North Miami-Dade News

Today marks the seventh anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, a tragedy that resulted in the loss of 17 lives. In remembrance, Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL-26) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) have reintroduced the bipartisan EAGLES Act. This legislation aims to expand the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) by establishing a national program focused on preventing targeted school violence. It also seeks to provide resources for research, information-sharing, and training on a broader scale.

The Senate version of this bill was introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

Representative Díaz-Balart emphasized the importance of school safety, stating: "Over the years, I have been worked towards making our communities and schools a safer place. The safety of our children is of the utmost importance for every family." He highlighted past efforts under President Trump to enhance school safety measures and expressed his commitment to continue working on this initiative.

Representative Moskowitz reflected on the impact of such tragedies: “Seven years ago, my hometown of Parkland was shattered by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.” He stressed that these incidents are not partisan issues but affect schools nationwide.

Senator Grassley noted that "effective behavioral threat assessments and early interventions can stop deadly ideas from becoming tragic acts," while Senator Cortez Masto remarked on how "school shootings have devastated communities across the country."

Max Schacter, father of one victim, expressed hope for congressional support: “This Valentine’s Day marks seven years since my little boy Alex was murdered... I hope all members of congress will support this important piece of school safety legislation.”

Tony Montalto, another parent affected by the tragedy, voiced gratitude for legislative efforts: "We are incredibly grateful to Rep. Diaz-Balart and Rep. Moskowitz for their unwavering commitment to making America's schools safer."

The EAGLES Act has garnered support from various organizations including Make Our Schools Safe, Everytown for Gun Safety, and others committed to enhancing school security.

The NTAC was established in 1998 with a mission to develop indicators for targeted violence prevention. Since then, it has conducted extensive training operations reaching over 198,000 individuals involved in education and public safety sectors.