[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4793-H4798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 918, I call 
up the bill (H.R. 3249) to authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods 
Grant Program, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment 
thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Woodall). The Clerk will designate the 
Senate amendment.
  Senate amendment:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     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

[[Page H4794]]

     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.--The Attorney General shall issue guidance 
     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)Task Forces.--Thirty percent of the amounts made 
     available as grants under the Program each fiscal year shall 
     be granted to Gang Task Forces in regions experiencing a 
     significant or increased presence of criminal or 
     transnational organizations engaging in high levels of 
     violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug 
     trafficking.
       (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 or transnational organization 
     described in subsection (c).

     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.

                            Motion to Concur

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
  The text of the motion is as follows:

       Mr. Goodlatte moves that the House concur in the Senate 
     amendment to H.R. 3249.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 918, the motion 
shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the 
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
  The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3249.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, gangs are a poison in America. They bring violence, 
drugs, and death. They paralyze our communities with flagrant acts of 
violence and flood our neighborhoods with drugs. Gangs tear apart 
families by prematurely taking the lives of sons, daughters, and 
parents.
  Unfortunately, today, some areas of our country have been overrun by 
gang violence. Homicide rates skyrocketed in St. Louis, Baltimore, and 
Chicago in 2016. Compared to the previous 5 years, 2016 represented a 
15.8 percent increase in homicides in St. Louis, a 12.7 percent 
increase in Baltimore, and an 11.4 percent increase in Chicago.
  We must stand up to violent gangs and provide an antidote to their 
poison.
  H.R. 3249 is a vital part of the antidote. This legislation reforms 
and reauthorizes the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program. 
This program operates under four key principles: partnerships, 
strategic planning, training, and outreach.
  First and foremost, the program brings all the important actors 
together. This legislation will foster and improve existing 
partnerships between Federal, State, and local agencies, community 
groups, and researchers.
  Strategic planning is the foundation of the Project Safe 
Neighborhoods program.
  Moreover, H.R. 3249 promotes the robust enforcement of existing 
criminal laws and the development of intervention and prevention 
programs, such as juvenile justice projects and activities, including 
street-level outreach, conflict mediation, and social services. 
Intervention and prevention programs provide extensive training and 
community outreach.
  Furthermore, in relying on localized and contemporaneous data, this 
bill strategically prioritizes a focus on individuals or organizations 
that are responsible for increasing violence in a particular geographic 
area.
  This legislation will ensure that 30 percent of Project Safe 
Neighborhoods funding is allocated to gang task forces in regions 
experiencing a significant or increased presence of violent crime, 
firearm offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
  As a result, critical resources, such as the deployment of law 
enforcement and funding, are put to their best use.
  Altogether, this legislation takes a balanced approach by combining 
enforcement with prevention to combat gang violence in our communities 
across the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, the comprehensive, coordinated, and community-focused 
nature of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program will serve as a key 
part of the antidote to the poisonous effects gangs have on our 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia, Congresswoman 
Barbara Comstock, for taking the lead on this important bill, and I 
urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the chairman is correct: the protection of our 
neighborhoods, the protection of our young people, the securing of our 
schools, the stopping of gun violence, the safeguarding of this Nation, 
are important responsibilities of this Congress, and certainly of the 
Nation itself. So I join with that commitment of safeguarding our 
neighbors and friends and families and our children.
  So I would certainly like to say of the Senate amendment dealing with 
the Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2018, it 
does provide additional resources to help local jurisdictions prevent 
and fight crime in their communities. It would authorize the Attorney 
General to establish and implement a program to be known as the Project 
Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program within the Office of Justice 
Programs at the Department of Justice, thereby providing a formal 
authorization for the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which is 
currently implemented by DOJ. That is an absolutely positive step to 
protect our neighborhoods.
  Thirty percent of the funding awards under this program would be, 
however, allocated to fighting gang-related crime.
  While I support authorizing this program, I would like to highlight 
two major concerns with this Senate amendment.
  First, a substantial portion of the funding under this bill would be 
dedicated to anti-gang task forces. I support preventing and fighting 
crime no matter who the perpetrator may be, but I must caution against 
targeting groups of young people who are not engaged in crime, or who 
are standing around, or who may be, in essence, said to be engaged in 
crime, or may be from particular neighborhoods or ethnicities or 
backgrounds.
  I think all of our children deserve a chance to grow and become 
contributing citizens. I would want to make sure that we get the gangs 
and that we get those who are the deadly ones that are killing and 
maiming, and those names, we know, have been cited, but I also want to 
make sure that we give our children a chance.

