[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 35 (Thursday, March 3, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3424. Mrs. SHAHEEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 524, to authorize the Attorney General to award 
grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse 
and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. COMBAT HEROIN EPIDEMIC AND BACKLOG ACT.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Combat 
     Heroin Epidemic and Backlog Act of 2016''.
       (b) Confronting the Use of Heroin and Associated Drugs.--
     Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
     1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

     ``PART LL--CONFRONTING THE USE OF HEROIN AND ASSOCIATED DRUGS

     ``SEC. 3021. AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC 
                   SAFETY AND HEROIN DISTRIBUTION, SALE, AND USE.

       ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to assist 
     States and Indian tribes to--
       ``(1) carry out programs to address the distribution, sale, 
     and use of heroin, fentanyl, and associated synthetic drugs; 
     and
       ``(2) improve the ability of State, tribal, and local 
     government institutions to carry out such programs.
       ``(b) Grant Authorization.--The Attorney General, through 
     the Bureau of Justice Assistance, may make grants to States 
     and Indian tribes to address the distribution, sale, and use 
     of heroin, fentanyl, and associated synthetic drugs to 
     enhance public safety.
       ``(c) Grant Projects To Address Distribution, Sale, and Use 
     of Heroin, Fentanyl, and Associated Synthetic Drugs.--Grants 
     made under subsection (b) may be used for programs, projects, 
     and other activities to--
       ``(1) reimburse State, local, or other public crime 
     laboratories and medical examiners to help address backlogs 
     of untested samples of heroin, fentanyl, and associated 
     synthetic drugs as well as associated toxicology testing;
       ``(2) reimburse State, local, or other public crime 
     laboratories and medical examiners for procuring equipment, 
     technology, or other support systems if the applicant for the 
     grant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Attorney 
     General that expenditures for such purposes would result in 
     improved efficiency of laboratory testing and help prevent 
     future backlogs;
       ``(3) reimburse State, tribal, and local law enforcement 
     agencies for procuring field-testing equipment for use in the 
     identification or detection of heroin, fentanyl, and 
     associated synthetic drugs;
       ``(4) investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals 
     violating laws related to the distribution or sale of heroin, 
     fentanyl, and associated synthetic drugs; and
       ``(5) support State, tribal, and local health department 
     services deployed to address the use of heroin, fentanyl, and 
     associated synthetic drugs.
       ``(d) Limitation.--Not less than 60 percent of the amounts 
     made available to carry out this section shall be awarded for 
     the purposes under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (c).
       ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019.
       ``(f) Allocation.--
       ``(1) Population allocation.--Seventy-five percent of the 
     amount made available to carry out this section in a fiscal 
     year shall be allocated to each State that meets the 
     requirements of section 2802 so that each State shall receive 
     an amount that bears the same ratio to the 75 percent of the 
     total amount made available to carry out this section for 
     that fiscal year as the population of the State bears to the 
     population of all States.
       ``(2) Discretionary allocation.--
       ``(A) In general.--Twenty-five percent of the amount made 
     available to carry out this section in a fiscal year shall be 
     allocated pursuant to the Attorney General's discretion for 
     competitive awards to States and Indian tribes.
       ``(B) Considerations.--In making awards under subparagraph 
     (A), the Attorney General shall consider--
       ``(i) the average annual number of part 1 violent crimes 
     reported by each State to the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
     for the 3 most recent calendar years for which data is 
     available; and
       ``(ii) the existing resources and current needs of the 
     potential grant recipient.
       ``(3) Minimum requirement.--Each State shall receive not 
     less than 0.6 percent of the amount made available to carry 
     out this section in each fiscal year.
       ``(4) Certain territories.--
       ``(A) In general.--For purposes of the allocation under 
     this section, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands shall be considered as 1 State.
       ``(B) Allocation amongst certain territories.--For purposes 
     of subparagraph (A), 67 percent of the amount allocated shall 
     be allocated to American Samoa and 33 percent shall be 
     allocated to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands.''.
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