House Homeland Security Democrats Visit Buffalo to Discuss Domestic Extremism Prevention, Meet With 5/14 Families
Delegation Met with Law Enforcement, Local Officials, and Families of 5/14 Victims and Survivors to Examine Emergency Response and Warn Against Trump Administration Cuts to FEMA Preparedness Grants
(BUFFALO) - Today, at the invitation of Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Emergency Management Subcommittee, a delegation of House Homeland Security Committee Democrats visited Buffalo for a roundtable discussion on emergency management, domestic extremism prevention, and the federal grant programs that support state and local efforts to stop violence before it occurs. Earlier this week, it was revealed that New York State is still awaiting $87 million in FEMA funding for the state’s counterterrorism and homeland security efforts. Kennedy was joined by Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Border Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Lou Correa (CA-46), and Rep. Nellie Pou (NJ-09) for the closed-door roundtable at the Frank E. Merriweather Library. The delegation was joined virtually by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Joined by Buffalo Police Commissioner Erika Shields, City of Buffalo Emergency Manager Tom Luby, and Dr. Amanda Nickerson, Director of the University at Buffalo’s Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, the members heard directly from 5/14 family members and leaders from the 5/14 Foundation, whose perspective centered the roundtable on the racially-motivated mass shooting at Tops Friendly Markets on Jefferson Avenue on May 14, 2022. The shooting, which killed ten people and seriously injured three others, reshaped the community’s understanding of emergency response and long-term recovery. The discussion focused on the emergency response in the shooting’s immediate aftermath, the role that sustained DHS investment can play in preventing domestic extremism through grant programs, and the impact of the Trump Administration’s continued delays and cuts to programs, including the State Homeland Security Grant Program.
Following the roundtable, members of the delegation visited the Tops Supermarket on Jefferson Avenue and the memorial that has been installed on the property honoring those who were lost in the shooting.
“What happened at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue was an act of racist domestic terrorism, and this community has carried that weight every day since,” said Congressman Kennedy. “Standing at that memorial and speaking with family members, advocates, and public safety officials is a reminder of why this work is so important. Our federal government has a responsibility to invest in preventing violence before it happens and to ensure state and local governments can rely on this FEMA funding year after year. Instead, we have seen cuts to the very grant programs that help communities like Buffalo prepare, respond, and heal. I’ll keep fighting to protect that funding and to make sure that Washington never forgets what happened here and in far too many other communities across the nation.”
“I am glad Committee Democrats met with local leaders on the impact of the 2022 domestic terrorism mass shooting in Buffalo. It is clear that this tragedy has left an indelible mark on the Buffalo community. White supremacist extremism has no place in America and, sadly, continues to be a scourge we must work together to eradicate. That means investing in the people and programs that help communities identify threats early, strengthen partnerships with law enforcement and community organizations, and intervene before violence occurs. I thank Congressman Kennedy for hosting us in his district today,” said Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson.
“Public safety funding is not a political weapon, and Buffalo knows better than most what is at stake,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “The federal government is directly undercutting our work to keep our communities safe by withholding critical homeland security funding that our state needs. The best way to honor those whose lives were stolen on 5/14 is by ensuring a horrific attack like this can never happen again. I am grateful to Congressman Kennedy for convening this conversation and fighting in Washington to ensure what happened at Tops is never repeated.”
“We must make sure our first responders and law enforcement have what they need to stop violence before it happens. The Trump Administration needs to stop withholding critical funding for our states now and not after the next tragedy,” said Congressman Lou Correa.
“Time and time again, the American people are seeing the Trump Administration weaponize FEMA funding for their own partisan reasons and political revenge,” said Congresswoman Pou (NJ-09). “The bottom line is that our communities need federal aid, and they should not be punished for whether they live in a red district or a blue one. Withholding over $80 million in assistance is unconscionable, especially when this funding is supposed to be used to combat terrorism and extremism, and provide emergency support.”
“The May 14 mass shooting was a devastating tragedy that continues to profoundly impact members of our community. Beyond the awful effects felt here in Buffalo, this terror attack awakened the nation to the dire threat posed by domestic extremism. But in continuing to withhold $87 million in federal counterterrorism funding to New York State, this administration is demonstrating it has forgotten the painful lessons of May 14 - and that it refuses to prioritize the safety of Americans who live in states that do not politically support this president. I deeply appreciate the visit and support from Representatives Tim Kennedy, Bennie Thompson, Lou Correa, and Nellie Pou, as well as Attorney General Letitia James, and I join their call to restore federal funding to protect New Yorkers from terror attacks. This is not a partisan issue; no Americans should ever suffer what our community did on May 14,” said Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart.
“May 14 was a wound to the soul of our community, and we continue to carry the pain of that terrible day. We must never forget the lives we lost or the lessons that tragedy taught us. As people of faith and as a community, we have a responsibility to protect one another and to stand against hate in all its forms. I commend the work of our elected officials who have continued to stand with Buffalo, to fight for our community, and to make sure the lessons of May 14 are not forgotten. We must continue to come together, look out for one another, and do all we can to ensure that no community ever has to experience this kind of pain again,” said Pastor Mark Blue, Chairman of 5/14 Foundation and President, Buffalo NAACP.
Kennedy and the delegation vowed to continue pressing the Trump Administration to restore full funding to FEMA’s preparedness and prevention grant programs, and to keep working with Buffalo’s law enforcement, emergency management, and community leaders to ensure the lessons of May 14, 2022 translate into stronger protections nationwide.
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