After a prolonged and intense exchange of differences between Republicans and Democrats over a bill requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to include testimonials of former terrorists in its counterterrorism messaging strategy, a House committee on Wednesday approved seven bills including ones dealing with aviation and border security.
The contested two-page Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4820) calls for DHS to include “public testimonials of former or estranged violent extremists or their associates, including friends and family” into its “efforts to combat terrorist recruitment and communications.” The measure, which is sponsored by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), who is not a member of the committee, passed on a 16-5 vote, with Democrats Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Jim Langevin (R.I.), Brian Higgins (N.Y.), Filemon Vela (Texas), Kathleen Rice (N.Y.) and Norma Torres (Calif.) siding with the Republican majority.
Democrats, led by Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (Miss.), charged that the vote on the bill was premature, arguing that no hearings have been held on it with DHS officials charged countering violent extremism and that a clause in the bill targeting the testimonials toward the messaging of foreign terrorist organizations ignores concerns with various domestic extremist groups such as white supremacists.
Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) countered that he understood DHS was supporting the bill, that hearings dating back six months have been held on the countering violent extremism issue, that the measure arose in part from a bipartisan committee task force and that Democrats had been asked for input on the bill earlier in the month and declined until they put forth a spate of amendments on Wednesday.
The committee rejected on a 12-8 vote an amendment by Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) that would have included added a long list of domestic extremist organizations to the bill and rejected by voice vote seven amendments offered en bloc by Thompson.
Beginning Thursday the House is on a two week recess for Easter, but McCaul said he would consider additions and modifications to the bill proposed by Democrats before it is considered on the chamber floor.
The committee also approved by voice vote the Southwest Border Security Threat Assessment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4482), offered by Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), calling for DHS to assess threats posed by terrorists and criminals seeking to enter the United States illegally, gaps in law and policy coordination at the state, local, tribal and international levels and improvements needed along the border to prevent terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the country. The bill also requires the Border Patrol to issues a Border Patrol Strategic Plan every five years to include a range of things such as technology needed at ports of entry to enhance security and facilitate trade, staffing requirement to fulfill border security functions, and coordination on unity of effort initiatives with other DHS border security components.
The committee also approved en bloc five other bills dealing with aviation security and other matters including: The Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security Act of 2016 (H.R. 4698) was sponsored by Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) and requires airport security assessments and a security coordination enhancement plan; the Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act of 2016 (H.R. 4549) requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct security screening at certain airports and was introduced by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.).
The Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act (H.R. 4780) offered by Thompson requires the department to develop a strategy for its operations abroad; the DHS Stop Asset and Vehicle Asset Act (H.R. 4785) introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) requires DHS to better manage its vehicle fleet; and the State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act (H.R. 4509) offered by Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.) clarifies membership of state committees for Homeland Security Grant Programs.