Pascrell Leads 119 Congressmembers Demanding $385 Million to Protect House of Worship from Increased Threats

Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) is leading 119 Democratic and Republican members of Congress calling for $385 million in fresh funding for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The members highlighted the critical need to provide support for federal program to protect religious communities under increased threat. The letter is co-led by Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX-10).

"Unfortunately, today's threat environment provides a compelling public interest in preventing attacks that would disrupt the vital health, human, social, cultural, religious, and other humanitarian services to society. Such threats terrorize the lives and well-being of millions of Americans who operate, utilize, live, and work in their communities. Accordingly, we respectfully urge you to strengthen the NSGP by properly funding the program at $385 million in FY2025," the members write the leaders of the House Appropriations Committee.

In the three months following the October 7, 2023 terror attacks on Israel, the Anti-Defamation League recorded an alarming 3,291 antisemitic incidents across the United States - an average of 34 anti-Jewish acts daily, and a 360% increase in antisemitic incident reports. Nationwide reporting on specific incidents underscores the frequency, complexity, and breadth of the threats our religious communities face.

The NSGP program is a critical component to the nation's response to domestic and international threats targeting the nonprofit sector, but the program is significantly over-subscribed. According to federal data, FEMA reviewed almost 5,200 grant applications but were only able to fund 2,201 - less than half of the submissions. In FY2023, there was a 97% increase in NSGP-State applications. The increase of over 1,700 applications was more than FEMA received in the entire program in FY2020, a reflection of increased threats across the nation.

Rep. Pascrell is a longtime leader in Congress in safeguarding houses of worship. On February 23, 2022, Pascrell joined local community leaders in Passaic, New Jersey to stress the importance of Congress increasing NSGP funding to protect local synagogues and other houses of worship in North Jersey and across America. Also In February 2022, Pascrell led a bipartisan letter signed by 175 of his colleagues demanding a dramatic raise. Weeks later the Congress passed a law to increase funding for NSGP UASI and SHSGP at historic levels. Earlier this year, Pascrell fought for and secured $400 million for NSGP in the foreign aid supplemental package that was signed into law by President Biden on April 24, 2024.

A copy of the Pascrell-led letter is here.