U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of House Homeland Security Committee, met with Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan this week to discuss the threat of domestic terrorism following recent shootings in Gilroy, Calif., El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.
The Aug. 13 meeting took place in Jackson, Miss. at the inaugural meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities.
It’s part of an action plan by Thompson and the committee to address the growing threat of domestic terrorism. Last week, the committee asked Jim Watkins, the owner of the social media website 8chan, to meet with the committee members to discuss what is being done to address the proliferation of extremist content on his platform.
Also, Thompson contacted FBI Director Christopher Wray to demand that the FBI brief Congress monthly basis on the domestic terrorism threat.
The committee members will also conduct site visits and meet with people in the communities where domestic terrorist attacks were carried out to inform future oversight and legislation.
In September, Thompson will convene a hearing with Acting DHS Secretary McAleenan, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Maguire to discuss the issue more broadly. Also, the House is expected to vote on the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act (H.R. 3106). The House already passed H.R. 2476, the Securing American Non-Profit Organizations Against Terrorism Act.