[[Page H4795]]

  However, under the current framework, focus is placed on identified 
subsets of individuals or organizations responsible for increasing 
violence. This creates a danger where innocent young people will likely 
become targets, whether by virtue of clothes color or mere acquaintance 
of someone in light of the various talk, if you will, about gangs like 
MS-13, which I will acknowledge are in all of our communities from east 
to west and north to south.
  Let's get the bad guys. Let's make sure we help our children not be 
destined to be the bad guys.
  We must not use law enforcement as a means to target individuals 
based solely on their ethnicity or national origin. Far too often, the 
rhetoric that we are fighting gangs may be laced with bias toward 
difference.
  That is why I wanted to offer an amendment at the Rules Committee to 
the Senate amendment, which would reflect the original provision 
offered by Representative Comstock related to targeting groups. That 
was one that we were able to work with here in the House. That specific 
provision in H.R. 3249 was a much better provision.
  If accepted, my amendment would have ensured that funding be 
allocated justly based on sincere need and not on abuse that may occur 
to demonstrate a significant or increased presence of criminal 
organizations; and, number two, prevent funding being used towards a 
wide range of people that might need help, but labeled as criminal 
groups, rather than the smaller number of people in communities 
responsible, as you will hear law enforcement say, for the majority of 
violent crimes, like concentrated transnational organized crime groups 
as defined by the statute.
  This eliminates the sweeping effect this bill will have in 
application, where groups of people not defined by statute as 
transnational organized crime groups will become targets based on 
possible biases or rhetoric launched at particular classes of people.
  We cannot ignore that unfortunately, in the reality of our times, 
things may go awry. Therefore, in addition to introducing legislation, 
we must be vigilant in conducting oversight of the use of program funds 
and in protecting against such possible abuse.
  Second, I have concerns about the provision of the bill that focuses 
on data-driven intervention. I advocate instead for a robust focus on 
prevention-driven initiatives that will save us an enormous amount of 
money when done effectively.
  That is why I wanted to offer a second amendment which would amend 
the Crime Control Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow for strong emphasis 
on gang prevention programs, which is key to curtailing much of these 
problems. It is imperative to provide front-end mechanisms that would 
prevent the problems that are often costly, resulting in both human 
costs and tax dollars for our prisons.

