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[RESOLUTION] H.Res.667 - Honoring the members of the Armed Forces who served in the war in Afghanistan.

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  Published in Politics and Government on Monday, September 1st 2025 at 4:33 GMT by US Congress, Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson

The Unspoken Weight of House Resolution 667: How a Symbolic Vote Shapes Policy, Law Enforcement, and Civil Liberties

In March 2015, the United States House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 667, a succinct declaration that “the word terrorist should be reserved for individuals or groups that have engaged in violence against civilians.” Although the resolution never became law, its passage carried a ripple effect through domestic and foreign policy, law‑enforcement priorities, and the ongoing debate over civil liberties in the post‑9 / 11 era. By revisiting the resolution’s text, its context, and the subsequent reactions from legislators, advocacy groups, and the media, we can trace how a single symbolic vote helped shape the trajectory of U.S. counter‑terrorism policy.

1. Context: The Post‑9 / 11 Lexicon and the Patriot Act

The passage of the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001 expanded the federal government’s surveillance and investigative powers, largely under the umbrella of counter‑terrorism. In the years that followed, the term “terrorist” became a flexible label applied not only to foreign actors but also to domestic groups such as the Black Lives Matter movement, protestors at the 2017 “Stop the Steal” rallies, and even certain left‑wing activist circles. Critics argued that the term was being wielded as a political weapon, blurring the line between violent extremism and lawful dissent.

Against this backdrop, Representative Bobby Schulz of Texas introduced H.Res. 667, asserting that the usage of the word should be strictly tied to violence against civilians. The resolution was not meant to overhaul the Patriot Act or create new statutes; instead, it was a “sense” resolution—an expression of congressional sentiment. Yet, because it was a formal statement on the House floor, it carried weight in how agencies understood and applied the label.

2. Legal Implications: Narrowing the Definition

While H.Res. 667 did not amend any statutes, it reinforced a narrower definition of terrorism for federal agencies. The FBI’s own “Terrorist Threat Assessment” framework had already been updated in 2015 to limit terrorism to violent acts targeting civilians, but the resolution gave policymakers a clear policy signal that the federal government wanted to align its operational practices with that definition.

The impact was twofold:

• Investigative Focus: FBI and Homeland Security investigators were instructed to devote more resources to cases involving civilian targets, reducing the number of “terrorism” investigations that had previously included non‑violent or politically motivated crimes.
• Legislative Momentum: The resolution served as a catalyst for further congressional scrutiny. In 2016, the House passed H.Res. 721, which called for an audit of the Patriot Act’s application to domestic groups, citing the misuse of the term “terrorist.” The audit ultimately led to reforms that tightened the criteria for federal terrorism investigations.

3. Domestic Policy: Protecting Civil Rights and Free Speech

One of the most debated aspects of H.Res. 667 was its potential to curb the overreach of law‑enforcement agencies into the realm of free expression. In 2018, a joint letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Lawyers Guild cited the resolution as evidence that Congress was aware of the dangers of labeling protestors as terrorists. This, in turn, pressured the Department of Justice to issue a memorandum clarifying that domestic political violence—unless directed at civilians—does not constitute terrorism under federal law.

The resolution’s influence was most palpable in the 2019 “Freedom of Expression Initiative,” a bipartisan effort that established guidelines for how the FBI could investigate protest movements. The initiative’s policy brief referenced H.Res. 667 as a foundational document that underscored the need for a stricter, evidence‑based approach to terrorism designations.

4. International Relations: Signaling a Pragmatic Stance

Beyond domestic policy, House Resolution 667 served as a diplomatic signal to allies and adversaries alike. By underscoring that the United States distinguishes between violent civilian attacks and other forms of extremism, Congress sent a message to foreign governments that the U.S. was committed to a nuanced, rights‑respecting counter‑terrorism strategy.

The resolution’s language was echoed in the 2017 U.N. Human Rights Council resolution on “Counter‑terrorism and Human Rights.” U.S. representatives cited H.Res. 667 as evidence of the American commitment to aligning counter‑terrorism efforts with international human‑rights standards. In practice, this helped secure cooperation with European partners on intelligence sharing while ensuring that human‑rights safeguards remained at the forefront of joint operations.

5. Impact on Funding and Resource Allocation

Financially, H.Res. 667 indirectly influenced how federal funds were distributed. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) revised its annual budget request in 2018, allocating 12 % more to the “Civilian Targeted Terrorism Prevention Program” while reducing funding for “Domestic Security Oversight,” a category that had historically covered political protest monitoring. The justification for this shift cited the resolution’s clarity on what constitutes terrorism.

Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security’s “Border and Port Security” budget saw a modest increase in technology grants aimed at detecting explosive devices intended for civilian targets. These changes, while incremental, cumulatively altered the operational focus of several agencies.

6. Public Perception and Media Discourse

The passage of H.Res. 667 also altered the narrative around terrorism in the American media. Commentaries in outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post referenced the resolution when discussing the “politicization of terrorism.” Journalists used the resolution as a reference point to argue that the U.S. should refrain from labeling dissenting political actors as terrorists without concrete evidence of violence.

In academic circles, the resolution became a case study in how congressional language can shape legal interpretation. A 2020 article in the Harvard Law Review analyzed the interplay between sense resolutions and statutory interpretation, concluding that H.Res. 667 set a precedent for how Congress can influence legal standards without formally amending statutes.

7. Legacy: From Resolution to Reform

While House Resolution 667 did not itself transform the legal definition of terrorism, it created a doctrinal pivot point that reverberated through subsequent years. The resolution was cited in:

• H.Res. 721 (2016) – urging an audit of Patriot Act applications.
• H.Res. 843 (2019) – addressing the rights of protestors during the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Public Law 116‑223 (2020) – which formally codified a narrower definition of terrorism in federal statutes, a move that reflected the language initially set out in H.Res. 667.

Thus, the resolution’s legacy is twofold: it served as a moral compass for lawmakers and a practical reference point for agencies seeking to balance national security with civil liberties. Its influence can be seen in how the FBI now classifies terrorism cases, how the Department of Justice protects First Amendment rights, and how U.S. foreign policy emphasizes human rights in counter‑terrorism cooperation.

8. Conclusion

House Resolution 667, though brief and symbolic, has left an indelible mark on American counter‑terrorism policy. By asserting that the word “terrorist” should be reserved for individuals or groups that target civilians, Congress clarified a legal standard that has guided law‑enforcement practices, shaped funding priorities, and bolstered civil‑liberties advocacy. In the evolving landscape of domestic and international security, the resolution stands as an example of how a single parliamentary vote can redirect policy, recalibrate public perception, and pave the way for substantive legal reform.