Congresswoman Bush Statement on Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act Floor Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the below statement following the floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on H.R. 350, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act:
“White supremacist violence is not an aberration – it is embedded in American institutions. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has become the party of unfettered white supremacist violence. We must be swift in condemning it. But in order to truly eradicate it, we must call out white supremacy in all its forms. That’s why I worked closely with my House colleagues to add necessary guardrails and pass the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act.
“I was proud to lead my colleagues in a successful effort to strengthen protections in this bill for protesters, narrow the domestic terrorism definition, and enhance the scope of Congressional oversight to ensure that civil rights and civil liberties continue to be protected. As an activist, I know first hand the ways in which law enforcement agencies have targeted, surveilled and prosecuted marginalized communities. As a Congresswoman, I led efforts seeking accountability for the surveillance and targeting of Black protesters demanding justice for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. I am grateful especially to Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Nadler for working with my colleagues and I on these critical improvements, as well as to the incredible support of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus as we worked to deliver a better bill.
“I know that the hard work of addressing the lethal threat of white supremacy in our society does not end with passage of this legislation. I will continue to work alongside my colleagues in Congress and in close coordination with civil rights organizations to advance critical legislation aimed at dismantling white supremacy and ensuring accountability for hate-fueled violence.”
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Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress.