we're very pleased to have today Congressman Josh Gottheimer with us today so everyone knows how much he has been a champion for our first responders, our emergency police and fire veterans and he continues that bike now with introducing a new bill faster act to to increase the penalties against domestic terrorism We think that this is a very valuable build. This is something that's really gonna do a lot to protect Are on some heroes in police and fire and first responders so we welcome him today and we're very excited to have him here Also I wanna just quickly acknowledge before we turn it off To the President of the state Trooper's Non-commissioned Officers Association I just want to acknowledge our fire chief and our police chief both here and continuing to serve our great community and our state Over to a very good friend The next door and my dear friend Champion of first responders and in fighting all forms of terror Bill Pascrell before I turn it over. Let me turn it to Pizza analysis who is the President of the state Trooper's NCO and is an incredible leader in our state The future of our law enforcement and assisting us and doing the job. We do a lot of people like to talk like to have us around for show and tell but these people actually take action and they do things which help us So thank you very much for your actions and thank you for this God bless you and I appreciate Congressman Castro Thank you and thank you again paid for your work and I also would missed. We'll talk more about the mayor in a minute who's doing an incredible With the Council but I I wanna also now turn to someone who has been a force in his position protecting our state really on the front lines in both policy and also action in not just here in this community and in my district but also across our state now the director of Homeland Security repaired Ness director Maples Thank you very much I wanna say a couple of quick remarks and one is that we do have face domestic terrorism threats here in New Jersey. It's something we track something that we are focused on presenting letting the public know and be aware that there are incidents. There are groups that are operating here that we are aware of and you're tracking and making sure that we can protect event in defense and deter them from conducting acts of terror We do considered acts just like to happen in El Paso or in Poway, California Pittsburgh the Synagogue shooting Those are terrorism incidents here in New Jersey. We focus on that way It allows us to expand our federal terrorism funding expands our focus and we're able to talk about it in a very much a broader way than any other groups across the country. It's something we're very proud of here in New Jersey that were not shine away from this that we're gonna attack this head on and I can't say enough about both Congressman Gottheimer and Pascarella and your support in both the funding areas and certainly strategically and helping get us to the bottom line which is protecting and serving the citizens of New Jersey and our visitors as well so thank you for this Like this legislation that's being put in order truly help us defend it detect and do those do that security work that is necessary on a day-to-day basis and I I can't speak highly enough of of of your efforts in that regard from a legislative perspective. So thank you for the opportunity to speak here and and know that you certainly have a a big supporters New Jersey Homeland Security Thank you again mayor for having us here today very very grateful I wanna thank the fire chief again Police here Again thank you and I would like to take one second. I'm gonna be introducing Congressman Pascrell but it's I'm very lucky to have right next door such a good friend and mentor literally a few miles away chairman is you probably all know the Congressional Law Enforcement caucus and the Congressional Fire Services caucus One of the first things he made me do when I get elected will join those caucuses and make sure to keep carrying the torch in my district He used to have to pitch in and pitch hit on my desk Can help fortunately now we worked together on things to make sure we claw back the resources to protect our firefighters, our law enforcement and make sure that we always stand strong together I wanna thank you also for your work again falling extremism and fighting White supremacy in all the work Congressman John Director Maples Thank you also as I said for keeping us safe you know it's hard to believe that it's been 18 years since terrorists struck our homeland and the church. Bells will ring again under a moment of silence early Wednesday morning 18 years since we lost nearly 3000 Americans including more than 400 firefighters police and other first responders who ran into the towers true Patriots who has ever put others ahead of themselves and their families That's what they've always done of course and why I remain so grateful for what they do each day and why Bill and I are so committed to getting their backs every single day One of the 2000 first responders and others who were in and around the World Trade Center have died since 911 more than 2000 That was a result of 911 exposure Thankfully earlier this summer, we fought for and passed the bipartisan 911 victims compensation fund I'm sure you've heard about that and read about that very important Bill and I worked out with others what's incredible as you think of how many lives were touched by that day by the hatred of Al-Qaeda How many families destroyed how many more service men and women and since fought for and died at home and abroad and the global fight against terror against Isis abroad has pitch people whose hatred for freedom and democracy and our way of life is so great that they're willing to fly a plane into a building to their death Just last week in Afghanistan we lost another sergeant. First class Ellis Angel Verada Ortiz We also know how many more terrorists have been inspired by the hatred here at home rain wash by their anti-American propaganda homegrown terrorists Ironically in Hebrew the letters of the work high add up to 18 and it carries the meaning of a live or life Last night. I was thinking about this thinking that it's the eighteenth year and thinking of the meaning high in Hebrew and 18 significance, which in the Jewish religion is Significant number We're trying to give meaning to those we lost 18 years ago 12 right here in Ridgewood and A hundred and 40 - seven in Bergen County. Not to mention the scores loss across New Jersey. Frank Del Vecchio is here also, was on the front lines that day helping coordinate and and in a response as a But then I thought about all the legacies left behind young children who are now young adults who are now firefighters police officers EMTs themselves or serving in our armed forces Those who were just children or babies on that day I think of how far we've come and capture or killing arcade leadership destroying Isis and successfully stopping countless loan wolf terrorists at home The lives lived and the life saved But as we all know protecting our flag is a never ending battle When you're the greatest country in the world that's just reality That's why we continue to fight has blood Isis and Al Shabab pitch and other terrorist groups abroad That's why we must stand up to Iran when they Harbor terrorist organizations That's why we work so closely with our key