Grassley Addresses Our Domestic Terrorism Strategy

Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa

Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee

Addresses Our Domestic Terrorism Strategy

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

 

Today, I would like to speak to a major issue facing our nation. That issue is domestic terrorism, and the threats that it brings to our cities and communities across the country.

 

On June 15th of this year, the National Security Council issued a national strategy for countering domestic terrorism. Although the strategic objectives were very similar to the National Security Council strategy under the Trump administration, I was very concerned to see that the policy took a partisan tone.

 

For example, aside from the commonsense measures to combat crime, such as promoting cooperation between law enforcement agencies, there was an emphasis on promoting gun control and critical race theory in schools. The Biden administration seems to make these recommendations at every turn.

 

What the report was missing, I found shocking.

 

The report was lacking any strategy to combat anarchist extremism. Specifically, there was no mention of the 500 domestic terrorism investigations that were opened throughout the 2020 riots. Those 500 cases amount to about 25 percent of the FBI’s current domestic terrorism investigations.

 

How could the cause of 25 percent of the current FBI caseload not be mentioned?

 

It’s a grave mistake to make an issue like domestic terrorism partisan, even in the slightest. Judging by the report, I’m afraid that’s exactly what the Administration is doing.

 

It is of critical importance to keep in mind the great bipartisan work that can and should be done to address domestic terrorism of all types, rightwing and leftwing, including anarchist extremism.

 

We have to work together on diving deeper into serious, apolitical solutions to this issue. The American people deserve it.