WASHINGTON – Religious groups and nonprofit organizations would receive a $1.2 billion increase in funding to pay for security as anti-Jewish and other hate crimes rise, under proposed legislation announced Monday by the leader of the Senate majority, Chuck Schumer.
Schumer told The Post that intolerance is at a “boiling point” after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas murdered more than 1,400 people in southern Israel on October 7, prompting deadly retaliatory attacks by Israel in Gaza.
“The cascade of intolerance has reached a boiling point. That’s why we need a stronger federal response,” the New York Democrat said in an interview. He added that scenes of a demonstration in DC on Saturday demanding a ceasefire between both sides were “very disturbing” as protesters painted the White House gates red and climbed the fence.
“What religious leaders, particularly our Jewish religious leaders, have been clamoring for is more money for the Nonprofit Security Grant. [Program]”He said. “It’s been very successful, but the money has more or less run out.”
Schumer said religious groups and nonprofits would get a $1.2 billion boost for security under the proposed legislation. Stefan 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 purchase security equipment and hire security guards with the money, but they cannot hire staff directly because of the constitutional separation of church and state.
“People applied for $679 million worth of grants, but only $305 million was in the bill,” Schumer said. “So we are trying to increase it dramatically because of the great need that has existed since October 7th.
New York Post front page for Wednesday, October 18, 2023. rfaraino A protester holds an anti-Israel sign with the message “Keep the world clean” as students participated in a pro-Palestinian strike in Washington Square Park. James Keivom
“Less than half of the people who have the right [to the funds] “I got it last time, and now, after October 7, with an increase of more than 300% in anti-Semitic incidents, money is needed more than ever,” he said.
The program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and has a current maximum allocation of $150,000 per year.
Schumer’s plan calls for $1.22 billion in new spending, including $1 billion not tied to a specific fiscal year, $200 million in new FY 2024 funding for the program and an additional $20 million to increase the program administrative staff.
NYPD transit counterterrorism unit patrolling at the Cortland Street WTC station Friday morning. William Farrington Posters of kidnapped Israelis were posted with swastikas and accompanied by peace signs and Jewish stars. Gabriela Bass
“It can be money for cameras or for fences or doors, harder doors, different windows. It can’t be for staff directly, but they can also hire security guard services,” Schumer said.
“Everyone can apply. “Muslims are the second most frequently targeted and they too could apply,” said Schumer, the country’s highest-ranking Jewish official.
Front page of the New York Post for Monday, October 9, 2023.
Jews make up about 2% of the U.S. population but nearly 10% of reported hate crimes according to the FBI’s most recent annual data, which showed 1,124 anti-Jewish crimes reported in 2022, up 36% from the 824 incidents of this type in 2021.
Preliminary data suggests that hate crimes against Jews may have skyrocketed almost 400% since the latest Middle East violence began.
In the 17-day period following the Hamas attack on Israel, anti-Jewish crimes reportedly increased, with 312 from October 7 to 23, 2023, and 190 directly related to the conflict, compared to 64 alleged hate crimes in the same period. period one year. previous year, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn