[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 23, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S7156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID:
  S. 3313. A bill to establish a Federal Polygamy Task Force, to 
authorize assistance for victims of polygamy, and for other purposes; 
to the committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3313

       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 ``Victims of Polygamy 
     Assistance Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Despite the fact that polygamy has been illegal in the 
     United States for over 100 years, the practice of polygamy 
     involving underage marriages is growing. Sizable polygamist 
     communities exist in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, and are 
     expanding into other States.
       (2) Polygamist communities are typically controlled by 
     organizations that engage in widespread and systematic 
     violations of State laws and the laws of the United States in 
     order to enrich their leaders and maintain control over their 
     members.
       (3) The crimes perpetrated by these organizations include 
     child abuse, domestic violence, welfare fraud, tax evasion, 
     public corruption, witness tampering, and transporting 
     victims across State lines.
       (4) Due to the systematic and sophisticated nature of these 
     crimes, State and local law enforcement agencies would 
     benefit from the assistance of the Federal Government as they 
     investigate and prosecute these organizations and their 
     leaders for violations of State law. In addition, violations 
     of Federal law associated with polygamy should be 
     investigated and prosecuted directly by Federal authorities.
       (5) The work of State and Federal law enforcement agencies 
     to combat crimes by polygamist organizations would benefit 
     from enhanced collaboration and information-sharing among 
     such agencies.
       (6) The establishment of a task force within the Department 
     of Justice to coordinate Federal efforts and collaborate with 
     State agencies would aid in the investigation and prosecution 
     of criminal activities of polygamist organizations in both 
     Federal and State courts.
       (7) Polygamist organizations isolate, control, manipulate, 
     and threaten victims with retribution should they ever 
     abandon the organization. Individuals who choose to testify 
     against polygamist organizations in Federal or State court 
     have unique needs, including social services and witness 
     protection support, that warrant Federal assistance.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEDERAL POLYGAMY TASK FORCE.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of Justice a Federal Polygamy Task Force, which 
     shall consist of the Deputy Attorney General, the United 
     States attorneys from affected Federal judicial districts, 
     representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
     Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor, and the 
     Department of Health and Human Services, and any officer of 
     the Federal Government whom the Deputy Attorney General 
     considers necessary to strengthen Federal law enforcement 
     activities and provide State and local law enforcement 
     officials the assistance they need to address the illegal 
     activity of one or more polygamist organizations.
       (b) Purposes.--The Federal Polygamy Task Force established 
     under subsection (a) shall--
       (1) formulate effective responses to the unique set of 
     crimes committed by polygamist organizations;
       (2) establish partnerships with State and local law 
     enforcement agencies to share relevant information and 
     strengthen State and Federal efforts to combat crimes 
     perpetrated by polygamist organizations;
       (3) assist States by providing strategies and support for 
     the protection of witnesses;
       (4) track the criminal behavior of polygamist organizations 
     that cross State and international borders; and
       (5) ensure that local officials charged with protecting the 
     public are not corrupted because of financial, family, or 
     membership ties to a polygamist organization.

     SEC. 4. POLYGAMY VICTIM ASSISTANCE DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.

       The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601 et seq.) 
     is amended by inserting after section 1404E the following:

     ``SEC. 1404F. ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF POLYGAMY.

       ``(a) In General.--The Director may make grants as provided 
     in section 1404(c)(1)(A) to State, tribal, and local 
     prosecutors' offices, law enforcement agencies, courts, 
     jails, and correctional institutions, and to qualified public 
     and private entities, to develop, establish, and maintain 
     programs for the enforcement of rights and provision of 
     social services (including witness protection, housing, 
     education, vocational training, mental health services, child 
     care, and medical treatment) for an individual who is 
     exploited or otherwise victimized by practitioners of 
     polygamy.
       ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to 
     funds made available under section 1402(d), there are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--
       ``(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
       ``(2) $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010, 2011, 
     2012, and 2013.
       ``(c) False Claims Act.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, amounts collected pursuant to sections 3729 
     through 3731 of title 31, United States Code (commonly known 
     as the `False Claims Act'), may be used for grants under this 
     section, subject to appropriation.''.

     SEC. 5. POLYGAMY INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION ASSISTANCE 
                   DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.

       Section 506(a) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3756(a)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) $2,000,000, to be granted by the Attorney General to 
     States and units of local government to investigate and 
     prosecute polygamist organizations that violate Federal, 
     State, or local laws.''.
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