                              {time}  1415

  This amendment was practical and inexpensive.
  Now, let me clarify something. Data is very important because it 
helps us move toward best practices. But in addition to data, we need 
to be able to use our good sense to talk about intervention, 
prevention, and working with youngsters again, who may be categorized 
as being violent but, instead, may be the right kind of targets for 
intervention and prevention programs.
  This Senate amendment authorizes $50 million for each of the fiscal 
years 2019 to 2021, $150 million. The Senate amendment does not comply 
with House Republican CutGo requirements so that $50 million may be 
authorized for the program for this time.
  I certainly believe where we are trying to help children, we should 
also take that into consideration, particularly with prevention and 
intervention or gang violence and antibullying initiatives. They are 
equally worthy goals.
  Therefore, I urge my colleagues to look further into how we continue 
to work together and to work to monitor this legislation to ensure that 
there is not an adverse impact on individuals clearly because of 
neighborhoods and backgrounds, because that is what America is all 
about: an equal opportunity for particularly our young people, to get 
out of where they are and to be able to surge to be a good and 
contributing citizen.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the Senate amendment to H.R. 3249, 
the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Act of 2017''.
  This Senate amendment would provide additional resources to help 
local jurisdictions prevent and fight crime in their communities.
  It would authorize the Attorney General to establish and' implement a 
program, to be known as the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant 
Program'' (Program), within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the 
Department of Justice (DOJ), thereby providing a formal authorization 
for the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which is currently 
implemented by DOJ.
  Thirty percent of the funding awards under this Program would be 
allocated to fighting gang-related crime. While I support authorizing 
this Program, I would like to highlight two major concerns of this 
Senate amendment.
  First, a substantial portion of the funding under this bill would be 
dedicated to anti-gang task forces. I support preventing and fighting 
crime no matter who the perpetrator may be, but I must caution against 
targeting groups of young people who are not engaged in crime.
  However, under the current framework, focus is placed on ``identified 
subsets of individuals or organizations'' responsible for increasing 
violence. This creates a danger, where innocent young people will 
likely become targets, whether by virtue of clothes color or mere 
acquaintance of someone, in light of the administrations' rhetoric 
around MS-13s. We must not use law enforcement as a means to target 
individuals based solely on their ethnicity or national origin. Far too 
often, the rhetoric of fighting gangs has been laced with racial bias.
  This is why I offered an amendment at Rules to this Senate amendment, 
which would reflect the original provision offered by Rep. Comstock 
relating to targeted groups. That specific provision in H.R. 3249 was a 
much better provision.
  If accepted, my amendment would have:
  1) ensured that funding be allocated justly based on sincere need and 
not on abuse that may occur to demonstrate a ``significant or increased 
presence'' of criminal organizations; and 2) prevented funding being 
used towards a wide range of people that need help but labeled as 
criminal gangs, rather than the small number of people in communities 
responsible for majority of violent crimes, like concentrated 
``transnational organized crime groups'', as defined by statute.
  This eliminates the sweeping effect this bill will have in 
application, where groups of people not defined by statute as 
``transnational organized crime groups'' will become targets based on 
biases and/or rhetoric launched at a particular class of people.
  We cannot ignore that unfortunate reality of current times. 
Therefore, in addition to introducing legislation, we must be vigilant 
in conducting oversight of the use of Program funds and in protecting 
against such possible abuse.
  Second, I have concerns about the provisions of the bill that focus 
on data-driven intervention and I advocate instead, for a robust focus 
on prevention-driven initiatives that will save us enormous amount of 
money when done effectively.
  This is why I offered a 2nd amendment, which would amend the Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to allow for strong emphasis on 
gang prevention programs, which is key to curtailing much of these 
problems. It is imperative to provide front-end mechanisms that would 
prevent the problems that are often costly, resulting in both human 
cost and tax dollars for our prisons. This amendment was practical and 
inexpensive.
  This Senate amendment authorizes $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2019 through 2021, totaling $150,000,000.
  This Senate amendment does not comply with House Republican ``cut-
go'' requirements so that $50 million may be authorized for the Program 
for this time period. I believe prevention and intervention of gang 
violence and anti-bullying are equally worthy goals.
  Therefore, I urge my colleagues to pursue avenues that will not 
adversely impact individuals based solely on their ethnic backgrounds.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not argue against the merit of this Program. It 
would be but one facet of DOJ's efforts to address gun and gang 
violence at the local, state, and tribal levels. We should view it from 
that holistic perspective, and as an effort to supplement but not 
supplant alternatives that may employ different, yet, still-effective 
approaches.
  During the Committee's consideration of the H.R. 3249, we expressed 
these funding concerns, and urged that these funding prohibitions be 
eliminated.
  Today, we also address the concerns in the Senate amendment to H.R. 
3249, which states as a purpose:
  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.''

