Press Releases

Rep. Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement today regarding the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium:

“Innocent lives were lost today – someone’s daughter, husband, and grandparent were taken by the hands of heartless ISIS suicide bombers. What happened on Brussels’ soil will soon happen again in America; it’s only a matter of time. ISIS has made it clear that we are their primary target and, ‘What will be coming is worse.’ No longer are these types of attacks isolated to the Middle East and Europe, but Garland, Texas, Chattanooga, Tennessee and San Bernardino, California provide clear evidence that ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations are targeting innocent American citizens. We will not succumb to fear, and we certainly will never surrender to those who viciously murder our loved ones without a second thought. Neither will we sacrifice our precious liberties to the threats of Islamic extremists. Americans have always fought against oppression and tyranny, and we will never stop fighting for freedom, for liberty, or what is right.

“As a member of the special Congressional Task Force on Combating Foreign Fighter Travel, I have worked tirelessly to uncover and fix vulnerabilities in our national security. As a result of our investigations, we have successfully removed loopholes in the State Department’s Visa Waiver Program to stop would-be terrorists from exploiting the program to enter the United States. The U.S. intelligence community has indicated that individuals linked to terrorism in Syria have already attempted to enter our country as refugees. In November of last year, the House passed the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act. This bill requires the nation’s top security officials to certify that potential Syrian and Iraqi refugees do not represent a security threat, before allowing them into the United States. This bill has been stalled in the Senate because the president has promised to veto the legislation. Earlier this month, we passed the ALERT Act, a bill which I authored, that removes existing bureaucratic obstacles that inhibit the effective engagement of state and local law enforcement in combating terrorism. Both of these bills must continue to be a top priority of this Congress.

“Unfortunately, our greatest obstacle in combating terrorism in our own country are the priorities of this president, which are counterproductive to our national security. Just last week, I questioned the Secretary of Homeland Security about the president’s proposal to cut $599 million from the Department of Homeland Security’s terrorism preparedness efforts while fully funding climate initiatives. Last month, I introduced an amendment to the FAA’s reauthorization legislation that moved $20 million from climate research to aviation safety. Since this president has been in office, the FAA’s climate research budget has increased by 800 percent, but the budget for aviation safety only increased by 7 percent.

“ISIS and its radicalized followers may be determined to see our destruction, but we are determined to see theirs. This is not the first time our country has faced perilous times, and it won’t be the last. We remain committed to standing firm in our resolve to always protect our own and help shield our allies against attacks of the enemy. Americans are fearless and courageous, and we will stop at nothing to defeat terrorism. My prayers and thoughts go out to each and every one who is grieving the loss of those killed by the attacks in Brussels earlier this morning.” 

If anyone in the 11th Congressional District has friends or family working or traveling in Brussels and needs help contacting their loved ones, please call Rep. Loudermilk’s main district office at 770-429-1776 ext. 204 or email Crystal Gilbert at crystal.gilbert@mail.house.gov. Due to the magnitude of this emergency, the office will be available to provide assistance.