Press Releases

On one day, Saturday, September 17, 2016, the following happened:  a powerful bomb exploded in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan injuring 29 people; a bomb detonated in a trash can near the boardwalk in Seaside Park, NJ as a charity 5K race was about to begin; and nine people were stabbed at a mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The next day, two men found a backpack containing multiple bombs near an Elizabeth, New Jersey, train station.

My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by these attacks, including the police officers injured while apprehending the man suspected of organizing the attacks in New York and New Jersey.

The man responsible for the stabbings in Minnesota, Dahir A. Adan, was a "soldier of the Islamic state," according to the ISIS-linked Amaq news agency. Initial reports indicate that the perpetrator of the New York and New Jersey attacks also may have been inspired by Islamist supremacist ideology.  

One thing abundantly is clear:  Radical Islamist terrorists claimed they would launch attacks in Europe and Paris - and they did. These same terrorists promised to launch attacks in the U.S. Our government repeatedly underestimates the clear and present threat of these enemies. The U.S. House repeatedly has called attention to these issues and passed legislation to strengthen the vetting process for those who seek to enter our country. President Obama threatens to veto this bill.

We need to wake up. These events, along with terror attacks in Europe in recent months, serve as a sobering reminder of the perpetual threat posed by an ideology that knows no borders and has no respect for life. My message to Pennsylvanians is to continue living their lives, but the reality facing our country forces us to be more vigilant. Informed, alert communities play a critical role in keeping our Nation safe. If you see something, say something.