Ohio representative gets security provision included in terrorism bill

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2019, H.R. 4634 on Nov. 18. The vote was 385-22.

An original co-sponsor of H.R. 4634, U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus, successfully had a provision included in the bipartisan bill that would ensure places of worship across the country are financially equipped to respond to security concerns and recover from terrorist attacks.

"We have all watched in horror as more and more houses of worship have become targets for white supremacists, white nationalists, and anti-Semites.," she said in a news frelease. "From Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pa., these attacks have taken the lives and injured countless individuals from a variety of faith communities.

"Beyond the horrific losses of life, there is also an economic toll, as devastated congregations are left to pick up the pieces and rebuild. My amendment will enhance security and improve recovery efforts for places of worship – because the last thing they should worry about is whether they have the insurance backstop to rebuild and continue their important work."

Specifically, Beatty's provision would require the U.S. Department of Treasury to include in its reporting an analysis of the costs and availability of terrorism insurance for places of worship. If enacted, the provision would help lawmakers determine the level of federal funding for grants that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security gives out to nonprofits, under the DHS Nonprofit Security Grant Program, to help offset the costs of target-hardening and other security enhancements.

H.R. 4634 is awaiting consideration by the U.S. Senate and is expected to be voted on in the near future.

The bill introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee.

This article was originally published by Cleveland Jewish News on November 20, 2019.