THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, PYLE, BAKER, BOYD, CLYMER, CUTLER, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, GABIG, GABLER, GOODMAN, GROVE, HELM, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, MAJOR, MENSCH, METCALFE, MILLER, MOUL, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PAYNE, PICKETT, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROHRER, SAYLOR, S. H. SMITH, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TRUE AND STERN, APRIL 29, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, APRIL 29, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Condemning the recent United States Department of Homeland

Security Intelligence Report entitled "Rightwing Extremism:

Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in

Radicalization Recruitment" and calling upon the President of

the United States to personally discredit the report before

the entire nation and immediately issue an apology to the

veterans of the United States of America.

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Homeland Security

(DHS) has issued an Intelligence Assessment entitled "Rightwing

Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling

Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment"; and

WHEREAS, The United States DHS intelligence report was

released to law enforcement agencies nationwide with a stated

purpose to "deter, prevent, preempt, or respond to terrorist

attacks against the United States"; and

WHEREAS, The United States DHS issued the report despite

concerns raised by the department's own civil liberties

officials and that the agency's spokeswoman stated that the

report was issued before officials resolved problems raised by

the agency's civil rights division; and

WHEREAS, Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi,

chairman of the United States House of Representatives Homeland

Security Committee, has demanded that officials of the agency

explain how and why the report was written and released

identifying veterans as potential terrorist threats; and

WHEREAS, The United States has been subjected to terrorist

attacks over the past several decades from both foreign and

domestic sources; and

WHEREAS, The United States DHS should be cognizant that

America has been attacked at home and abroad in major incidents

at least ten times beginning with the April 18, 1983, bombing of

the United States Embassy in Beirut which resulted in 17

Americans killed and including the attacks of September 11,

2001, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 citizens; and

WHEREAS, Acts of domestic terror have been perpetrated upon

the citizens of this country by extremist groups such as the

Armed Forces of National Liberation, the Weather Underground

Organization, the Symbionese Liberation Army, the Animal

Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front; and

WHEREAS, The United States DHS Intelligence Assessment lists

illegal immigration, gun rights, abortion, jobs or a prolonged

economic downturn as issues which might provide incentives for

our veterans to become part of radical extremist groups; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion has issued a letter to the

Secretary of the United States DHS stating "that the American

Legion is well aware and horrified at the pain inflicted during

the Oklahoma City bombing, but Timothy McVeigh was only one of

more than 42 million veterans who have worn this nation's

uniform during wartime and that to continue to use his name as

an example of the stereotypical 'disgruntled military veteran'

is unfair"; and

WHEREAS, To use a single veteran in an isolated domestic

attack is grossly disingenuous, unprofessional and insults the

intelligence of the American people; and

WHEREAS, A recent issuance of the United States DHS report

impugns the honor and integrity of those Americans who hold

genuine opposition to certain types of public policy and who

choose to express their dissent openly and freely; and

WHEREAS, The Washington Times stated that the White House had

distanced itself from the homeland security analysis and quoted

White House spokesman Nick Shapiro as saying, "The president

believes those who serve represent the best in this country and

he'll continue to ensure that our veterans receive the respect

and benefits they have earned"; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania stand with the American Legion and

all veterans in rejecting the analysis in the United States DHS

report that returning veterans are susceptible to joining

radical and extremist groups; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strongly condemn any effort to

attack the honor and integrity of Americans without any evidence

or specific plans of attack; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ask for the immediate resignation

of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania request that the President of the

United States personally discredit the United States Department

of Homeland Security report on rightwing extremism before this

nation and issue an apology to all veterans of the United

States; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the President of the United States, the United States House of

Representatives Homeland Security Committee and the United

States Senate Homeland Security Committee.