[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 161 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9390-H9392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TIFFANY JOSLYN JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017

  Mr. MARINO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 68) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
1968 to reauthorize the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program, 
and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the 
House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.

[[Page H9391]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 68

       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 ``Tiffany Joslyn Juvenile 
     Accountability Block Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 
     2017''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY BLOCK 
                   GRANT PROGRAM.

       Part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 1801(b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``graduated sanctions'' 
     and inserting ``graduated sanctions and incentives'';
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``hiring juvenile court 
     judges, probation officers, and court-appointed defenders and 
     special advocates, and'';
       (C) by striking paragraphs (4) and (7), and redesignating 
     paragraphs (5) through (17) as paragraphs (4) through (15), 
     respectively; and
       (D) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``research-based bullying, cyberbullying, and gang prevention 
     programs'' and inserting ``interventions such as researched-
     based anti-bullying, anti-cyberbullying, and gang prevention 
     programs, as well as mental health services and trauma-
     informed practices'';
       (2) in section 1802--
       (A) in subsection (d)(3), by inserting after 
     ``individualized sanctions'' the following: ``, 
     incentives,'';
       (B) in subsection (e)(1)(B), by striking ``graduated 
     sanctions'' and inserting ``graduated sanctions and 
     incentives''; and
       (C) in subsection (f)--
       (i) in paragraph (2)--

       (I) by inserting after ``A sanction may include'' the 
     following: ``a range of court-approved interventions, such 
     as''; and
       (II) by inserting after ``a fine,'' the following: ``a 
     restorative justice program,''; and

       (ii) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Incentives.--The term `incentives' means 
     individualized, goal-oriented, and graduated responses to a 
     juvenile offender's compliance with court orders and case 
     disposition terms designed to reinforce or modify the skills 
     and behaviors of the juvenile offender. An incentive may 
     include a certificate of achievement, a letter of 
     recommendation, a family or program activity, a meeting or 
     special outing with a community leader, a reduction in 
     community service hours, a reduced curfew or home 
     restriction, a decrease in required court appearances, or a 
     decrease in the term of court-ordered supervision.'';
       (3) in section 1810(a), by striking ``$350,000,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2006 through 2009'' and inserting 
     ``$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022''; 
     and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 1811. GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY.

