WASHINGTON, DC: Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) urged Congressional appropriators to provide robust funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps harden nonprofit organizations and protect them from terror attacks, including houses of worship such as synagogues. The House has passed legislation to fund the program during fiscal year 2024 at $315 million, which is $10 million above current levels. However, the Senate counterpart to that legislation cuts the program substantially. 

“Given the recent terror attacks initiated by Hamas against Israel, which include the rape, beheading, and kidnapping of civilians and captured military personnel, the security environment for Jewish people has significantly deteriorated,” the Congresswoman’s letter reads. “Amidst these attacks, Hamas leaders have called for a ‘global jihad’ to begin this Friday, October 13th, seeking to send a ‘message of rage to Zionists and to America’ with ‘blood and souls.’

“The Freedom of Religion is a fundamental right provided to all American citizens in the Constitution,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Any threat to this right is an attack on one of the core pillars of our democracy and must be confronted. In order for the United States to continue to stand with the Jewish people, we must ensure that they can safely gather free of fear in their places of worship.” 

You can view the Congresswoman’s letter in its entirety here.

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