Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program Act of 2015”.
Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program Act of 2015
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a grant program to establish counter-messaging campaigns targeting terrorist propaganda.
Sec. 2 Grant program for countering violent extremism
In general— Title I of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
“104. Grant program for countering violent extremism
“(a) Grant program
“(1) Establishment—The Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department, shall establish a grant program for eligible community groups and organizations to assist such groups and organizations in establishing counter-messaging campaigns targeting violent extremism.
“(2) Implementation plan—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department, shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate an implementation plan for the grant program under this subsection, including eligibility criteria, application criteria, methodology for awarding grants, and a plan for monitoring and evaluating grant applications and awards.
“(3) Prohibition—A community group or organization is not eligible for a grant under this subsection if such group or organization has knowingly funded activities related to violent extremism or organizations known to engage in such activities, as determined by the Secretary, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies.
“(b) Violent extremism defined—In this section, the term “violent extremism” means ideologically motivated terrorist activities.
“(c) Authorization of appropriations—There is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this section.”
Clerical amendment— The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 103 the following new item: