East Arizona News

U.S. Representative David Schweikert has introduced the Warranting of Religious Spaces to Handle Increased Protection (WORSHIP) Act, a legislation aiming to provide greater flexibility to religious institutions and nonprofit organizations receiving funding from FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to enhance security measures against terrorist threats and antisemitic incidents. Schweikert stated, “Our communities depend on places of worship to come together and embrace shared beliefs throughout life. No one should feel threatened when exercising their religious liberty, which is fundamentally protected by the First Amendment. I’ve always said my faith motivates me, and I’m proud to introduce this commonsense legislation that will provide our faith-based communities the resources they need to harden security and improve safety. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this bill.”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. following a surge in attacks after October 7. Schweikert highlighted that at least 628 reported cases were against synagogues and Jewish community centers, with a staggering 360% increase in antisemitic incidents. The Congressman also pointed out incidents in Arizona, stating, "Arizona hasn’t been spared of antisemitic incidents since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas."

The legislation aims to enhance security measures for religious institutions by creating greater flexibility for NSGP award recipients. This includes temporarily increasing the limitation on personnel-related activities to 75%, suspending the NSGP waiver request process for costs exceeding the cap, and adding the hiring of public safety personnel to the list of covered expenses.

Schweikert currently serves on various committees and caucuses in Congress, including the Ways and Means Committee and the Oversight Subcommittee. He is also involved in initiatives such as the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force and is the Republican Co-Chair of the Blockchain Caucus, Telehealth Caucus, Singapore Caucus, and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit.