WASHINGTON – Religious groups and nonprofits would get a $1.2 billion boost in funding to pay for security as anti-Semitism and other hate crimes rise, according to proposed legislation announced Monday by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Schumer told The Post that bigotry was at a “boiling point” after the Palestinian terror group Hamas killed more than 1,400 people in southern Israel on October 7, prompting a deadly Israeli counterattack on Gaza.
“The cascade of intolerance has reached a boiling point. So we need a stronger federal response,” the New York Democrat said in an interview. He added that scenes from Saturday’s DC rally demanding a cease-fire between the two sides were “very disturbing” as protesters painted the White House door red and scaled fences.
“What the religious leaders are demanding, especially our Jewish religious leaders, is more money for the Non-Profit Security Grant. [Program],” he said. “It was very successful, but the money was about to run out.”
Schumer said that religious groups and nonprofits would get a $1.2 billion boost for security, under the proposed legislation. Stephen Jeremiah
Congress approved $305 billion for the program in the most recent fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The program, created in 2017, allows institutions to buy security equipment and hire contracted security guards with the money, but they cannot hire staff directly because of the constitutional separation of church and state.
“There’s $679 million in grants that people are asking for, but only $305 million in the bill,” Schumer said. “So we are trying to increase it dramatically because of the great need since October 7.
New York Post front page for Wednesday, October 18, 2023. rfaraino A protester holds an anti-Israel poster with the message “Keep The World Clean” as students engage in a pro-Palestinian walkout in Washington Square Park. James Keivom
“Less than half of the people are entitled [to the funds] got it last time, and now after Oct. 7, with an over 300% increase in antisemitic incidents, money is needed more than ever,” he said.
The program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and has a current maximum award of $150,000 per year.
Schumer’s plan calls for $1.22 billion in new spending, including $1 billion that is not tied to a specific fiscal year, $200 million in new fiscal 2024 funding for the program and an additional $20 million to increase the program’s administrative staff.
The NYPD’s Transit Anti-Terrorism Unit was on patrol at the WTC Cortland Street station Friday morning. William Farrington Posters of kidnapped Israelis topped with swastikas and accompanied by peace signs and Jewish stars. Gabriella Bass
“It could be money for cameras or with fences or doors, harder doors, different windows. It can’t be for direct staff, but they can hire security guards as well,” Schumer said.
“Everyone can apply. Muslims are the second most frequent target, and they can also apply,” said Schumer, who is the nation’s top Jewish official.
New York Post front page for Monday, October 9, 2023.
Jews make up about 2% of the US population but nearly 10% of hate crimes reported in the latest annual FBI data, which shows 1,124 reported anti-Jewish crimes in 2022, up 36% from 824 such incidents in 2021.
Preliminary data suggests hate crimes targeting Jews may have risen nearly 400% since the latest Middle East violence began.
In the 17 days following the Hamas attack on Israel, anti-Jewish crimes reportedly increased, with 312 from October 7 to 23, 2023, and 190 directly linked to the conflict — up from 64 alleged hate crimes in the same period. the previous year, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
