```

[House Report 114-525]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

114th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {      114-525

======================================================================

 
              COMBATING TERRORIST RECRUITMENT ACT OF 2016

                                _______
                                

 April 26, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. McCaul, from the Committee on Homeland Security, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 4820]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 4820) to require the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to use the testimonials of former or estranged violent 
extremists or their associates in order to counter terrorist 
recruitment, and for other purposes, having considered the 
same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend 
that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
      Purpose and Summary.............................................2
      Background and Need for Legislation.............................2
      Hearings........................................................3
      Committee Consideration.........................................4
      Committee Votes.................................................5
      Committee Oversight Findings....................................6
      New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditure6
      Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................7
      Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives...........7
      Duplicative Federal Programs....................................8
      Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
      Benefits........................................................8
      Federal Mandates Statement......................................8
      Preemption Clarification........................................8
      Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................8
      Advisory Committee Statement....................................8
      Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................8
      Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation..................8
      Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported...........9
      Dissenting View................................................10

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 
2016''.

SEC. 2. DIRECTIVE.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
incorporate, to the extent practicable, into Department of Homeland 
Security efforts to combat terrorist recruitment and communications the 
public testimonials of former or estranged violent extremists or their 
associates, including friends and family. Such efforts may include the 
following:
          (1) Counter-messaging of foreign terrorist organization 
        communications and narratives.
          (2) Related community engagement and public education 
        efforts.
  (b) Coordination.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, where 
appropriate, coordinate the actions described in subsection (a) with 
the heads of other Federal departments and agencies and, as 
appropriate, to the extent practicable, engage nongovernmental and 
international partners in the identification and use of testimonials 
described in such subsection.

                          Purpose and Summary

    The purpose of H.R. 4820 is to require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to use the testimonials of former or 
estranged violent extremists or their associates in order to 
counter terrorist recruitment, and for other purposes.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    In September 2015, the final report of the Committee on 
Homeland Security's Task Force on Combating Terrorist and 
Foreign Fighter Travel was released. It included 32 findings 
and more than 50 recommendations for enhancing U.S. security. 
Among other conclusions, the Task Force found that ``unlike 
many countries, the U.S. government has made little use of 
disaffected extremists to dissuade others from traveling to 
fight in terrorist sanctuaries.''
    The Task Force highlighted the need to counter-message 
extremist propaganda because terrorists are radicalizing 
Americans at unprecedented speed and ``crowd-sourcing'' 
attacks. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), for 
instance, has been tied to more than 80 terrorist plots and 
attacks against the West, according to House Homeland Security 
Committee analysis, one-third targeting America. At present, 
FBI director James Comey has said publicly indicated there are 
nearly 1,000 homegrown terror investigations in all 50 states, 
mostly ISIS-related, and more than 250 Americans have traveled 
or attempted to travel to fight with jihadists in Syria and 
Iraq. This terror surge is tied to the group's ability to 
recruit remotely-online and across borders. Most of these 
individuals were radicalized partly through online terrorist 
propaganda.
    The Task Force indicated that the United States should use 
testimonials from former extremists to keep others from joining 
the fight. ISIS is recruiting Americans with promises of 
paradise and opportunity, but defectors have revealed that the 
group's territory is, in reality, a repressive and violent 
prison state. These are the kind of messages that need to be 
amplified to counter terrorist propaganda. As President Obama 
noted in February 2015 at his Countering Violent Extremism 
Summit, we ``need to lift up the voices of those who know the 
hypocrisy of groups like ISIL firsthand, including former 
extremists.'' Moreover, the nonpartisan Homeland Security 
Advisory Council made a similar recommendation in a Spring 2015 
report published online, urging the Department of Homeland 
Security ``to craft and disseminate counter-narrative efforts'' 
based on the testimonials of former extremists.
    The Task Force found many foreign countries have engaged 
disaffected extremists and returnees from terrorist 
battlefields to tell their stories and convince others not to 
travel to terrorist safe havens. These individuals are likely 
viewed by potential extremists as more credible voices than 
governments. Therefore, they stand a better chance of 
dissuading likely or future extremists from coming under the 
influence of groups like ISIS. Moreover, the U.S. State 
Department has already worked to promote the testimonials of 
former extremists abroad.
