Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Condemning Bomb Threats Against Historically Black Colleges And Universities

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the wave of anonymous bomb threats at dozens of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

All of us in the Senate are disturbed, sickened, and outraged at the wave of anonymous bomb threats that have recently arisen across dozens of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Since the start of this year, at least 26 HCBUs in a dozen states and the District of Columbia have received such threats, including about a dozen schools last week.

These bomb threats are clearly racially motivated, and I join my colleagues in condemning these acts of hatred in the strongest possible terms.

Bomb threats against HBCUs have an especially malevolent place in our country’s history: Black Americans don’t need to think that far back to when bombs were set off in the middle of campus at Florida A&M University in 1999. To see these threats today is a reminder of the hatred we have yet to overcome.

Nothing can be more sickening than efforts to use fear, violence, and white supremacy in hopes of stealing the promise of a good education from millions of Black Americans. HBCUs are a vital part of our economy and our education system, educating some of our nation’s greatest leaders, innovators, and activists.

I want to commend all of the presidents, faculty, and staff across country’s HBCUs for responding to these acts of hatred with resolve and strength.

And to all the students who attend HBCUs: this should never happen – those responsible must, must, be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

My colleagues and I have been in communication with the FBI, Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and the Department of Education on steps the agencies and the Senate can take to address these violent threats. We are confident those responsible will be held accountable.

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