Terrorism
This week, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), and Chris Murphy (D-CN) introduced two bills to increase protections against guns nationwide following another series of mass shootings in California.
Respectively, the bills proposed were the Assault Weapons Ban and the Age... Read More »
Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) turned to the public for information on those responsible for a series of threats against and attacks on reproductive health service facilities nationwide – and it put up $25,000 in rewards for that information.
In all, 10 incidents were... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) is touting the $360 million reauthorization of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which bolsters religious institution security initiatives.
Peters supported a National Defense Authorization Act provision... Read More »
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced last week that ZeroEyes, a company with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based gun detection video analytics platform, will run a pilot program designed to reduce violence on train platforms.
Currently, ZeroEyes’ automated... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, this week released the results of an investigation into the rise of domestic terrorism and federal actions against it – and alleged that it has come up short.
Specifically, he pointed to... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently touted the initial Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grantee symposium, uniting over 200 representatives from 73 grantees and partner organizations.
The effort involved sharing practices; increasing awareness of DHS... Read More »
New York state officials are detailing an allocation of $96 million to aid nonprofit organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks in bolstering safety and security measures.
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently detailed the opening of applications for $50 million earmarked for organizations facing the... Read More »
As announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) this week, the United States Department of Homeland Security awarded $500,000 in federal funds for support, threat assessment, and management of efforts to combat targeted violence and domestic terrorism in New York.
"New York... Read More »
Although the Internet was, at one time, deemed to be one of the last frontiers, its uses have changed and multiplied exponentially over the years – and now, a collection of 13 members of Congress have written social media companies asking for evidence of response to violent threats and harmful... Read More »
America has faced a surge in hate crimes over recent years, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have been among the threatened, with at least 57 bomb threats made this year alone – and now, the HBCU Caucus in Congress is urging federal action.
In a letter to Department of... Read More »
Responding to an uptick in hate crimes that have plagued the United States for years, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that $5 million would fund security enhancement projects for nonprofits targeted by such crimes in the Commonwealth.
“Hate has no place here in Pennsylvania,”... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allocated 43 grants totaling $20 million to address targeted violence and terrorism prevention.
The Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) seeks to aid in preventing domestic violent extremism... Read More »
U.S. Department of Justice officials are espousing the benefits of a new nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate.
The United Against Hate program is convening local forums connecting community groups to federal, state, and local law enforcement to expand community understanding and... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have introduced the Russia is a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act, which designates the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST).
“Putin has crossed every line of civilized norms during the war in Ukraine and years... Read More »
House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) this week joined Santa Rosa, California, officials in advocating gun violence prevention efforts while also highlighting ghost gun impacts.
Thompson and Santa Rosa Police Chief John Cregan, Santa Rosa Councilmember Natalie... Read More »
Leaders from the House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Homeland Security joined forces in a letter this week to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), pressing for urgent action to close vulnerabilities in the oversight of radiological material purchases.
Spurring the letter was a covert... Read More »
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense announced Tuesday that it had received a $5.2 million grant from Open Philanthropy to strengthen efforts to improve preparation for biological incidents, ranging from pandemics and zoonotic diseases to biological terrorism and warfare.
The private... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently announced funding for their respective states to aid faith-based and other nonprofit organizations in securing their facilities against terrorist attacks and acts of hate.
Portman, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and... Read More »
At the first summit of its kind in 15 years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and various national law enforcement organizations gathered in Alexandria, Va., Aug. 17-18, 2022, to network and improve information sharing on national and public security.
“In the 20 years since 9/11,... Read More »
In the latest letter to United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, a group of Republican Senators pressed for plans to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, claiming that it is beyond U.S. operational control and open for terrorist infiltration.
Despite the fact that no deadly... Read More »
In response to Afghanistan’s return to Taliban rule, U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) introduced legislation last week – the Preventing Terrorist Transfers to Afghanistan Act – that would disallow the release of terrorism-aligned individuals to Afghanistan.
A similar... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has detailed a summary of terrorism threats, as well as responses to threats and resources to aid in bolstering safety.
Per DHS, individuals in online forums routinely promoting domestic violent extremist and conspiracy theory-related content have... Read More »
As Congress once again questions the nature of the gun violence epidemic in the United States following several mass shootings events, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform announced this week that it will hold a hearing on gun violence with testimony from a survivor, police, educators, and... Read More »
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) instructors personnel joined the Homestead (FL) Police Department in providing Active Shooter Threat Training Program (ASTTP) instruction to officers in South Florida.
The exercise sought to equip law enforcement personnel with the knowledge and... Read More »
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced last week that 61 active shooter incidents were reported last year, representing a 52.5 percent increase from 2020 reports.
Those numbers also led to 103 deaths and 140 injuries, not including the shooters. This gave 2021 a dubious distinction... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives put racially motivated extremists, white supremacists, and other purveyors of domestic terrorism on notice last week with its advancement of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (DTPA, H.R. 350).
Proponents have sought to push such a bill since at least 2017,... Read More »
Over the weekend, 11 people were killed and more injured across two separate shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Laguna Woods, Calif., and with them as a backdrop, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) says it is past time for a House vote on the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 350).
“The rise... Read More »
Across a series of grant programs, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it will disperse $1.6 billion this fiscal year in support of state and local officials seeking to plan for, prevent, halt and respond to terrorism and other issues.
Supplementing $405.1... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) recently introduced a resolution advocating the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The resolution outlines how the Russian Federation has and continues to promote acts of international terrorism... Read More »
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... Read More »
The House of Representatives advanced this week the School and Daycare Protection Act (H.R. 6387), introduced by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), to prompt action from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management.
Under H.R. 6387, DHS would create a School Security... Read More »
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association (RIPCA) and Rhode Island law enforcement recently expressed support for U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline's (D-RI) Active Shooter Alert Act (H.R.6538).
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha also supports the measure, which would create a program... Read More »
A new solicitation issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) this week sought modern means of identifying and mitigating threats to so-called soft targets: sports venues, shopping complexes, schools, and more.
As a program, Securing... Read More »
In a move hailed by U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for FY 2022 now includes an increase of funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $250 million.
The funding, representing a 39... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded the Senate's recent passage of a resolution condemning a recent series of bomb threats against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Warner and Kaine indicated the resolution, spearheaded by U.S. Sens. Chris Coons... Read More »