    However, the panel was disappointed to find such efforts 
are not happening here in the U.S. homeland. Key U.S. 
departments and agencies had done little to leverage the 
stories of American returnees or family members of those who 
have fled to the conflict zone. Accordingly, the Task Force 
recommended that the U.S. government ``should launch a 
concerted effort to use the testimonials of disaffected 
`former' foreign fighters, extremists, and their friends and 
relatives'' to counter the message of terrorist groups. The 
panel also urged that the Administration should help facilitate 
and distribute these stories through nongovernmental channels 
where possible and empower non-traditional partners to do the 
same.
    This bill gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the 
flexibility needed to combat the wide array of terrorist groups 
that threaten the United States at home and abroad. The bill 
provides guidance on the types of activities that might fulfill 
the requirement, such as ``counter-messaging foreign terrorist 
organization[s],'' but it does not limit the Department's 
ability to counter-message other dangerous terrorist groups 
that threaten the United States, including domestically.

                                Hearings

    The Committee did not hold any hearings on H.R. 4820, 
however, the Committee held the following oversight hearings:
    On February 11, 2015, the Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Countering Violent Islamist Extremism: The Urgent Threat of 
Foreign Fighters and Homegrown Terror.'' The Committee received 
testimony from Hon. Francis X. Taylor, Under Secretary, 
Intelligence and Analysis, U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security; Hon. Nicholas J. Rasmussen, Director, National 
Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence; and Mr. Michael B. Steinbach, Assistant Director, 
Counterterrorism Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
U.S. Department of Justice.
    On March 24, 2015, the Committee held a hearing entitled 
``A Global Battleground: The Fight Against Islamist Extremism 
at Home and Abroad.'' The Committee received testimony from 
Hon. Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the U.S. House of 
Representatives; General Michael Hayden (USAF-Ret.), Former 
Director, Central Intelligence Agency and Former Director, 
National Security Agency; Mr. Philip Mudd, Senior Fellow, New 
America Foundation; and Mr. Brian Michael Jenkins, Senior 
Adviser to the RAND President, The RAND Corporation.
    On June 3, 2015, the Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Terrorism Gone Viral: The Attack in Garland, Texas and 
Beyond.'' The Committee received testimony from Mr. John J. 
Mulligan, Deputy DirectorNational Counterterrorism Center; Hon. 
Francis X. Taylor, Under Secretary, Intelligence and Analysis, 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and Mr. Michael B. 
Steinbach, Assistant Director, Counterterrorism Division, 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice.
    On July 15, 2015, the Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Rise of Radicalization: Is the U.S. Government Failing to 
Counter International and Domestic Terrorism?'' The Committee 
received testimony from Ms. Farah Pandith, Adjunct Senior 
Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Mr. Seamus Hughes, Deputy 
Director, Program on Extremism, Center for Cyber and Homeland 
Security, George Washington University; and Mr. J. Richard 
Cohen, President, Southern Poverty Law Center.
    On September 8, 2015, the Committee held a field hearing in 
New York City, New York entitled ``Beyond Bin Laden's Caves and 
Couriers to A New Generation of Terrorists: Confronting the 
Challenges in a Post 9/11 World.'' The Committee received 
testimony from Hon. Rudolph ``Rudy'' W. Giuliani, Former Mayor, 
City of New York, New York; Mr. William J. Bratton, 
Commissioner, Police Department, City of New York, New York; 
Mr. Daniel A. Nigro, Commissioner, Fire Department, City of New 
York, New York; Mr. Lee A. Ielpi, President, September 11th 
Families Association; and Mr. Gregory A. Thomas, National 
President, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement 
Executives.
    On October 21, 2015, the Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Worldwide Threats and Homeland Security Challenges.'' The 
Committee received testimony from Hon. Jeh C. Johnson, 
Secretary, Department of Homeland Security; Hon. Nicholas J. 
Rasmussen, Director, The National Counterterrorism Center, 
Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and Hon. James 
B. Comey, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. 
Department of Justice.
