2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Domestic Terrorism
Prevention Act Of 2022. In May 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the rule (H Res
1124) that would provide for floor consideration of the Domestic
Terrorism Prevention Act (HR 350)." The vote was on the adoption of the
rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 218-202. [House Vote 209,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
350;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1124]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Domestic Terrorism
Prevention Act Of 2022. In May 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order the previous
question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule
(H Res 1124) that would provide for floor consideration of the Domestic
Terrorism Prevention Act (HR 350)." The vote was on a motion to order
the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of
217-201. [House Vote 208,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
350;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1124]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Required
Biannual Reports On Domestic Terrorism Incidents And Attempts Since
April 19, 1995, Including A Certification That Domestic Terrorism
Investigations Complied With Civil Rights And Liberties Laws And
Regulations. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to the
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, which would "make technical
and clarifying changes to the bill. It would also require the first
biannual report required by the bill on domestic terrorism incidents to
include an analysis of incidents and attempts that have occurred since
April 19, 1995, and require each biannual report to include a
certification that domestic terrorism investigations included in the
report comply with applicable civil rights and civil liberties laws and
regulations." The vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House
adopted the rule by a vote of 218-202, thus the manager's amendment was
automatically adopted. [House Vote 209,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
350;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1124]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Required The FBI And
Homeland Security To Report On The Processes Needed To Report On
Domestic Terrorism Threats Regularly And Required The Government
Accountability Office To Review The FBI, DHS And Director Of National
Intelligence For Compliance With Domestic Terrorism Transparency. In
July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for
an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2023, which would "require a report to Congress by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the Homeland Security Department on the processes
needed to regularly report to Congress on domestic terrorism threats
pursuant to Section 5602 of the fiscal 2020 NDAA; and require a
Government Accountability Office review of FBI, DHS, and Director of
National Intelligence compliance with domestic terrorism transparency
mechanisms required by federal law." The vote was on the adoption of an
amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote 220-205. [House
Vote 326, 7/13/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
7/13/22; Congressional
Actions, H.Amdt.
263;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7900]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Establishing A Homeland Security
Office To Monitor And Analyze Domestic Terrorism Activities, A Justice
Department Office To Investigate And Prosecute Domestic Terrorism Acts,
And A Domestic Terrorism Section Within The FBI Counterterrorism
Division. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted against the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022,
which would "authorize the establishment of three new offices focused on
domestic terrorism; a Homeland Security Department office to monitor and
analyze domestic terrorism activity, a Justice Department office to
investigate and prosecute domestic terrorism incidents, and a domestic
terrorism section within the FBI counterterrorism division to
investigate domestic terrorism activity." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 222-203, thus the bill was sent to
the Senate. [House Vote 221,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
350]
The Bill Would Add Requirements To The Investigation And
Coordination Of Federal Responses To Domestic Terrorism Acts That
May Also Be Hate Crimes, Make Training Available To Law Enforcement
Agencies To Counter And Prosecute Domestic Terrorism, And Require
Reporting On The Number Of False Reports Of Domestic Terrorism Or
Hate Crime Incident. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Among
other provisions, it would require various actions to investigate
and coordinate the federal response to domestic terrorism incidents
that may also be hate crimes; require the FBI and Justice and
Homeland Security departments to make training available to law
enforcement agencies related to countering and prosecuting domestic
terrorism; and require reports on the implementation of such
training to include the number of federal incidents involving a
false report of a domestic terrorism or hate crime incident. It
would authorize such sums as necessary to carry out the bill's
provisions." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/18/22]
The Push To Establish Domestic Terrorism Divisions In The FBI And
Departments Of Justice And Homeland Security Came After The Buffalo,
New York Mass Shooting On May 14, 2022, Which Was Allegedly
Race-Motivated. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The House
plans to vote today on a bill (HR 350) to establish domestic
terrorism units in the departments of Homeland Security and Justice,
as well as the FBI. The push follows Saturday's mass shooting in a
predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, N.Y., that left 10
people dead. Police said the alleged killer, who is white, had a
racist motive." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/18/22]
Republican Leadership Urged The GOP To Oppose The Bill, Claiming
It Would Establish "Unnecessary And Duplicative Domestic Terrorism
Offices." According to The Hill, "Republican leaders had
recommended that their members vote against the legislation. In a
memo to House GOP offices, Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said
the bill 'would create unnecessary and duplicative domestic
terrorism offices' in departments throughout the government, among
other qualms." [The Hill,
5/18/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment That Directed The FBI And
The Departments Of Defense And Homeland Security To Report On Strategies
To Combat White Supremacy And Neo-Nazism In Uniformed Services And
Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. In July 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment to the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which would
"direct the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security
Department, and Defense Department to publish a report that analyzes and
sets out strategies to combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi activity in
the uniformed services and federal law enforcement agencies not later
than 180 days after enactment and every 6 months thereafter." The vote
was on the adoption of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by
a vote 218-208. [House Vote 325,
7/13/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/13/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
262;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7900]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Requiring The FBI And Departments Of
Justice, Defense And Homeland Security To Establish An Interagency Force
To Analyze And Combat White Supremacies And Neo-Nazis In Law Enforcement
And Uniformed Services. In May 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the Domestic Terrorism Prevention
Act of 2022, which would "also require the FBI and the Justice, Defense
and Homeland Security departments to establish an interagency task force
to analyze and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi 'infiltration' of
law enforcement agencies and the uniformed services." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 222-203, thus the bill
was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 221,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
350]