Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., proposes a minimum 24-member interagency task force to provide recommendations on preventing and responding to political violence. Celal Gunes / Anadolu / Getty Images
Bill calls for interagency task force to help prevent political violence
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., calls for standing up a two-year advisory body from across the federal government tasked with helping respond to or prevent political and hate-motivated violence.
While concerns of political violence loom large on a contested election day, new legislation from Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., aims to establish an interagency response to help diffuse future conflict.
The Preventing Political Violence Act would establish a presidentially appointed task force composed of no less than 24 officials from the National Security Council, Domestic Policy Council, several cabinet-level departments and a host of other federal agencies to offer policies and recommendations to help prevent and respond to acts of political violence over the next two years.
The bill, introduced on Nov. 1, would stand up the task force no later than 180 days after enactment, empowering it to help craft specific program and policy matters based on its recommendations to promote “issues related to national unity, civic-bridge building and political and hate-motivated violence prevention.”
Those recommendations would come from a series of reports written from the task force to the president and Congress every six months, outlining the group’s activities and recommendations, alongside any updates in subsequent reports.
Two years after its establishment, the task force would issue a final report to the president and Congress detailing its conclusions, progress made on recommendations, descriptions of specific agency programs tied to task force operations and what activities it has undertaken.
Agencies included in the proposed task force would include the departments of Agriculture, Labor, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Interior, State and Commerce.
The Office of Management and Budget, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for Humanities, the Office of the Surgeon General, Small Business Administration, Election Assistance Commission, Federal Emergency Management Agency and FBI would also provide representatives.
The legislation comes as instances of doxxing and online threats to federal employees have been increasing recently, amid other threats of violence.
The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.