    On November 18, 2015, the Committee on Homeland Security 
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a joint hearing 
entitled ``The Rise of Radicalism: Growing Terrorist 
Sanctuaries and the Threat to the U.S. Homeland.'' The 
Committees received testimony from Hon. Matthew G. Olsen, Co-
Founder and President, Business Development and Strategy, 
IronNet Cybersecurity; Gen. John M. Keane (Ret. U.S. Army), 
Chairman of the Board, Institute for the Study of War; and Mr. 
Peter Bergen, Vice President, Director International Security 
and Fellows Programs, New America.

                        Committee Consideration

    The Committee met on March 23, 2016, to consider H.R. 4820, 
and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with a 
favorable recommendation, as amended, by voice vote. The 
Committee took the following actions:
    The following amendments were offered:
 An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute offered by Mr. 
Katko (#1); was AGREED TO, without amendment by a recorded vote 
of 16 yeas and 5 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 19).

 An amendment by Mr. Richmond of Louisiana to the Amendment in 
the Nature of a Substitute (#1A); was NOT AGREED TO by a 
recorded vote of 8 yeas and 12 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 18).

 An en bloc amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a 
Substitute offered by Mr. Thompson of Mississippi (#1B); was 
NOT AGREED TO by voice vote.
     Consisting of the following amendments:
     In section 2(a)(1), insert ``and domestic terrorist organization'' 
before ``communications''.

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Director of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.''

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Classified Report on Sources of Testimonials.''

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Background Investigation.''

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Oversight.''

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Report on Former or Estranged Violent Extremists.''

     In section 2, add at the end a new subsection entitled ``(c) 
Definitions.''

     At the end of the bill, add a new section entitled ``Sec. 3. GAO 
Report.''

                            Committee Votes

    Clause 3(b) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded 
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto.
    The Committee on Homeland Security considered H.R. 4820 on 
March 23, 2016, and took the following votes:

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
 
ROLL CALL NO. 18
 
H.R. 4820
 
 

On agreeing to the amendment #1A offered by Mr. Richmond of Louisiana.
Not agreed to: 8 yeas and 12 nays.
 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Representative                  Yea    Nay               Representative              Yea    Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. McCaul,        Chair.....................            X   Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ranking      X
                                                              Member.
Mr. Smith of Texas...........................                Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California....
Mr. King of New York.........................                Ms. Jackson Lee......................     X
Mr. Rogers of Alabama........................            X   Mr. Langevin.........................
Mrs. Miller of Michigan......................                Mr. Higgins..........................     X
Mr. Duncan of South Carolina.................                Mr. Richmond.........................     X
Mr. Marino...................................                Mr. Keating..........................
Mr. Barletta.................................                Mr. Payne............................     X
Mr. Perry....................................            X   Mr. Vela.............................     X
Mr. Clawson of Florida.......................            X   Mrs. Watson Coleman..................     X
Mr. Katko....................................            X   Miss Rice............................            X
Mr. Hurd of Texas............................            X   Mrs. Torres..........................     X
Mr. Carter of Georgia........................            X
Mr. Walker...................................
Mr. Loudermilk...............................            X
Ms. McSally..................................            X
Mr. Ratcliffe................................            X
Mr. Donovan..................................            X
                                                                                                   -------------
                                                             Vote Total:                               8     12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
 
ROLL CALL NO. 19
 
H.R. 4820
 
 

On agreeing to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute #1 offered by Mr. Katko, without amendment.
Agreed to: 16 yeas and 5 nays.
 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Representative                  Yea    Nay               Representative              Yea    Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. McCaul,        Chair.....................     X          Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ranking             X
                                                              Member.
Mr. Smith of Texas...........................                Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California....            X
Mr. King of New York.........................                Ms. Jackson Lee......................     X
Mr. Rogers of Alabama........................                Mr. Langevin.........................     X
Mrs. Miller of Michigan......................                Mr. Higgins..........................     X
Mr. Duncan of South Carolina.................                Mr. Richmond.........................            X
Mr. Marino...................................                Mr. Keating..........................
