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Official press release from Office of Former Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

Reid: Senate Democrats Announce Legislation To Defeat ISIS And Keep America Safe

Dec. 7, 2015

“We can do more to address the threats from terrorists. That is why beginning today, Senate Democrats will unveil a series of proposals take the fight to ISIS, while enhancing our protections of Americans at home.”

“President Obama is right to say that the first thing Congress should do is close the loophole that lets FBI terror suspects buy assault weapons like those used in the San Bernardino shooting… Last Thursday, Democrats tried to pass legislation to give law enforcement the tools needed to prevent the sale of guns to suspected terrorists. Republicans blocked our common sense measure. We are not finished. We will continue bringing this vote to the floor as often as we can.”

“The consequences of inaction are too grave for us to waste time seeking political gains. The security of our nation and the decimation of ISIS depends on the steps we take in this moment.”

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor about Democrats’ plan to protect the United States from the threat posed by terrorism. Below are his remarks:

Last night, President Obama spoke in stark terms about the threat terrorism poses to the United States. President Obama detailed the extraordinary efforts our government is taking to protect Americans. He also outlined a strong plan for continuing to combat terrorism at home and abroad. And President Obama is right to say that the first thing Congress should do is close the loophole that lets FBI terror suspects buy assault weapons like those used in the San Bernardino shooting.

Senate Democrats support President Obama’s plan to fight ISIS and protect America. As President Obama has made clear, Democrats do not believe we should put hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground in the middle of another civil war in the Middle East. But we do support the President’s strategy of continuing to go after ISIS in the air, along with our coalition partners, targeting their leadership, oil infrastructure and supply routes. We know that it must be the local forces on the ground who ultimately must fight for and hold their own land.

Senate Democrats understand that the Syrian war will only be resolved diplomatically, with all parties supporting the eventual removal of Assad. But we also know that we can do more to address the threats from terrorists.

That is why beginning today, Senate Democrats will unveil a series of proposals take the fight to ISIS, while enhancing our protections of Americans at home.

There are a few important steps we must take in order to combat the ISIS’ terrorism. The Democratic plan would:


Create a new ISIS czar – one person, who is fully empowered and unifies the federal government’s efforts in fighting ISIS. I’m pleased that President Obama has taken a first step in this direction.

Continue targeted airstrikes on ISIS strongholds and oil supplies and ‎increase support for anti-ISIS local fighters on the ground.

Cut off ISIS’ access to money through new sanctions.
ISIS runs it reign of terror in Iraq and Syria through extortion, oil sales, and theft. Senate Democrats’ legislation imposes tough new sanctions, including a cut-off from the US and international financial system, if people knowingly facilitate financial transactions with ISIS.

We have a person who has been waiting for hundreds of days to be confirmed. What is his job? He works with the Treasury Department to stop the financing of terrorism. Republicans, for reasons that totally are not understood by anyone, are blocking our voting on this person. The job is vacant.


Improve intelligence sharing between the United States and our allies in the fight against ISIS.

Screen and supports migrants in Europe and the Middle East:
Europe is facing an unprecedented number of migrants landing on their shores – nearly a million this year.  Their screening systems have been overwhelmed by the large numbers of migrants. Our bill would respond to the European’s request to provide them with technical assistance to screen migrants and improve their own border security, and our security, as well.

In the Middle East, Democrats plan will help Jordan, a strong US ally at the forefront of the migrant crisis. Four million people are displaced in the region, creating instability inside Jordan and neighboring countries. Democrats’ legislation creates a new stabilization fund for Jordan and Lebanon, helping those fleeing the conflict in Syria stay in the region, closer to home.

Those are just a few of the components of Democrats’ plan to degrade and destroy ISIS.  But we are equally committed to thwarting terrorism here at home. The Democrat plan would:


Close the terrorist gun loophole:
As of today, there is a legal loophole that prevents law enforcement from verifying that potential gun buyers are not FBI terror suspects. That means if a person has pledged allegiance to ISIS online, and is barred from flying due to the threat they pose, that man or woman can still walk into any gun shop and purchase weapons and ammunition right now.

Last Thursday, Democrats tried to pass legislation to give law enforcement the tools needed to prevent the sale of guns to suspected terrorists. Republicans blocked our common sense measure. We are not finished. We will continue bringing this vote to the floor as often as we can.


Strengthen the visa waiver program so ISIS fighters cannot access the program and travel to the United States:
This includes requiring visa waiver travelers to use machine-readable passports, requiring information-sharing agreements with visa waiver countries, and requiring visa waiver countries to enter into agreements regarding the Air Marshal program and to comply with U.S. aviation and airport security standards.


Improve aviation security:
We must work to secure our airports. We all saw  the news when ISIS brought down a Russian plane with hundreds of passengers aboard.

A recent report from the Homeland Security Inspector General found that seventy-three workers with access to secure areas in airports had links to terrorism. Our legislation authorizes new vetting for aviation workers and new security measures for the most important areas of our airports.


Lock down radiological materials to stop a dirty bomb:
With both ISIS and al Qaeda saying that want to get their hands on weapons of mass destruction, it is disturbing that there are 2,300 sites around the US with radiological material.‎ Our legislation requires a new plan for locking down these materials at the places where they are held, like universities and hospitals, so we can reduce the threat of a dirty bomb.


Prevent homegrown terrorists by creating an office within the Department of Homeland Security tasked with countering extremism.

Address encryption by directing the National Academy of Sciences, the intelligence community and the private sector to work together and identify how encryption technology is used and how to make sure that our national security needs and technology policies are not working at cross-purposes.

And finally, Senate Democrats are proposing legislation to provide law enforcement agencies with grant money to help prepare for active shooter situations. We know how critical first-responders are to containing and ending active-shooter attacks, and so we should ensure they have all the tool necessary.

This is the plan that we Senate Democrats are putting forward. It is comprehensive, addressing international and domestic concerns.

The consequences of inaction are too grave for us to waste time seeking political gains. The security of our nation and the decimation of ISIS depends on the steps we take in this moment. I hope Republicans will join us to implement these logical reforms that place the security of Americans first and address the threat of ISIS around the world.


All official press releases from Former Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)