allies, including Israel to protect our democracy and fight terror in such a volatile region We must also fight to continue terrorist threat on our homeland and the deep veins of hatred that run through it The Fbi in New Jersey Office of Homeland Security repairing the three of us regularly Just this morning, we were briefed by director Maples the congressman and I both work and the number one threat in our state remains Isis and other foreign inspired terrorists threats like the Isis inspired one that took the life of Darren Drake from New Milford on the West Side Highway two years ago and that attack in the Boston Bombers, the long wolf terrorist set off a bomb before being captured in Linden We must do everything we can to stop them, including law giving law enforcement more tools I'll discuss one in a minute and making sure all communities have what they need to fight homegrown terrorism and Bill has been an exceptional leader especially in this area encouraging all of us to step up with the cops grants the Bulletproof Vest Partnership program and assistance to firefighter Would have happened without Bill Pascrell since 911 We've seen a surge of these loan wolf terrorists more threats unlike in the past, they don't need to go overseas to get their training They literally can sit in their living room and watch out Canada and Isis created YouTube videos about how to attack and kill Americans from their living rooms It's not only Isis inspired another foreign terrorist threats, though as the director told us this morning we've also seen a dramatic spike in other age old home Enemy White supremacy right wing nationalists and other extremists What Mike Kelly called in his record column this weekend The dark Side of America Also viewing hatred online on Facebook on Twitter and doing so at record levels the Valley Unite the rally unite the right rally in Charlottesville two years ago which killed him Anyone who isn't like them you've seen these issues at the tragedies of the synagogue Pittsburgh California and the Master Paso in Clean continue to be active in areas throughout our country including right here in our state and right here According to my briefing with director Maples other streamers groups, including NJ HHA European Arrogant Association the oath keepers and the three percenters continue to rear their ugly head in Jersey The clan circulated flyers in Monmouth County last year We take these steps for international terrorists Why not empower our authorities at home and give them the same tools and more homegrown terrorists The fast track will also implemented State-of-the-art National Homegrown terrorism incident clearing House for all levels of law enforcement to collect and share information on incidences of Isis inspired I've spoken out about it time and again in fact, according to the ADL New Jersey ranked third In the nation Medic incidents last year a year in which reported incidents were at near historic levels nationwide That's why my office and I are working closely with great partners like director Maples and his office are faith leaders and others Congressman Castro and our other offices to push for more resources for the nonprofit security Grant Hey guys Josh Community Centers and all houses of worship are protected from increasing threats and terror Let me make one last point taking steps with the faster act to go after homegrown terrorists and make sure we freeze assets is one aspect making sure that we have all the resources for a law enforcement of our firefighter from police to make sure we always stand by our cops and our firefighters and our first responders The rich fabric it is today and so has our great diversity and immigrants generations of Italian Irish Jewish Ducks Migrants settled here Join later by a tapestry from all over the world and built our great economy and country but we never targeted each other and the way we talk about one another today And this isn't just a one -sided Although I think we all agree that we need stability across the board we're gonna be honest regardless of who they are the first punch and I have my strong opinions The anger and hostility must end I think our country has had enough I think people wanna see Individuals on terrorist lists from Businessing firearms These are all things in smart moves that we should be taking address. The underlying anger tearing our country apart splitting us up because of economic austerity because of tension because of health care because all the issues that are tearing us apart, we need to come together as a country only then when we pledge allegiance to our flag and stop poison, make sure that we don't poison our spirit We will continue to always make sure that in the greatest country in the world with the best Getting our backs or firefighters in art All of our first responders our guest stays will always be ahead of us Thank you and God bless you and now I know he would have been doing it 10 years ago 18 years ago So thank you Josh It's good legislation. It's solid and I'm gonna do everything You know what I mean by that to get this legislation fast It's important It's significant or else get out of the way for John Lewis says Get out of the way Let us get done It has to get back You saw the truck take off before you don't know One of the things you're gonna have it happens in your fall to duty police fire so they're going towards the action you and I run in the hallway Start there Wassup Presenting the report the director is very familiar about which went into deeply. What was happening into the United States of homegrown terror Anti Semitic behavior openly open Muslim behavior open No secrets I went to Idaho I studied this In northern Idaho which is a hot bed of what Josh was talking about I couldn't believe that I lived in a country where they were actually parts of our communities set aside set aside for those people who are training to do harm to the general community which includes everyone Things are a little different in New Jersey. They weren't as open but I've learned that every County in the state as an operation going big and small Of people getting ready to pause violent use violent behavior All of the specifics of eight Congressman Gottheimer pointed it out We have seen The largest jump in incidents targeting minority individuals since 2006 This rise beers wanna when we're seeing across America I know state Homeland Security the attorney general Greenwell The state police appeared. Thank you so much for being here You're on the ground all the time The state police the division on civil Rights Our collectively committed Scared We don't want people to get the idea that everybody on the right is it extremist or not They were scared and that's how we responded and we waste the time ever since that decision was made in 2009 Agencies were choked at death But after contrived outside from certain politicians and media talking heads you bomb administration holder report A decade later I still organize by the choice to ignore the reports coming Paris let's say it like it is and if it's different comeback to correctly in public I want you to sit with that thought Josh and I are not talking about nonsense here. This is serious business Very serious A D L revealed that 70 - eight percent of extremist homicides were by White supremacists. I challenge you to challenge me on that fact, or should we just ignore it and say it