Mr. Barletta.................................                Mr. Payne............................            X
Mr. Perry....................................     X          Mr. Vela.............................     X
Mr. Clawson of Florida.......................     X          Mrs. Watson Coleman..................            X
Mr. Katko....................................     X          Miss Rice............................     X
Mr. Hurd of Texas............................     X          Mrs. Torres..........................     X
Mr. Carter of Georgia........................     X
Mr. Walker...................................
Mr. Loudermilk...............................     X
Ms. McSally..................................     X
Mr. Ratcliffe................................     X
Mr. Donovan..................................     X
                                                                                                   -------------
                                                             Vote Total:                              16      5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee has held oversight 
hearings and made findings that are reflected in this report.

   New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of Rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 
4820, the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016, would 
result in no new or increased budget authority, entitlement 
authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.

                  Congressional Budget Office Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, a cost estimate provided by the 
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman 
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, H.R. 4820 contains the following 
general performance goals and objectives, including outcome 
related goals and objectives authorized.
    The goal of H.R. 4820 is to require the Department of 
Homeland Security to use the narratives of disaffected 
extremists to push back against terrorist propaganda, such as 
that produced by groups like ISIS. The bill requires the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, to the extent practicable, to 
incorporate the public testimonials of former or estranged 
violent extremists into DHS efforts to combat terrorist 
recruitment and communications. The Secretary may also use the 
testimonials of friends or family, who may be tied to former 
extremists, to fulfill this requirement. By codifying this 
activity, the Committee aims to bring DHS in line with emerging 
best-practices used by other government agencies, international 
partners, and nongovernmental organizations to use credible 
voices to keep terrorists from recruiting additional followers 
and operatives, particularly from within the United States.
    This legislation gives the Secretary maximum flexibility to 
determine how such testimonials are obtained and disseminated, 
but emphasizes that they must be ``public,'' which could 
include pre-existing counter-narratives in news stories, 
interviews, nongovernmental productions, or other openly 
available sources. As there is already extensive material on 
this subject in the public domain, the bill does not require 
DHS to create a dedicated program to collect new narratives and 
instead directs that they be incorporated into existing DHS 
efforts. For instance, many individuals who have joined groups 
like ISIS have publicly repudiated the organization, 
contradicted its false narratives, and urged others not to make 
the mistake of enlisting with it. These are the types of 
messages the Committee hopes DHS will help amplify as part of 
its ongoing efforts to combat terrorist recruitment and 
communications. The bill also does not require DHS to 
disseminate the narratives under its own seal, as the 
Department may not be viewed as a credible messenger in some 
communities. Accordingly, the legislation urges the Secretary, 
to the extent practicable, to engage nongovernmental and 
international partners in the identification and use of these 
messages.

                      Duplicative Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c) of Rule XIII, the Committee finds 
that H.R. 4820 does not contain any provision that establishes 
or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative of another 
Federal program.

   Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
                                Benefits

    In compliance with Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the Rule 
XXI.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman 
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.

                        Preemption Clarification

    In compliance with section 423 of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, requiring the report of any Committee on a bill or 
joint resolution to include a statement on the extent to which 
the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State, 
local, or Tribal law, the Committee finds that H.R. 4820 does 
not preempt any State, local, or Tribal law.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee estimates that H.R. 4820 would require no 
directed rule makings.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation

Section 1.   Short Title.

    This section provides that this bill may be cited as the 
``Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act of 2016''.

Sec. 2.   Directive.

            Subsection (a)--In General.
    This subsection requires the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, to the extent practicable, to incorporate public 
testimonials from former or estranged violent extremists, or 
their friends or family, into DHS efforts to combat terrorist 
recruitment and communications.
            Subsection (b)--Coordination.
    This subsection requires the Secretary, where appropriate, 
to coordinate these efforts with the heads of other relevant 
Federal departments and agencies and, to the extent 
practicable, engage nongovernmental and international partners 
in identifying and using such testimonials.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    As reported, H.R. 4820 makes no changes to existing law.

                            Dissenting Views

    When H.R. 4820 was considered, at the Full Committee 
markup, those of us who opposed the measure did so for the 
following reason.
