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Amo Co-Leads Bipartisan Letter of 78 Colleagues to Reverse Funding Pause on Nonprofit Security Grant Program

Letter to Trump advocates for security investments to protect religion institutions

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) co-led a letter urging the Trump administration to lift a pause on drawdowns for federal grant funding through the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), including the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The letter to FEMA Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton, which was led by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), and jointly co-led by Mike Lawler (NY-17), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), and Max Miller (OH-07), was signed by 79 total Members of Congress representing a broad cross-section of districts and political ideologies.

 

“At a time when hate and violence against faith-based communities across this country are at historic levels, the NSGP has provided life-saving funding to protect faith-based communities and institutions,” wrote the lawmakers. “From bollards to prevent vehicular attacks, reinforced doors to keep intruders out, CCTV cameras to monitor threats, and emergency alert systems that allow rapid response, the NSGP has ensured faith-based institutions are equipped with vital tools to prevent loss of life in the case of an attack. It is critical that those institutions that have already been awarded an NSGP grant are allocated the expected funding.”

 

“The Administration has made clear its goal to protect Americans from terrorist threats both foreign and domestic, as well as to respond to the rise in hate crimes,” continued the lawmakers. “Supporting the NSGP is critical to fulfilling that goal. The program has long enjoyed bipartisan support, with lawmakers across the political spectrum recognizing that protecting places of worship and community institutions is not a partisan issue.”

 

Read the full text of the letter HERE

 

“The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a lifeline for vulnerable institutions, and ensuring the swift and efficient disbursement of these funds is essential to safeguarding communities in the face of growing threats,” said Lauren Wolman, Anti-Defamation League (ADL)’s Director of Federal Policy and Strategy. “We thank Representatives Gottheimer and Lawler for leading this bipartisan effort to ensure that as the Administration enhances oversight of FEMA grants, they remain acutely aware of the unprecedented levels of antisemitism and heightened security needs of at-risk communities."

 

The letter called on the Administration to explain its rationale for the pause and to brief Members of Congress before any decisions are made that would impact an organization’s receipt of funding.

 

Congressman Amo co-led the letter which was also signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Don Bacon (NE-02), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Lou Correa (CA-46), Donald Davis (NC-01), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Jennifer Kiggans (VA-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), John Larson (CT-01), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Susie Lee (NV-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-4), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Grace Meng (NY-06), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Norton Holmes (DC-AL), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Scott Peters (CA-50), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), George Whitesides (CA-27), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Frederica Wilson (FL-24).

 

BACKGROUND

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides critical funding to nonprofits at high risk of a terrorist attack, specifically faith-based institutions and houses of worship, to enhance their physical security and provide access to training to protect communities from the growing threat of hate and violence.

 

Congressman Amo has consistently advocated for the essential program, which last year delivered $2.2 million in federal funding to non-profit organizations in Rhode Island, alongside delegation colleagues in order to protect faith-based institutions that have seen an uptick in threats in violence.

 

FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER

Dear Acting Administrator Hamilton,

 

We are writing to express our concern following the Administration’s recent decision to immediately pause the drawdown of funding for federal grant programs supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct an additional review of projects, including the Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSGP). In 2023, there were 2,699 reported hate crimes based on religion, of which sixty three percent were driven by antisemitism — the highest number ever recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since it began collecting data in 1991. At a time when hate and violence against faith-based communities across this country are at historic levels, the NSGP has provided life-saving funding to protect faith-based communities and institutions. From bollards to prevent vehicular attacks, reinforced doors to keep intruders out, CCTV cameras to monitor threats, and emergency alert systems that allow rapid response, the NSGP has ensured faith-based institutions are equipped with vital tools to prevent loss of life in the case of an attack. It is critical that those institutions that have already been awarded an NSGP grant are allocated the expected funding.

 

The NSGP is one of the most effective and critical programs for protecting the Jewish community and all faith-based communities from attack. There are numerous examples available that demonstrate the direct return on investment for communities under threat. For example, in July 2023, when an armed gunman attempted to breach the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, NSGP-funded access control doors prevented the shooter from entering the school. In 2021, when gunfire struck the Jewish Family Service building in Denver, impact-resistant window filming, purchased with NSGP funds, stopped the bullets from penetrating into the facility, protecting those inside.

 

And the attacks continue. On January 30, 2024, a man opened fire at a San Francisco Catholic church. On February 11, 2024, a woman forced her way inside a Texas Christian megachurch and opened fire. On February 17, 2024, police in Broward County, Florida, arrested a man for beating a 69-year-old rabbi who was walking home from synagogue on Shabbat.4 It is no wonder that in FY2023, for the first time in the history of the program, all fifty-five eligible states and territories applied.

 

The Administration has made clear its goal to protect Americans from terrorist threats both foreign and domestic, as well as to respond to the rise in hate crimes. Supporting the NSGP is critical to fulfilling that goal. The program has long enjoyed bipartisan support, with lawmakers across the political spectrum recognizing that protecting places of worship and community institutions is not a partisan issue. Thus, we request your response to the following questions no later than April 1, 2025:

  1. Not all states have put out guidance to NSGP grant applicants and awardees informing organizations that reimbursements have been frozen and are not being processed. Can you confirm that FEMA has disseminated this guidance to all state administrators?
  2. Why was the decision made to conduct a review of all grant allocations? Do you anticipate a change to the applicant review process for the next grant cycle?
  3. Will all awardees who are awaiting reimbursement receive payment? And if not, what is your justification for withholding this funding?

 

In our continued support of the NSGP, we request a briefing for Members of Congress no later than April 1, 2025 before any decisions are made under the review period that could impact allocations. 

 

Thank you for your time and attention.

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