U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) is commending the Judiciary Committee for advancing the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (DTPA) after markup, noting the measure secures resources needed to tackle radicalism.
“Domestic extremism has been on the rise across the United States for years, yet the response from law enforcement has not kept pace,” Schneider said. “We need to ensure those tasked with protecting our communities have the resources necessary to preemptively identify and thwart extremist violence wherever the threat appears, including from racially / ethnically motivated violent extremists and white supremacist groups.”
Under the legislation, domestic terrorism offices within the U.S. Department of Justice Department (DOJ), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would be required to biannually report on the state of domestic terrorism threats.
“The House Judiciary Committee took a meaningful step towards addressing the rising menace of domestic terrorism and hate-fueled violence,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) said. “The recent rise in domestic violent extremism has been alarming, and this legislation will help focus the federal government’s resources on the threats that continue to terrorize and kill Americans.”
Additionally, the measure stipulates the DOJ, DHS, and the FBI would focus resources on the most significant threats, determined by the number of domestic terrorism-related incidents outlined in the joint report.