Senator Carper Highlights Grant Program to Counter Violent Extremism in Local Communities

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, highlighted the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announcement of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program, which will provide $10 million in available funds devoted to providing local communities with resources to counter violent extremism here at home. This is the first federal assistance program devoted exclusively to CVE efforts.

Earlier today, Senator Carper attended a hearing held by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations titled, “ISIS Online: Countering Terrorist Radicalization & Recruitment on the Internet & Social Media,” which highlighted the continued work of the Department of Homeland Security to counter violent extremism here at home. In February, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved legislation introduced by Senator Carper to create the Office of Partnerships Against Violent Extremism within DHS to work with community and faith leaders and families to help them understand and counter the hateful propaganda of ISIS.

“As the most recent tragedy in Orlando reminds us, the greatest threat to our homeland does not come from overseas, but from within—from homegrown extremism and self-radicalization. Efforts to counter the abhorrent and twisted message of ISIS and other extremist groups requires all of us, federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, state and local law enforcement, and community and faith leaders to work together. The announcement of this grant program provides one more tool the Department of Homeland Security can use to counter the hateful propaganda of ISIS and combat efforts of terrorist groups to radicalize and recruit young Americans in our communities, including on social media. Most important, this grant program will empower communities, local leaders, and faith groups to develop their own individualized solutions for tackling their communities’ challenges with extremist violence.  I am proud of the continued work by our committee to provide DHS the tools and resources it needs to counter these efforts and urge the full Senate to approve my legislation to authorize the Office of Partnerships Against Violent Extremism to further bolster their efforts to reach out and engage with the most vulnerable among us.”

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