Senator Hassan’s Bill to Strengthen Security for Houses of Worship Passes Senate Committee

WASHINGTON – The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan’s bipartisan legislation to help strengthen security at houses of worship. The bipartisan Pray Safe Act, which Senator Hassan introduced with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), would establish a federal clearinghouse through which faith-based organizations and houses of worship could access information on safety and security best practices, available federal grant programs, and training opportunities.

“Houses of worship are sacred spaces, but with the rise in attacks on faith-based communities, I know that many Granite Staters and Americans no longer feel a sense of security in their place of worship,” said Senator Hassan, Chair of the Emerging Threats Subcommittee. “I am pleased that this commonsense legislation to help ensure that Americans of all faith backgrounds can gather in peace passed the Homeland Security Committee on a bipartisan basis, and I will keep working to move this bill forward.”

The bipartisan Pray Safe Act builds on Senator Hassan’s efforts to strengthen security at houses of worship and nonprofits. Former President Trump signed into law bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Hassan to codify in law that grant funding for houses of worship and nonprofit organizations must be available for small states like New Hampshire, not just major metropolitan areas, and Senator Hassan successfully worked to quadruple funding for the program.

The Committee also voted to advance bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase the front line operations equipment it receives from American companies. The Homeland Procurement Reform Act would bolster the domestic supply chain for national security-related items and increase the government’s capacity to supply these critical materials that the Department of Homeland Security needs, particularly during a national emergency.

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