FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31, 2009

ASSEMBLYMAN LANCMAN STANDS WITH GOVERNOR AT SYNAGOGUE TARGETED BY WOULD-BE TERRORISTS

Assemblyman Lancman discusses homeland security with Assemblyman Dinowitz, Governor Paterson, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, State Senator Schneiderman, Senator Gillibrand and Majority Leader Smith at the Riverdale Jewish Center.

Assemblyman Rory I. Lancman joined Governor David Paterson and other New York elected officials at the Riverdale Jewish Center, which was the target of the recently foiled plot by would-be domestic terrorists, to announce plans to provide the threatened synagogues with special grants from the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Assemblyman Lancman, who sponsored important anti-terror laws such as the Freedom to Report Terrorism Act and the Libel Terrorism Protection Act, renewed his call for the passage of the Non-Profit Homeland Security Study Act. Assemblyman Lancman's legislation would require New York State to study the security needs of New York's non-profits and determine how the state can help protect them from the threat of terrorism.

“New York State is home to hundreds of non-profit cultural, religious and educational institutions which are terrorist targets. These institutions, which selflessly serve the needs of millions of New Yorkers, have to expend precious resources to enhance their security in order to protect against this terrorist threat. It is fundamentally unfair for these institutions to shoulder the entire burden of defending themselves against the increased threat of terrorism when all of us as New Yorkers benefit from the services they provide,” said Assemblyman Lancman.

More information on the Non-Profit Homeland Security Preparedness Study Act is available at the following link: http://www.nyad25.org/homelandsecurity.htm