GOP senators want to block a bill being pushing for government to monitor domestic terrorism after Buffalo shooting

• The House passed a bill that would give federal authorities more resources to track domestic terrorism.
• The legislation's passage came days after a racially motivated shooting at a Buffalo grocery store.

Republican senators are trying to block legislation that passed in the House that would give more government resources towards preventing domestic terrorism following a fatal shooting at a Buffalo supermarket, the Hill reported.

On Wednesday, the House narrowly passed the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 mostly along party lines, with a 222-203 vote. The legislation would create offices at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the FBI that would track and investigate domestic terrorism threats.

The passage in the House came days after a gunman opened fire at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 people. Authorities said the suspect, an 18 year-old white man, drove hours to the predominantly black community and was motivated by hate. The suspect is allegedly a white nationalist who believes in the replacement theory, according to a manifesto posted online.

The Hill reported that GOP Senator Josh Hawley called the bill "terrible."

"It's like the disinformation board on steroids. Another way to look at is the Patriot Act for American citizens," Hawley said, referencing the the law that allowed authorities to monitor communities more closely following 9/11.

Republicans said they're concerned the new bill would give federal agencies more power that could lead to policing of political speech. They're concerned it would mainly impact anti-government groups as opposed to more progressive groups.

"I'm completely opposed to this idea that we would be giving the federal government and federal law enforcement power and authority to surveil Americans, to engage in any kind of monitoring of speech that is directed toward censorship. I think it's extremely frightening and I can't believe they haven't learned their lesson from the disinformation board debacle," Hawley said.

GOP Sen. John Cornyn said it would be surprising if even 10 GOP senators vote in favor of the bill. '

"I get a little concerned when people want to pass new laws to supplement laws that are already in place that would be used to charge people with crimes. I don't necessarily believe we need a new law to convict people who have committed other crimes," Cornyn told the Hill.

Other GOP lawmakers like Sen. Ron Johnson said law enforcement is already tracking domestic terrorism threats.

"The Democrats can't even wait an hour before they blame the Republicans for the Buffalo shooting. I think it's despicable," he told the Hill.