New York, NY, July 14, 2022 ... Today, ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) welcomed the inclusion of seven key amendments to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act which will help mitigate the threat of extremism in the military and help fight antisemitism and extremism on a broader scale. The United States House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act on July 14 with these crucial provisions.
“We are grateful to Representatives Schneider, Manning, Gottheimer, Aguilar, Rice, Jackson Lee and Sanchez for their leadership in ensuring that the 2023 NDAA helps combat domestic extremism within the military and within all of our communities, fight antisemitism and other forms of bigotry and hatred, and build a more just and inclusive society,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “Right wing extremist violence is among the gravest threats facing this country. From Charleston to Charlottesville to Pittsburgh, to Poway and El Paso, and most recently in Buffalo, we have seen the deadly consequences of white supremacist extremism play out all over this country. I am glad to see that our government’s approach to mitigating this threat has begun to include America’s military, which we know is not immune to the threat of extremism.”
ADL research has shown that extremist groups like the Oath Keepers target military service members and veterans for recruitment. We saw this trend take tangible effect during the January 6th insurrection on the United States Capitol, where 81 of the defendants charged with January 6th-related offenses have had some form of military service, five of whom were active-duty service members while undertaking the attempted coup.
This past December, the Department of Defense released a review of activities to address extremism in the ranks. It was a helpful start, but much more must be done. We hope the Senate will similarly include these crucial amendments and join the House in the fight against the rising tide of domestic terrorism and hate that is impacting all of our communities, including our military service members.
ADL-Supported Amendments to the FY23 NDAA:
- #28, Sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX)
- Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress in not less than 180 days the results of its evaluation as to the extent, if any, of the threat to national security posed by domestic terrorist groups and organizations motivated by a belief system of white supremacy, such as the Proud Boys and Boogaloo.
- #30, Sponsored by Rep. Kathy Manning (NC)
- Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the role of antisemitism in violent extremist movements, and the threat that global antisemitism and violent extremist movements pose to United States Armed Forces and national security.
- #31, Sponsored by Rep. Brad Schneider (IL)
- Directs the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Defense to publish a report that analyzes and sets out strategies to combat White supremacist and neo-Nazi activity in the uniformed services and Federal law enforcement agencies not later than 180 days after enactment and every 6 months thereafter.
- #32, Sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Rice (NY) and Rep. Brad Schneider (IL)
- Requires a report to Congress by the FBI and DHS, in consultation with DNI, on compliance with reporting requirements under the FY20 NDAA related to domestic terrorism and a summary of findings; requires a GAO report on FBI, DHS, and DNI compliance with domestic violent extremism transparency mechanisms required by Federal law.
- #168, Sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ)
- Requires each military service to report on all substantiated administrative investigations or instances of antisemitism within the Equal Opportunity Program.
- #169, Sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ)
- Requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to report to Congress on the use of online social media by U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organizations, and the threat posed to U.S. national security by online radicalization.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.