House Republicans are expected to move legislation in the coming weeks that would force the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize efforts against racial Islamic terrorism, amid complaints that the Obama administration still refuses to acknowledge this threat to the U.S.
“In the wake of the Orlando attack, we must step up our efforts to combat the radicalization and recruitment of citizens by [the Islamic State],” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said of his bill. “The bill introduced today will provide more tools and resources to combat the spread of dangerous radical Islamist ideology and help our law enforcement agencies prevent future attacks on our soil.”
McCarthy’s bill includes elements of several other bills that Republicans have offered. Perhaps most importantly, it includes language from House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, that would require DHS to create an assistant secretary position to fight radical Islamic terrorism in the U.S.
That language is expressly aimed at forcing DHS to recognize this source of terrorist activity, and at forcing DHS leaders to name the threat directly and take action against it.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said the bill would be on the House floor next week.
“While the enemy’s tactics are evolving, the Obama administration’s strategy to defeat radical Islamist extremism is not,” Ryan said. “We have to step up our game. This counterterrorism legislation provides new tools to protect our homeland, including a provision to prevent terrorists from buying guns.”
Republicans have been frustrated for months with the Obama administration, which has sought to avoid using the term “radical Islamic terrorism.”
This week, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson was asked directly if a former DHS worker was correct when he said references to “radical Islam” are being scrubbed from DHS border control documents. Johnson sidestepped the question by saying, “I have no idea.”
The bill also includes language from Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, that would revoke U.S. passports from people who are members of a designated foreign terrorist organization, or who has provided support to those groups.
And, it includes language from Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, that would allow the Attorney General to delay the transfer of guns to people who are suspected terrorists. It would give the government three days to make the case that a gun purchase should be delayed for these people.
That’s the language Republicans have been hoping to pass as a compromise with Democrats, who want tougher gun control measures in place. So far, however, Democrats have insisted on an automatic ban for anyone on a federal terrorism watch list.
