Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) delivered the following opening statement, as prepared, during a Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security hearing on "The Rise in Violence Against Minority Institutions:"

"Domestic terrorism is at its highest level since the FBI began tracking it in 1994.  Ten years ago, a domestic terrorist killed seven Sikh Americans in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.  Five years ago, militia members bombed a mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota.  Last summer, a gunman killed six people of Asian descent at spas in Atlanta.  Last month, a gunman took five Jewish Americans hostage in their Texas synagogue.  Just days ago, seventeen of America’s prized historically black colleges and universities were locked down by bomb threats.

"Now, when we take stock of these horrific crimes, and when we consider the impact of this violence on the survivors, it can be tempting to give way to despair.  At base, domestic terrorism isolates us—not just by inflicting violence on our communities, but also by defining individuals who are members of those communities as 'other.'

"Domestic terrorists want to force us into that frame—a narrative of 'us' and 'them.'

"That narrative has cost us so much in recent years.  But recent events have also taught us a great deal.  Among other lessons: when it comes to fighting back against this sort of violence, we are all in the fight together.

"Three of our witnesses today are leaders in the communities I just mentioned, and I am grateful that they are here to share their experiences.  By testifying today, you help to ensure that this Committee and the American people understand the unseen impact of domestic terrorism—of hatred—on our families and communities.  And all of our panelists can speak to the strength of communities that have stood up to this violence, as well as to the millions of Americans affected by domestic terrorism and hate who are not represented here.

"As we examine the particular problem of violence directed at minority institutions, we would be wrong to assume that these incidents can be considered in a vacuum.  Similarly, when studying these incidents, we should not be taken by the simplistic view that a crime was committed, that a culprit was caught, and that all is well.  That is not how hate crime works.  Domestic terrorism has a corrosive impact, not just on the survivors or the local community affected, but on minority communities across the country. 

"Anyone who has experienced hate understands that acts of terror or hate-based violence are never limited to just one community, or just one group of people.  Those who have experienced such hate know it is only a matter of time until the perpetrators move on to another target—and the next target could be your family, your house of worship, or your neighborhood.

"Domestic terrorism invades our safe spaces and makes us feel like strangers in our own country.  For communities that have been treated unfairly by law enforcement or the government, the security measures designed to keep people safe can cause even more anxiety, and a greater feeling of unease or otherness.

"Too many communities in recent years have felt the pain and fear of hate-fueled violence.  For many, it has deepened existing wounds that have developed over centuries of bigotry and hate directed at them.  For example, Jewish Americans have experienced the generational trauma that is the legacy of thousands of years of anti-Semitism.  Every anti-Semitic act feels part of an ongoing story.  And many other minority communities have a similar story to tell.

"Domestic terrorism is planned and carried out by groups and individuals who recruit by sowing distrust in our public institutions, spreading lies to divide Americans, and casting blame on minority groups.

"They target the spaces we should feel safest—our houses of worship, our community pillars, and our places of learning.  Though ideology and motivation differ from person to person and group to group, in 2020, white supremacists, extremist militia members, and other violent far-right extremists were responsible for 66 percent of all domestic terror plots—and none of us should be shy about taking the fight to the worst perpetrators of these crimes.

"The threats facing minority institutions are varied and the solutions are complex.  We must begin by understanding the challenges we face and by examining a range of proposals for how best to respond.  Last year, I was proud to join Congressman Brad Schneider in introducing H.R. 350, the 'Domestic Terror Prevention Act of 2021.'  This legislation would require DOJ, DHS, and the FBI to create offices that would monitor, investigate, and prosecute cases of domestic terrorism—focusing their resources on the most pressing threats—and I hope that this bill can be part of the solution. 

"I thank the Chair for holding this very important hearing and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses."