Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016
Floor Speech
I rise in opposition to H.R. 4820, the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016.
It is troubling that some of my colleagues have circulated misinformation about this bill. Let me set the record straight.
The Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly told my committee that H.R. 4820 is unnecessary insofar as the Department can already integrate public testimonials of former terrorists and violent extremists into its efforts to counter violent extremism and terrorism.
In fact, yesterday I spoke with Secretary Johnson, and he reiterated that DHS has the authority it needs to carry out its countering violent extremism efforts and that this bill is unnecessary.
I oppose H.R. 4820 today for the same reason I opposed it when it was considered earlier this month in committee. H.R. 4820 is nothing more than a message bill, a bill that sends the message to DHS to focus its counter-messaging efforts on foreign terrorist groups.
Domestic terror groups, like foreign terrorist organizations, recruit and spread propaganda through social media and online platforms. This bill ignores the fact that domestic terror groups, like foreign terrorist organizations, kill Americans.
Since September 11, terrorists who have espoused their ideology of foreign terrorist organizations have been responsible for killing 45 innocent Americans on U.S. soil. During that same period, members of domestic terrorist organizations have murdered more than 48 Americans.
If you ask law enforcement leaders across this country what keeps them up at night, they will likely say the prospect that there is a sovereign citizen group or militia plotting in their jurisdictions.
Just last month the Atlanta police chief testified before my committee that he is deeply concerned about homegrown extremists and militia activity. His testimony echoes the results of a recent survey in which 74 percent of law enforcement identified anti-government extremism as one of the three terrorist threats in their jurisdictions.
In the last 2 months, we have seen the development of domestic terrorists: an attack on police officers in Georgia by a self-appointed wizard of the Ku Klux Klan; the conviction by a Federal grand jury in Mississippi of two members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi for their participation in various criminal acts, including those of drug production, trafficking, kidnapping, and murder; the indictment of two members of a sovereign citizen group in Columbus, Ohio, for building a bomb that was modeled after the suicide vests that were used in the November Paris attack; a four-count indictment against a member of a Michigan sovereign citizen group for selling women and children into sexual slavery. Such abusive activities are chillingly similar to those of ISIL.
In recognition of these facts, I, together with like-minded committee Democrats, made multiple proposals during and after the markup to fix the bill. We offered an amendment to define ``violent extremist'' to encompass not only those engaged in ideologically motivated international terrorism, but also in domestic terrorism.
It was rejected. We offered an amendment to insert ``domestic terrorist organization.'' It was also rejected. Even after the markup, we made three more proposals to fix the bill. Each was rejected.
By refusing to include any mention of domestic terrorist organizations, H.R. 4820 represents a significant departure from the holistic, comprehensive approach that has been espoused by the Obama administration to counter ideologically based violence.
Since 2011, with the publication of the ``Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Extremism in the United States'' strategy by the White House, Federal efforts to prevent such terrorism have been guided by the recognition that violent extremists are inspired by a range of religious, political, or other ideological beliefs.
The passage of H.R. 4820 would send the wrong message. As such, I urge a ``no'' vote.
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am prepared to close.
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, in recent years, from Boston to Charleston, we have seen individuals operating within our communities and living among us plot to cause mass harm in the name of a violent extremist and hateful ideology. Today much has been made of the fact that the FBI has open investigations of ISIL-inspired activity in all 50 States. Far less attention has been given to the number of open investigations of anti- government and militia groups, a number that grew by one-third in 2015 alone.
We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the threats posed by any terrorist group or organization, as the bill before us today would do. Therefore, it is imperative that DHS use testimonials from violent extremists involved in all forms of violent extremism. Public testimonials can be a powerful tool to reach individuals who otherwise might be susceptible to terrorist propaganda.
Given the diversity in the threat landscape that we face, it just makes sense that any such effort should be comprehensive. Unfortunately, the bill's sponsors have decided that this bill should turn away from the comprehensive approach.
Mr. Speaker, again, let me indicate that the only real issue before us is the domestic aspect of terrorism. Domestic terrorist organizations have demonstrated time and time again, they have killed more Americans here on our soil than foreign terrorists have. The reason we are in opposition is we don't recognize that in this legislation. Our effort in markup, as well as here on the floor, is to make sure that all of the bad people get recognized, those international and foreign, but also those who are domestic.
Some of us have lived in parts of the country where domestic terrorism was a way of life for a lot of us, and because of that, we are very passionate on that subject. The Charleston situation was very unfortunate. That was an act of domestic terrorism. There is no question about it.
So why wouldn't we want to add those kind of extremist activities in this legislation so we can cover everyone?
That is really the opposition that we have had. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing H.R. 4820.
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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