       ``(a) Definition of Applicable Committees.--In this 
     section, the term `applicable committees' means--
       ``(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
       ``(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives.
       ``(b) Accountability.--All grants awarded by the Attorney 
     General under this part shall be subject to the following 
     accountability provisions:
       ``(1) Audit requirement.--
       ``(A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term `unresolved 
     audit finding' means a finding in the final audit report of 
     the Inspector General of the Department of Justice that the 
     audited grantee has utilized grant funds for an unauthorized 
     expenditure or otherwise unallowable cost that is not closed 
     or resolved within 12 months after the date on which the 
     final audit report is issued.
       ``(B) Audit.--Beginning in the first fiscal year beginning 
     after the date of enactment of this section, and in each 
     fiscal year thereafter, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Justice shall conduct audits of recipients of 
     grants awarded by the Attorney General under this part to 
     prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds by grantees. The 
     Inspector General shall determine the appropriate number of 
     grantees to be audited each year.
       ``(C) Mandatory exclusion.--A recipient of grant funds 
     under this part that is found to have an unresolved audit 
     finding shall not be eligible to receive grant funds under 
     this part during the first 2 fiscal years beginning after the 
     end of the 12-month period described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(D) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, the 
     Attorney General shall give priority to eligible applicants 
     that did not have an unresolved audit finding during the 3 
     fiscal years before submitting an application for a grant 
     under this part.
       ``(E) Reimbursement.--If an entity is awarded grant funds 
     under this part during the 2-fiscal-year period during which 
     the entity is barred from receiving grants under subparagraph 
     (C), the Attorney General shall--
       ``(i) deposit an amount equal to the amount of the grant 
     funds that were improperly awarded to the grantee into the 
     General Fund of the Treasury; and
       ``(ii) seek to recoup the costs of the repayment to the 
     fund from the grant recipient that was erroneously awarded 
     grant funds.
       ``(2) Annual certification.--Beginning in the first fiscal 
     year beginning after the date of enactment of this section, 
     the Attorney General shall submit to the applicable 
     committees an annual certification--
       ``(A) indicating whether--
       ``(i) all audits issued by the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Justice under paragraph (1) have been completed 
     and reviewed by the appropriate Assistant Attorney General or 
     Director;
       ``(ii) all mandatory exclusions required under paragraph 
     (1)(C) have been issued; and
       ``(iii) all reimbursements required under paragraph (1)(E) 
     have been made; and
       ``(B) that includes a list of any grant recipients excluded 
     under paragraph (1) from the previous year.
       ``(c) Preventing Duplicative Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--Before the Attorney General awards a 
     grant to an applicant under this part, the Attorney General 
     shall compare potential grant awards with other grants 
     awarded under this part by the Attorney General to determine 
     if duplicate grant awards are awarded for the same purpose.
       ``(2) Report.--If the Attorney General awards duplicate 
     grants under this part to the same applicant for the same 
     purpose, the Attorney General shall submit to the applicable 
     committees a report that includes--
       ``(A) a list of all duplicate grants awarded under this 
     part, including the total dollar amount of any duplicate 
     grants awarded; and
       ``(B) the reason the Attorney General awarded the duplicate 
     grants.''.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of the Congress that the use of best 
     practices is encouraged for all activities for which grants 
     under part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 may be used.

     SEC. 4. USE OF AMOUNTS MADE AVAILABLE FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
                   JUSTICE, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION TO CARRY OUT 
                   JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

       In each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022, the Attorney 
     General shall use up to $25,000,000 of the amounts made 
     available for Department of Justice, General Administration, 
     to carry out part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control 
     and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee et seq.).


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Marino

  Mr. MARINO. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike all that follows after the enacting clause and 
     insert the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Tiffany Joslyn Juvenile 
     Accountability Block Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 
     2017''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY BLOCK 
                   GRANT PROGRAM.

       Part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 1801(b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``graduated sanctions'' 
     and inserting ``graduated sanctions and incentives'';
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``hiring juvenile court 
     judges, probation officers, and court-appointed defenders and 
     special advocates, and'';
       (C) by striking paragraphs (4) and (7), and redesignating 
     paragraphs (5) through (17) as paragraphs (4) through (15), 
     respectively; and
       (D) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``research-based bullying, cyberbullying, and gang prevention 
     programs'' and inserting ``interventions such as researched-
     based anti-bullying, anti-cyberbullying, and gang prevention 
     programs, as well as mental health services and trauma-
     informed practices'';
       (2) in section 1802--
       (A) in subsection (d)(3), by inserting after 
     ``individualized sanctions'' the following: ``, 
     incentives,'';
       (B) in subsection (e)(1)(B), by striking ``graduated 
     sanctions'' and inserting ``graduated sanctions and 
     incentives''; and
       (C) in subsection (f)--
       (i) in paragraph (2)--

       (I) by inserting after ``A sanction may include'' the 
     following: ``a range of court-approved interventions, such 
     as''; and
       (II) by inserting after ``a fine,'' the following: ``a 
     restorative justice program,''; and

       (ii) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Incentives.--The term `incentives' means 
     individualized, goal-oriented, and graduated responses to a 
     juvenile offender's compliance with court orders and case 
     disposition terms designed to reinforce or modify the skills 
     and behaviors of the juvenile offender. An incentive may 
     include a certificate of achievement, a letter of 
     recommendation, a family or program activity, a meeting or 
     special outing with a community leader, a reduction in 
     community service hours, a reduced curfew or home 
     restriction, a decrease in required court appearances, or a 
     decrease in the term of court-ordered supervision.'';
       (3) in section 1810(a), by striking ``$350,000,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2006 through 2009'' and inserting 
     ``$30,000,000 for fiscal year 2020''; and

[[Page H9392]]

       (4) by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 1811. GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY.

