House Passes Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act

    Photo: Getty Images [via The Guardian]

    The Facts

    • The House passed legislation Wed. to bolster federal resources to prevent domestic terrorism in response to last weekend's racially-motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, NY; the bill will next go to the Senate.

    • The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, which passed on a nearly party-line vote, 222-203, would create domestic terrorism offices across three federal agencies: the Dept. of Justice, the Dept. of Homeland Security, and the FBI.


    The Spin

    Democratic narrative

    Republicans continue to be obstructionists against even the least-ambitious Democrat-proposed bills. This bill is a necessary measure to fight white supremacist terrorist attacks that are becoming all too common in the US. The GOP continues to harbor members who either tacitly - or even openly - support these terrorists. Hopefully, stronger legislation can be passed in the future to combat this crisis.

    Republican narrative

    This is a superfluous and dangerous bill. It imperils US national security because it would narrow the scope of what defines terrorism and divert resources away from tackling foreign threats. Besides, federal and state law-enforcement agencies already have all the authority they need; there's no reason to overhaul existing terrorism laws.


    Political split

    LEFT

    RIGHT

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