    While we do not take issue with the bill requiring the 
Department of Homeland Security to incorporate ``public 
testimonials of former or estranged violent extremists or their 
associates'' into the Department's efforts to combat terrorist 
recruitment and communications, we do strenuously object to the 
fact that the bill, as approved by the Full Committee, focuses 
on only counter-messaging ``foreign terrorist organization,'' 
thereby excluding counter-messaging domestic terrorist 
organizations.
    Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, domestic 
terrorists have killed 48 people within the United States and 
individuals inspired by foreign terrorist organizations have 
killed 45 people within the United States.\1\ According to a 
recent study by the Police Executive Research Forum and the 
Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security found that 
state and local law enforcement personnel are almost twice as 
worried about right-wing and anti-government terrorism as they 
are about the threat from al-Qaeda types.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\http://securitydata.newamerica.net/extrernists/deadly-
attacics.html (last visited April 21, 2016). Domestic Terrorist 
Attacks--2015 Colorado Planned Parenthood Shooting (3 Persons killed), 
2015 Charleston Church Shooting (9 Persons killed), 2014 Las Vegas 
Police Ambush (3 Persons killed), 2014 Kansas Jewish Center Shooting (3 
Persons killed), 2014 Blooming Grove Police Shooting (1 Person killed), 
2012 Tri-State Killing Spree (4 Persons killed), 2012 St. John's Parish 
Police Ambush (2 Persons killed), 2012 Sikh Temple Shooting (6 Persons 
killed), 2011 FEAR Militia (3 Persons killed), 2010 Carlisle, PA Murder 
(1 Person killed), 2010 Austin, TX Plane Attack (1 Person killed), 2009 
Pittsburgh Police Shootings (3 Persons killed), 2009 Holocaust Museum 
Shooting (1 Person killed), 2009 George Tiller Assassination (1 Person 
killed), 2009 Flores Murders, Pima County, AZ (2 Persons killed), 2009 
Brockton, MA Murders (2 Persons killed), 2008 Knoxville, TN Church 
Shooting (2 Persons killed), 2004 Tulsa OK, Bank Robbery (1 Person 
killed). Foreign Terrorist-Inspired Attacks--2015 San Bernardino 
Shooting (14 Persons killed), 2015 Chattanooga, TN Military Shooting (5 
Persons killed), 2014 Washington and New Jersey Killing Spree (4 
Persons killed), 2014 Oklahoma Beheading (1 Person killed), 2013 Boston 
Marathon Bombing (4 Persons killed), 2009 Little Rock Shooting (1 
Person killed), 2009 Fort Hood Shooting (13 Persons killed), 2006 
Seattle Jewish Federation Shooting (1 Person killed), 2002 Los Angeles 
Airport Shooting (2 Persons killed).
    \2\Kurtzman, Charles and David Schanzer, ``Law Enforcement 
Assessment of the Violent Extremist Threat,'' June 25, 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In recognition of the fact that, like foreign terrorist 
organizations, domestic terror groups recruit and spread 
propaganda through social media and online chat rooms, I, 
together with like-minded Committee Democrats, made multiple 
proposals--during and after the markup--to remedy this matter. 
Each proposal was rejected.