       ``(a) Definition of Applicable Committees.--In this 
     section, the term `applicable committees' means--
       ``(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
       ``(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives.
       ``(b) Accountability.--All grants awarded by the Attorney 
     General under this part shall be subject to the following 
     accountability provisions:
       ``(1) Audit requirement.--
       ``(A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term `unresolved 
     audit finding' means a finding in the final audit report of 
     the Inspector General of the Department of Justice that the 
     audited grantee has utilized grant funds for an unauthorized 
     expenditure or otherwise unallowable cost that is not closed 
     or resolved within 12 months after the date on which the 
     final audit report is issued.
       ``(B) Audit.--Beginning in the first fiscal year beginning 
     after the date of enactment of this section, and in each 
     fiscal year thereafter, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Justice shall conduct audits of recipients of 
     grants awarded by the Attorney General under this part to 
     prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds by grantees. The 
     Inspector General shall determine the appropriate number of 
     grantees to be audited each year.
       ``(C) Mandatory exclusion.--A recipient of grant funds 
     under this part that is found to have an unresolved audit 
     finding shall not be eligible to receive grant funds under 
     this part during the first 2 fiscal years beginning after the 
     end of the 12-month period described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(D) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, the 
     Attorney General shall give priority to eligible applicants 
     that did not have an unresolved audit finding during the 3 
     fiscal years before submitting an application for a grant 
     under this part.
       ``(E) Reimbursement.--If an entity is awarded grant funds 
     under this part during the 2-fiscal-year period during which 
     the entity is barred from receiving grants under subparagraph 
     (C), the Attorney General shall--
       ``(i) deposit an amount equal to the amount of the grant 
     funds that were improperly awarded to the grantee into the 
     General Fund of the Treasury; and
       ``(ii) seek to recoup the costs of the repayment to the 
     fund from the grant recipient that was erroneously awarded 
     grant funds.
       ``(2) Annual certification.--Beginning in the first fiscal 
     year beginning after the date of enactment of this section, 
     the Attorney General shall submit to the applicable 
     committees an annual certification--
       ``(A) indicating whether--
       ``(i) all audits issued by the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Justice under paragraph (1) have been completed 
     and reviewed by the appropriate Assistant Attorney General or 
     Director;
       ``(ii) all mandatory exclusions required under paragraph 
     (1)(C) have been issued; and
       ``(iii) all reimbursements required under paragraph (1)(E) 
     have been made; and
       ``(B) that includes a list of any grant recipients excluded 
     under paragraph (1) from the previous year.
       ``(c) Preventing Duplicative Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--Before the Attorney General awards a 
     grant to an applicant under this part, the Attorney General 
     shall compare potential grant awards with other grants 
     awarded under this part by the Attorney General to determine 
     if duplicate grant awards are awarded for the same purpose.
       ``(2) Report.--If the Attorney General awards duplicate 
     grants under this part to the same applicant for the same 
     purpose, the Attorney General shall submit to the applicable 
     committees a report that includes--
       ``(A) a list of all duplicate grants awarded under this 
     part, including the total dollar amount of any duplicate 
     grants awarded; and
       ``(B) the reason the Attorney General awarded the duplicate 
     grants.''.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of the Congress that the use of best 
     practices is encouraged for all activities for which grants 
     under part R of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 may be used.

     SEC. 4. EMERGENCY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE.

       Section 609Y(a) of the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (34 
     U.S.C. 50112(a)) is amended by striking ``September 30, 
     2021'' and inserting ``September 30, 2023''.

  Mr. MARINO (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
to dispense with the reading of the amendment.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

                          ____________________