[[Page H4796]]

  For these reasons, I respectfully request serious consideration of 
these concerns and caution against possible abuse that may occur, which 
will prove counterproductive.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock), the chief sponsor of 
this legislation.
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Members of this 
body to concur with the Senate amendment to my bill, the Project Safe 
Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018, so that we may 
send this bill to the President for his signature.
  I appreciate all the work that Chairman Goodlatte and the committee 
has done and the bipartisan nature in which they have worked with us, 
as well as the administration and the Attorney General.
  This bill will help address the problem of the rise of violence from 
gangs like MS-13 that have threatened my area in Northern Virginia, as 
well as the entire Washington metropolitan region and other places such 
as Long Island, Houston, and Los Angeles. MS-13 is actually active in 
40 States and the District of Columbia, and their goal is to grow.
  Gangs like MS-13 have branched into human trafficking as well as 
drugs and, of course, their murderous rampages. In Virginia, we 
actually, several years ago, increased the penalties on any of these 
gang members involved with human trafficking, so we know we constantly 
need to change how we address these gangs.
  Now, let's just look at some of the recent headlines in The 
Washington Post, our local paper, which they have actually covered the 
violence, the murders, the trials and more of the approximately over 30 
killings over the past several years, and that is the number according 
to the gang task force.
  Here are some of the headlines:
  ``MS-13 Is `Taking Over the School,' One Teen Warned Before She Was 
Killed.''
  ``He Was Flashing Gang Signs on Facebook. It Got Him Killed by MS-
13.''
  ``Heinous and Violent: MS-13's Appeal to Girls Grows as Gang Become 
Americanized.''
  And finally, one: ``She Told the Girl She'd See Her in Hell Before 
Stabbing Her. Now She's Guilty of an MS-13 Murder.''
  That particular murder was detailed about a young woman, Damaris 
Reyes Rivas, and her body was found here, this highway, which is just 
in Springfield, in Virginia, about a dozen, a little over a dozen miles 
here from the Capitol. You can see the MS-13 gang signs here, and that 
is where they left her body.
  At age 12, Damaris was brought to the U.S. by her mom to escape gangs 
in El Salvador. By 15, she was dead, killed by those very gangs, 
numerous gang members, who then sent a video of her killing back to El 
Salvador because that is one of their goals, to show what they have 
done here.
  Just to give you a little detail on this, Fairfax County 
Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh played the videos in court, saying 
he wanted to make clear for the judge the depravity involved in the 
horrific murder of the high school girl. Her mother was in the 
courtroom.
  The prosecutor said: ``Some kids are prodigies at the violin, and 
some kids are prodigies at violence. This is a prodigy at violence.''
  The first video shows Damaris in the Springfield, Virginia, woods, 
being interrogated by the gang members, numerous gang members, all of 
whom were between the ages of 15 and 21. They shout at her as she gets 
up from the snow-dusted ground.
  At one point, they clicked a cigar cutter, threatening her that she 
could lose a finger. They made her take off her shoes and her shirt so 
she could feel how cold it was. They were interrogating her about a 
previous MS-13 murder.
  People were wielding knives, and they could hear, ``Just stick the 
steel in her,'' another one was telling them. They took her away to 
another area, then they took her back into the woods, forcing her to 
crawl through a 3-foot tunnel covered in MS-13 graffiti. Then they 
brutally murdered her, and they left her body, and then they came back 
that night to take the video of the murder to be able to send it back.
  As the prosecutor explained, those videos were taken so some of the 
MS-13 members could send it back to El Salvador to earn a promotion 
within the gang, which requires violence to move up the ranks.
  Now, these are The Washington Post stories, I should add, and they 
also have written stories about how gangs are a problem in our jails. 
This is in Maryland.
  It says: `` `Our incidents every month are predominantly MS-13,' said 
a jail investigator speaking on the condition of anonymity for his 
safety. `They are vying for the control of our jails.' ''
  So there is violence going on in our jails as a result of this also.
  We had another victim, Carlos Otero Hernriquez, in Leesburg, 
Virginia. His body was dumped in a quarry in West Virginia after a 
brutal murder. The acting U.S. attorney for the eastern district of 
Virginia said of the killing: ``The hallmark of MS-13 is extreme 
violence. . . . This brutal kidnapping and murder is a tragic reminder 
of the impact MS-13 has on communities here in Northern Virginia.''
  MS-13 gangs prey on their own community, as the example of this young 
woman.
  Last summer, I went on a ride-along with the Northern Virginia 
Regional Gang Task Force, which is comprised of 13 local, State, and 
Federal law enforcement agencies working together. They are going to 
be--they should be--some of the beneficiaries of the bill here today.
  I do want to assure everyone, they work very carefully with the 
community. What they do is--their projects are to educate, to prevent, 
to work with the children in schools. They have Spanish-speaking 
members of the task force so they can make sure they are working with 
the kids to keep them safe.
  In one case, they had an MS-13 member who was trying to recruit his 
brother to join the gang, and then when his brother would not join the 
gang, they put a hit out on the brother. Fortunately, the gang task 
force was able to intervene, protect that brother, sort of a Cai and 
Abel type of situation. Abel was protected. Cain, we were able to have 
the task force deal with him.

