Trump signs additional funding for synagogues, houses of worship at risk

New law provides $375 million as part of federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program

By OMRI NAHMIAS
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement about Iran flanked by U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Army Chief of Staff General James McConville, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General Mark Milley and Vice President Mike Pence in the Grand Foyer at the White House in Washington, U. (photo credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS)
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement about Iran flanked by U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Army Chief of Staff General James McConville, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General Mark Milley and Vice President Mike Pence in the Grand Foyer at the White House in Washington, U.
(photo credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS)
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation that provides $375 million for synagogues and other houses of worship and nonprofits at risk as part of the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).
The program allows houses of worship and other nonprofits to apply for grants of up to $100,000 for each institute. The money can be used for security measures such as fencing, cameras, stronger doors and hiring of security personnel.
Last Friday, Trump signed the Securing Faith-Based and Nonprofit Organizations from Terrorism Act of 2019. According to the Orthodox Union, the new law authorizes $75m. annually for each of the next five years to fund the NSGP.
Congress already approved raising the grants by 50% at the end of 2019, from $60m. a year to $90m. Now, with the additional $75m. a year, the available amount would be $165m.
The legislation was introduced in the House by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) and Rep. Peter King (R-New York) and in the Senate by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Gary Peters (D-Michigan), members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The bill’s passage follows a wave of violent attacks in December on Jews in Brooklyn and Monsey, New York, where five people were stabbed while celebrating Hanukkah.
Orthodox Union executive director for public policy Nathan Diament, who serves on the Homeland Security Department’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities, said: “We’re very grateful to President Trump for authorizing this funding to keep synagogues, churches and other houses of worship safe. Jews today are facing violence on a scale we have never witnessed before in America, and the perpetrators must be stopped. The president’s actions demonstrate his understanding of these threats and the need to protect not only Jews, but all people of faith.”
Democratic senators, including minority leader Chuck Schumer (New York) and Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, in recent weeks have called to quadruple the budget for NSPG from $90m. to $360m.