Claudia Tenney
Rep. Claudia Tenney

Bill would increase federal penalties for threats against religious institutions

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) voted in favor of H.R. 1730, the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017. Rep. Tenney cosponsored the bipartisan bill that would increase federal penalties for violent threats made against religious institutions. This bill would also make violent threats punishable as hate crimes.

“Religious liberty is a founding principle of our nation and expressly granted to all citizens in the United States Constitution. Every American should have the ability to practice their faith without threat or fear of violence,” said Tenney. “Earlier this year, we saw over one hundred violent threats to JCC’s across the country including centers in Vestal, Dewitt and Albany. It was particularly disturbing that the threats targeted centers that serve such a large population, including children and seniors. Any threat like this against a religiously affiliated institution is simply unacceptable, and the passage of today’s bill is a step in the right direction toward ending this violence and hate.”

In February, Rep. Tenney signed a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to address the bomb threats to Jewish Community Centers.

By martha

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