  But what I saw in working with the Task Force is their need for more 
technology, their need for resources. Whenever I talk to them, they 
talk about how they need to be out in the schools, at the fairs.
  At one local fair in Herndon, actually, I believe it was in Mr. 
Connolly's district, the task force told me, at a Labor Day fair, they 
identified up to about 200 suspected gang members, just in there, 
weaving about among the children.
  So when we went on the ride-along with them, in one night, they 
picked up four suspected gang members. One of them turned out to be 
somebody who, at 16 years old, had committed murder in El Salvador; and 
then he had already been deported from the country twice and was now 
back on Sterling Boulevard in Sterling, Virginia, about 25 miles or so 
from the Capitol. There he was, on a Friday evening, as children and 
everyone else were playing around. He was covered with gang signs when 
he lifted up his shirt.
  One of the tools that our gang task force needs more of is a little 
device that looks a lot like an iPad where, when you put the 
fingerprint of that gang member on the pad, his record then came up and 
we could see the entire record, and the gang task force members knew 
who they were dealing with.
  So it is clear that the resurgence of MS-13 is a multifaceted problem 
that needs a multifaceted solution, incorporating efforts from all 
levels of government, law enforcement, and communities. Passing the 
Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Authorization Act of 2018 today, which 
the Senate has now already passed, will really get us back on the path 
to getting the resources that they previously had in our local task 
force.
  They called us today to let us know they aren't even getting the 
money that they used to get. Unfortunately, this was State money that 
they used to get that they aren't getting anymore that the State 
attorney general's office used to provide them, and now they

[[Page H4797]]

aren't getting it. So this is needed more than ever in regions like 
ours.
  I know the gentlewoman in Houston, they have problems there, too, and 
the beauty of this program is they work with those communities that are 
being targeted. They work with those children. They protect them. They 
become their friends. But they also get the MS-13 gang members out.
  Now, we do have another bill that I know the chairman worked with us 
to get out, which would make sure that we don't have MS-13 gang members 
able to get in the country in the first place; and if they are here, we 
can remove them more quickly. That still needs to get through Senate 
passage also.
  But I am pleased that now, today, we have been able to make sure that 
we don't see this proliferating in our communities, this kind of gang 
activity, and to see these gang signs as we are driving home from work, 
going to a soccer game, you know, going to see our kids, and seeing 
that this is going on in our communities. This is something that cannot 
be happening in our communities.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this 
important legislation to protect our communities and combat gang 
violence and provide more safe neighborhoods.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Virginia is absolutely right on our 
commitment to working to protect the children that we don't want to be 
the victims. Certainly, gangs like MS-13 are in many places, and that 
is what my focus is. Those bad guys, those who would do harm, clearly, 
we stand united on.
  At the same time, I want to make sure that those who stumble in have 
alternatives, particularly in this country, to get out of that web. As 
we protect against them and give law enforcement their tools, I want to 
make sure that we give to others to find other ways to move away from 
this so that the bad intent, the murderous intent of those gangs can be 
separated and handled by law enforcement, while other young people have 
other opportunities.
  I might also say that I would hope that the Department of Justice 
will fund this program and, when I say that, Congress will work with us 
to fund other programs of intervention.
  So I might, if I could, engage the chairman in a colloquy. I would be 
eager to hear the gentleman's thoughts on this thought.
  I am concerned that all of the talk of fighting gang violence may be, 
beyond this august Hall, laced with bias, racial bias, ethnicity, et 
cetera. The Senate amendment includes a reference to focusing on 
identified subsets of individuals and organizations responsible for 
increasing violence in a particular geographic area. I might indicate 
that that may be some bad behavior kids.
  Will the gentleman assure me that the intent of this provision 
referring to subsets of individuals is not to encourage or condone the 
targeting of anyone because of their race or national origin and that 
they happen to be in groups?
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.
  This legislation is intended to help our communities fight criminal 
gangs and the violence and mayhem they wreak, and the bill is not 
intended to target anyone because of their race or national origin.

