislative effort in her remarks. We fully agree with your comment that, ``There's an urgent need for robust, centralized, and transparent Federal data to inform counterterrorism policymaking--and Americans deserve to know exactly how their government is allocating resources to understanding and confronting the scourge of domestic terrorism. At this critical time, Congress needs to lead on the issue of domestic terrorism and direct Federal agencies to prioritize efforts to counter these homeland security threats.'' We believe this proposed legislation is an important step toward countering the growing problem of white supremacist terrorism in the United States and abroad. We thank [[Page H8031]] the chairman for taking this legislative initiative and offer our assistance in this effort if it can be helpful in any way. Cordially, Heidi Beirich, Ph.D., Director, Intelligence Project, Southern Poverty Law Center. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, put simply, H.R. 3106 is a commonsense bill that will improve transparency into a growing homeland security threat. Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this critical legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, September 19, 2019. Hon. Bennie Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thompson: This is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the resolution for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on H.R. 2106, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar provisions that may arise in conference. Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, September 18, 2019. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 3106, the ``Domestic Terrorism DATA Act.'' The Committee on Homeland Security recognizes that the Committee on the Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 3106, and I appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on the House floor. I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does not in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House--Senate conference involving this legislation. I will include our letters on H.R. 3106 in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working with you on this legislation and other matters of great importance to this nation. Sincerely, Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman. Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act, introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson). I almost got up, Mr. Speaker, when you said, ``the gentleman from Mississippi,'' because I happen to be in a small town just a few miles away from where the chairman lives. H.R. 3106, as amended, passed with bipartisan support during the Committee on Homeland Security markup in July. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) for developing the amendment in the nature of a substitute, which passed unanimously, and broadened the scope of the bill to cover all forms of terrorism. A central lesson from the September 11, 2001, terror attacks is that government cannot have a siloed approach to homeland security threats. The importance of a broad ideological focus was stressed again during a Committee on Homeland Security hearing on global terror threats held on September 10, 2019. There is bipartisan agreement on the need for more reliable public reporting on both domestic and international terror threats to the homeland. The report mandated in the legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice to produce an annual report for 6 years on a number of investigative aspects of domestic and international terrorism. Access to reliable data will help policymakers and the public assess trends, emerging threats, and available resources. The threat from international terrorism also remains high. Hundreds of U.S. citizens were radicalized by ISIS and sought to travel to the battlefield to carry out attacks in the homeland. Mr. Speaker, 18 years after the horrific 9/11 terror attacks, both al-Qaida and ISIS remain intent on targeting the United States. We were also recently reminded by the direct threat posed by Iran when a Hezbollah operative was arrested last week in New Jersey for allegedly plotting attacks against the United States. The broad range of ideologically based hatred and societal obsession with violence has left scars across the country. Obtaining a comprehensive threat picture and reliable data is essential for developing legislation and determining what additional resources may be necessary. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) for his willingness to work with us to ensure that the reporting requirements in the bill track all forms of terrorism. I strongly recommend that my colleagues support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa). Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International DATA Act. I am proud to join the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the chairman, my colleague and friend, in support of this most important legislation. This bill improves our understanding of the Federal Government's response to the threat of domestic terrorism at a time that extremist- related attacks in the United States are on the rise. In May 2017, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a joint intelligence bulletin that predicted that the number of white supremacist movement attacks were likely to continue to present a lethal threat in the future. Tragically, that prediction has proven to be true. After the horrific acts of domestic terrorism committed in Charlottesville and the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, I urged my congressional colleagues to take action to counter hate crimes and domestic terrorism. Chairman Thompson's H.R. 3106 helps increase transparency and research on domestic terrorism. By requiring the Homeland Security and Justice Departments to publish an annual public report on terrorism, this bill will provide information that will help policymakers develop and execute evidence-based counterterrorism strategies. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 3106. Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my support for the bill. I ask my colleagues to support it, and I thank, again, the chairman and the ranking member for great collaboration that made this an excellent bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act was approved unanimously by the Committee on Homeland Security. This show of unity demonstrates that there is bipartisan support for ensuring that the American public has data on domestic terrorism and Federal efforts to counter this threat. Congress and the American people need transparency from the government. We need to know about the domestic terrorism threats we face and how the government is allocating resources to confront them. Importantly, in addition to ensuring that such critical data is made available, H.R. 3106 requires DHS to research the transnational aspect of domestic terrorism. Increasingly, there is an awareness that white supremacist extremists rarely act in a vacuum. From the United States to New Zealand to Norway, networks of extremists inspire each other to violence. Further, the committee recently received testimony about the similarities and the recruitment tactics utilized by white supremacist extremists and ISIS. Both groups engaged in tactics that focused on victimization and distrust of political leaders and public institutions and heavily on propaganda that [[Page H8032]] emphasized themes of purity and militancy. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the staff of our committee who worked on this. Sandeep Prasanna, Jenna Hopkins, Charles Carithers, and Nicole Tisdale made a yeoman's effort toward getting us to where we are today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3106 to ensure greater transparency on this pressing and growing issue, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3106, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require a joint domestic and international terrorism report, authorize research within the Department of Homeland Security on current trends in domestic terrorism, and for other purposes.''. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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