Urge House Members to Sign on to Security Letter —
From: Rabbi Abba Cohen, Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director —
We must continue to urge our government to do all in its power to protect its citizens and institutions against any and all threats of terrorist violence. The Jewish community has a particular stake in this issue as it is no secret that we are a vulnerable and high risk target.
One vitally important step that we have pursued to help safeguard our nation and our community is to urge Congress to increase the allocation for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides funding to acquire security cameras, concrete barriers, reinforced doors and other such security enhancements for non-profit institutions, in selected cities, at high risk of terrorist attack. Shuls, yeshivos and other Jewish community institutions have been among the major beneficiaries of the program over the years.
Toward this end, we are encouraging support for a bi-partisan letter, drafted by Representatives Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Peter King (R-NY), requesting $25 million – the original allocation for the program in 2005 – for NSGP for FY 2016. Given the increasing terrorist threat, the current funding level of $13 million for NSGP is simply not enough to adequately secure American institutions. The letter is currently being circulated in the House of Representatives and we ask you to contact your Representative and urge him/her to support the request and sign on to the letter.
The increase will help provide more security to more institutions in more communities – enhanced protection that our nation urgently needs.
Please urge your Member of Congress to support this request and to sign on Pascrell-King letter. Click here to find contact info for your representatives.
To sign the letter, congressional offices should contact either Dylan Sodaro in Representative Pascrell’s office at [email protected] or Jamie Tricarico in Representative King’s office at [email protected]. Signatures should be in by Thursday, March 19th.