                              {time}  1430

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I just wanted to 
make a concluding comment. We worked together on this. Would the 
gentleman also say that intervention and prevention programs are a 
positive contribution to helping our young people stay away from 
violence?
  Mr. GOODLATTE. If the gentlewoman will continue to yield, yes, I do. 
And I certainly support, at every level of government, making sure that 
we are doing what we can to intervene and get people headed in the 
right direction and avoiding some of those problems in the first place. 
And, certainly, some of that is contained within the programs that are 
funded by this legislation.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly look forward to working 
further with the gentleman on these matters, and I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she 
may consume to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock).
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I think when I was speaking about the 
ride along that I did with the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task 
Force, someone said they thought they heard me say they had picked up 
14 in one night. I just wanted to clarify. If it sounded like 14, I 
meant to say 4. So it was four in one night. Nevertheless, it goes to 
the problem of right in our communities there were four people there 
that they were able to pick up.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Again, let me just say, we have a solid and unified commitment to 
protect our children, our neighborhoods, our families, and to isolate 
violent gangs, some of whom carry the name MS-13, but also to work with 
law enforcement as they work to isolate those violent persons, but help 
find a way to steer other juveniles into a way of redemption, if I 
might utilize that term.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to continue working with the Judiciary Committee 
and my colleagues on that very point. So, Mr. Speaker, I do not argue 
the merit of this program. It would be but one facet of DOJ's efforts 
to address gun and gang violence at the local, State, and Tribal 
levels. We would view it from the holistic perspective and as an effort 
to supplement, but not supplant, alternatives that may employ different 
yet still effective approaches. And that is antibullying, bullying 
intervention, intervention in gang activity, cyberbullying, and 
prevention of gang activities from the perspective that we understand 
in our neighborhoods.
  During the committee's consideration of H.R. 3249, we expressed these 
funding concerns and urged that these fund prohibitions be eliminated. 
What I want to see is other programs continue to be funded that can 
help law enforcement and others on the question of prevention.
  Today, we also address concerns in the Senate amendment to H.R. 3249 
which states as a purpose, developing and executing comprehensive 
strategic plans to reduce violent crimes, including the enforcement of 
gun laws and prioritizing efforts focused on identifying subsets of 
individuals and organizations responsible for increasing violence and 
in a particular geographic area.
  I want to thank the chairman for what I believe is a clarification on 
the record, and we will continue to monitor as we work with our law 
enforcement across the Nation. For these reasons, I am respectfully 
asking that we continue to express our concerns, that we review it, 
that we ensure that the DOJ, as it works through these grants, 
continues to keep our legislative thoughts in mind so that this bill is 
productive and certainly not counterproductive of what we intend to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I again indicate a commitment that all of us have to get 
rid of those who terrorize our neighborhoods through the violence of 
gangs, like MS-13, and save our children who can be saved--which I know 
they can be--in our neighborhoods and throughout the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that I appreciate the bipartisan 
effort that has gone into passing this very important legislation which 
will now go to the President's desk for his signature, and will do a 
lot of good in fighting gang violence and helping young people steer 
toward a better future and a better life.
  Both of those things are the purpose of this legislation. I want to 
especially thank, again, the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock) 
for her long-dedicated work to fighting gang violence and helping our 
young people have better opportunities for the future, not only in 
Virginia, but all across this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H4798]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Palmer). All time for debate has 
expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 918, the previous question is ordered.
  The question is on the motion by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Goodlatte).
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________