[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2703 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2703

  To authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 18, 2018

Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant 
Program Authorization Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``firearms offenses'' means an offense under 
        section 922 or 924 of title 18, United States Code;
            (2) the term ``Program'' means the Project Safe 
        Neighborhoods Block Grant Program established under section 3; 
        and
            (3) the term ``transnational organized crime group'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 36(k)(6) of the State 
        Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 
        2708(k)(6)).

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    The Attorney General of the United States is authorized to 
establish and carry out a program, to be known as the ``Project Safe 
Neighborhoods Block Grant Program'' within the Office of Justice 
Programs at the Department of Justice.

SEC. 4. PURPOSE.

    (a) Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program.--The purpose of 
the Program is to foster and improve existing partnerships between 
Federal, State, and local agencies, including the United States 
Attorney in each Federal judicial district, entities representing 
members of the community affected by increased violence, victims' 
advocates, and researchers to create safer neighborhoods through 
sustained reductions in violent crimes by--
            (1) developing and executing comprehensive strategic plans 
        to reduce violent crimes, including the enforcement of gun 
        laws, and prioritizing efforts focused on identified subsets of 
        individuals or organizations responsible for increasing 
        violence in a particular geographic area;
            (2) developing evidence-based and data-driven intervention 
        and prevention initiatives, including juvenile justice projects 
        and activities which may include street-level outreach, 
        conflict mediation, provision of treatment and social services, 
        and the changing of community norms, in order to reduce 
        violence; and
            (3) collecting data on outcomes achieved through the 
        Program, including the effect on the violent crime rate, 
        incarceration rate, and recidivism rate of the jurisdiction.
    (b) Additional Purpose Areas.--In addition to the purpose described 
in subsection (a), the Attorney General may use funds authorized under 
this Act for any of the following purposes--
            (1) competitive and evidence-based programs to reduce gun 
        crime and gang violence;
            (2) the Edward Byrne criminal justice innovation program;
            (3) community-based violence prevention initiatives; or
            (4) gang and youth violence education, prevention and 
        intervention, and related activities.

SEC. 5. RULES AND REGULATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Attorney General shall promulgate rules to create, 
carry out, and administer the Program in accordance with this section.
    (b) Funds To Be Directed to Local Control.--Amounts made available 
as grants under the Program shall be, to the greatest extent 
practicable, locally controlled to address problems that are identified 
locally.
    (c) Regional Gang Task Forces.--Thirty percent of the amounts made 
available as grants under the Program each fiscal year shall be granted 
to established Regional Gang Task Forces in regions experiencing a 
significant or increased presence of, or high levels of activity from, 
transnational organized crime groups posing threats to community safety 
in terms of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, drug 
trafficking, and other crimes.
    (d) Priority.--Amounts made available as grants under the Program 
shall be used to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of 
individuals who have an aggravating or leadership role in a criminal 
organization.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General to 
carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
2021.
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