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Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer this amendment. In the fiscal year 2020 NDAA, I first requested a study from the Department of Defense on how the Department can best screen and prevent extremists from enlisting in our military using existing FBI and DOJ resources.

The resulting report, published in October of 2020, found that white nationalists and domestic extremists target servicemembers as ``prized recruits,'' their words, for their groups, and shared accounts of servicemembers with active ties to these organizations.

The report also included a list of seven recommendations on steps the Department can take to prevent domestic extremists from enlisting in the military.

Under the leadership of Secretary Austin, the Department has taken additional steps to combat extremism in the military. This included a 60-day stand-down and the creation of the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group to better understand the threat and offer six additional recommendations.

My amendment supports the Department's efforts to counter domestic extremism. It simply requests a formal update from the Department on the steps it has taken to complete the recommendations from the October 2020 report, and it directs the Department to complete the recommendations from the December 2021 report within 6 months of enactment of this bill.

This bill does not impose new requirements on the Department but ensures Congressional oversight of tackling the critical issue for our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill does not impose new regulations. These are existing tools that the FBI and the DOD already use.

What this bill seeks to do--this is about protecting the integrity of our Armed Forces and making sure that extremists don't become enlisted individuals.

This is about protecting the service. I appreciate the ranking member's comments, but this is about ensuring accountability. This is about ensuring congressional oversight, ensuring that we protect and prepare the individuals who are entrusted to serve this country.

As a coequal branch, it is important for Congress to remain informed on the Department's actions, and this is not a unique step to conduct this type of oversight.

Mr. Speaker, I would urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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