House Homeland Security Committee introduces bill to counter violent extremism

In a unanimous bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security has passed H.R. 2899 -- which is called the “Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Act of 2015” -- a bill that was introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul, who said he believes the U.S. faces mounting threats of violent extremism and that the government is doing too little to counter.

“Whether it is the long reach of international terrorists into our communities or the homegrown hate spread by domestic extremist groups, we are ill-equipped to prevent Americans from being recruited by dangerous fanatics,” McCaul said.

H.R. 2899 is intended to make countering violent extremism a key priority for the Department of Homeland Security. The bill streamlines the Department’s CVE efforts adding an Assistant Secretary who reports directly to the Secretary.

The bill also provides $10 million each year from existing funds to ramp up DHS efforts to prevent U.S. citizens from being radicalized and recruited by terrorist organizations. It was amended to include a counter-messaging grant program intended to push back against domestic extremist propaganda.

“Every day we wait, we cede more ground to our adversaries,” McCaul said. “I will not stand on the sidelines — asking for more reports and studies — while terrorists plot inside our communities, while people are murdered in their places of worship and while violent extremists seek to divide our nation.”