U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) on May 2 introduced bipartisan legislation that would authorize $75 million in federal Homeland Security Grant Program funds to protect America’s faith-based community centers and houses of worship.
“No American should ever live in fear of worshipping and practicing their faith,” Sen. McSally said last week referring to recent mass shootings that killed worshippers at the Poway Synagogue in California and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania. “America will not tolerate attacks on our freedom of religion.”
Sen. McSally is the original cosponsor of S. 1308 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) to authorize U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds be provided to state and local law enforcement to have resources for such protections.
If enacted, S. 1308 would provide $75 million in additional funding to DHS under the existing State Homeland Security Grant Program and would double from five years to 10 years the federal penalty against making fake bomb threats.
“This legislation would provide federal resources to houses of worship and faith-based community centers to protect them from hate and violence and make those who target faith-based entities answer to the federal government,” Sen. McSally said.
Additionally, Sen. McSally and a bipartisan group of 31 colleagues sent an April 15 letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security requesting $75 million in fiscal year 2019 funding to safeguard faith-based communities.
“According to the public record, recent incidents targeting synagogues, churches, mosques, and other religious centers and nonprofit organizations include shooting and mass shooting, arson and fire bombing, assault, death threats, hoaxes, vandalism, and property damage,” wrote Sen. McSally and her colleagues. “These incidents illustrate the many credible threats against nonprofit institutions across the country and must be taken seriously.”