    Specifically, at the markup, Representative Cedric Richmond 
offered an amendment to define the term ``violent extremist'' 
as an individual engaged in ideologically motivated 
international terrorism or domestic terrorism, as such terms 
are defined in section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, 
and that may include individuals ideologically motivated by 
white supremacy extremism, militia extremism, anarchist 
extremism, sovereign citizens extremism, eco-terrorist and 
animal rights extremism, including the views espoused by 175 
domestic and international terrorist organizations.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\(1) Advanced White Society; (2) Alternative Right; (3) American 
Freedom Party; (4) American Nationalist Association; (5) American 
Nationalist Union; (6) American Nazi Party; (7) American Renaissance/
New Century Foundation; (8) American Vikings; (9) Aryan Nations Knights 
of the Ku Klux Klan; (10) Aryan Nations; (11) Aryan Wear; (12) Barnes 
Review/Foundation for Economic Liberty, Inc.; (13) Battalion 14; (14) 
Bob's Underground Graduate Seminar (BUGS); (15) carolynyeager.nek (16) 
Center for the Advancement of Occidental Culture (CAOC); (17) Christian 
Defense League; (18) Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (19) 
Confederate Patriot Voters United; (20) Confederate White Knights of 
the Ku Klux Klan; (21) Conservative Citizens Foundation, Inc.; (22) 
Council for Social and Economic Studies; (23) Council of Conservative 
Citizens; (24) Counter-Currents Publishing; (25) Creativity Movement; 
(26) Crusader Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (27) Delaware Advanced White 
Society; (28) Dixie Rangers Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (29) East 
Coast Knights Of The True Invisible Empire; (30) European American 
Action Coalition; (31) European American Front; (32) Faith and 
Heritage; (33) Family Home Northwest; (34) Fitzgerald Griffin 
Foundation; (35) Fort Christmas Knights Ku Klux Klan; (36) Fraternal 
White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (37) Free America Rally; (38) Free 
American; (39) Free Edgar Steele; (40) Gallows Tree Wotansvolk 
Alliance; (41) H.L. Mencken Club; (42) Heathens Motorcycle Club; (43) 
Heritage and Destiny; (44) International Keystone Knights of the Ku 
Klan Klan Inc.; (45) Invisible Knights of the Fiery Cross; (46) Kinist 
Institute; (47) Knight Riders Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (48) Knights 
of the Ku Klux Klan; (49) Knights Party Veterans League; (50) Ku Klos 
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (51) Ku Klux Klan; (52) Lone Wolf Brigade 
Knights--Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (53) Loyal White Knights of the 
Ku Klux Klan; (54) Malevolent Freedom; (55) Maryland National Socialist 
Party; (56) Middle American News; (57) Mississippi White Knights of the 
Ku Klux Klan; (58) Mystic Knights Of The Ku Klux Klan; (59) National 
Alliance; (60) National Association for the Advancement of America; 
(61) National Policy Institute; (62) National Socialist Freedom 
Movement; (63) National Socialist German Workers Party; (64) National 
Socialist Movement; (65) National Youth Front; (66) Nationalist 
Coalition; (67) Nationalist Movement; (68) New Century Productions--A 
Conversation About Race; (69) New Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; 
(70) New Order; (71) North Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux 
Klan; (72) Northwest Front; (73) NS Publications; (74) Occidental 
Dissent; (75) Occidental Quarterly/Charles Martel Society; (76) Order 
Of The Confederate Brotherhood Knights Of The Ku Klux Klan; (77) 
Pacifica Forum; (78) Patriotic Flags; (79) Pioneer Fund; (80) Pioneer 
Little Europe; (81) Protestant White Nationalist Party of Kentucky/
Uncreated Light; (82) Racial Nationalist Party of America; (83) Radix 
Journal; (84) Red October; (85) Revolutionary Order of the Aryan 
Republic; (86) Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club; (87) Scott-Townsend 
Publishers; (88) Soldiers Of the Cross Training Institute; (89) South 
Africa Project; (90) Southern European Aryans League Army; (91) 
Stormfront; (92) The Creativity Alliance; (93) The Daily Stormer; (94) 
The Forsaken Motorcycle Club; (95) The Political Cesspool; (96) The 
White Voice; (97) Third Reich Books; (98) Traditionalist American 
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (99) Traditionalist Youth Network (Indiana 
University); (100) United Klans of America; (101) United Northern and 
Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; (102) United White Knights of the 
Ku Klux Klan; (103) VDARE Foundation; (104) Voice of Reason Broadcast 
Network; (105) Washington Summit Publishers; (106) Whitakeronline; 
(107) White Advocacy Movement; (108) White Aryan Resistance; (109) 
White Boy Society; (110) White Camelia Knights of the Ku Klux Klan; 
(111) White Man's March; (112) White Rabbit Radio; (113) White Student 
Union of Tarrant County; (114) World View Foundations; (115) WTM 
Enterprises; (116) Abu Nidal Organization (ANO); (117) Abu Sayyaf Group 
(ASG); (118) Aum Shinrikyo (AUM); (119) Basque Fatherland and Liberty 
(ETA); (120) Gama'a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group) (IG); (121) HAMAS; 
(122) Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM); (123) Hizballah; (124) Kahane Chai 
(Kach); (125) Kurdistan Workers Party (PICK) (Kongra-Gel); (126) 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE); (127) National Liberation Army 
(ELN); (128) Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); (129) Palestinian 
Islamic Jihad (PIJ); (130) Popular Front for the Liberation of 
Palestine (PFLF); (131) PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC); (132) 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); (133) Revolutionary 
People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C); (134) Shining Path (SL); 
(135) al-Qa'ida (AQ); (136) Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); (137) 
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA); (138) Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM); (139) 
Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); (140) Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AAMB); (141) 
Asbat al-Ansar (AAA); (142) al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); 
(143) Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army (CPP/NPA); 
(144) Jemaah Islamiya (JI); (145) LashIcar i Jhangvi (LJ); (146) Ansar 
al-Islam (AAI); (147) Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); (148) 
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly al-Qa'ida in Iraq); 
(149) Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); (150) Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/
Bangladesh (HUJI-B); (151) al-Shabaab; (152) Revolutionary Struggle 
(RS); (153) Kata'ib Hizballah (I(H); (154) al-Qa'ida in the Arabian 
Peninsula (AQAP); (155) Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); (156) Tehrik-
e Taliban Pakistan (TTP); (157) Jundallah; (158) Army of Islam (AOI); 
(159) Indian Mujahedeen (IM); (160) Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT); (161) 
Abdallah Azzam Brigades (AAB); (162) Haqqani Network (HQN); (163) Ansar 
al-Dine (AAD); (164) Boko Haram; (165) Ansaru; (166) al-Mulathamun 
Battalion; (167) Ansar al-Shari'a in Benghazi; (168) Ansar al-Shari'a 
in Darnah; (169) Ansar al-Shari'a in Tunisia; (170) ISIL Sinai Province 
(formally Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis); (171) al-Nusrah Front; (172) Mujahidin 
Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (MSC); (173) Jaysh Rijal al-
Tariq al Naqshabandi (JRTN); (174) ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K); and (175) 
Any other foreign or domestic terrorist organization.
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    The Richmond amendment was rejected.
    Subsequently, I offered an amendment that would have 
inserted ``domestic terrorist organization'' into the measure 
to bring it in line with DHS's approach to countering violent 
extremism, which is governed by the ``Empowering Local Partners 
to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States (National CVE 
Strategy),'' which was issued in August 2011. The central tenet 
of the National CVE Strategy is that ``[g]roups and individuals 
inspired by a range of religious, political, or other 
ideological beliefs have promoted and used violence against the 
Homeland.''\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\https://www.dhs.gov/dhss-approach-countering-violent-extremism 
(last viewed 4/21/2016).
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    My amendment, too, was rejected.
    Finally, I would note that, during the markup, there was a 
lengthy discussion with the attorney from the Office of 
Legislative Counsel about how the bill could be broadened if 
the word ``foreign'' was struck from the bill. Since the 
Majority, at the conclusion of the discussion, did not advance 
a proposal to strike the word, it is patently obvious that the 
Majority wants the focus of DHS' efforts to be on the 
propaganda advanced by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 
(ISIL) and other foreign terrorist groups and has little 
interest in DHS integrating public testimonials of former 
domestic militia-member, white supremacists, sovereign 
citizens, and other domestic terrorists into DHS' efforts to 
combat terrorist recruitment and communications. For those of 
us on the Democratic side of the aisle that voted against this 
measure, this represents a major weakness in the bill and a 
major blind-spot regarding the terrorist threats this nation 
faces.
    Importantly, DHS repeatedly communicated to the Committee 
that this legislation is not necessary, as it has the authority 
to integrate testimonials into its efforts, as appropriate. 
Therefore, from a public policy perspective, there is no need 
for this legislation to advance unless, as those Committee 
Democrats who voted against this measure were left to conclude, 
the Majority wishes to direct DHS to focus its attention on 
countering ISIL and engaging the American Muslim community, to 
the exclusion of other serious violent extremist threats.
    Terrorist organizations continue to move rapidly in their 
recruitment of our children, coworkers, and neighbors and we 
must act to counter their efforts. Countering violent extremism 
should be a top priority for this Committee and we have a duty 
to ensure that Federal efforts to counter violent extremism are 
focused on domestic terrorist and foreign terrorist threats.

                                   Bennie G. Thompson.

                                  [all]
```