[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3582-S3583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     STRONG COMMUNITIES ACT OF 2023

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 87, S. 
994.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 994) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grants funds may be 
     used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or 
     academies if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law 
     enforcement agencies in their communities.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on the Judiciary, with 
amendments, as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are in boldfaced 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are in 
italic.)

                                 S. 994

       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 ``Strong Communities Act of 
     2023''.

     SEC. 2. STRONG COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.

       Section 1701 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381) is amended --
       [(1) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and
       [(2) by [inserting after subsection (l)] adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``([m]o) COPS Strong Communities Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(i) an institution of higher education, as defined in 
     section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1001), that, in coordination or through an agreement with a 
     local law enforcement agency, offers a law enforcement 
     training program; or
       ``(ii) a local law enforcement agency that offers a law 
     enforcement training program.
       ``(B) Local law enforcement agency.--The term `local law 
     enforcement agency' means an agency of a State, unit of local 
     government, or Indian Tribe that is authorized by law or by a 
     government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, 
     detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of 
     criminal law.
       ``(2) Grants.--The Attorney General may use amounts 
     otherwise appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal 
     year (beginning with fiscal year 2023) to make competitive 
     grants to local law enforcement agencies to be used for 
     officers and recruits to attend law enforcement training 
     programs at eligible entities if the officers and recruits 
     agree to serve in law enforcement agencies in their 
     communities.
       ``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant through a 
     local law enforcement agency under this subsection, each 
     officer or recruit described in paragraph (2) shall--
       ``(A) serve as a full-time law enforcement officer for a 
     total of not fewer than 4 years during the 8-year period 
     beginning on the date on which the officer or recruit 
     completes a law enforcement training program for which the 
     officer or recruit receives benefits;
       ``(B) complete the service described in subparagraph (A) in 
     a local law enforcement agency located within--
       ``(i) 7 miles of the residence of the officer or recruit 
     where the officer or recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 
     years; or
       ``(ii) if the officer or recruit resides in a county with 
     fewer than 150,000 residents, within 20 miles of the 
     residence of the officer or recruit where the officer or 
     recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 years; and
       ``(C) submit to the eligible entity providing a law 
     enforcement training program to the officer or recruit 
     evidence of employment of the officer or recruit in the form 
     of a certification by the chief administrative officer of the 
     local law enforcement agency where the officer or recruit is 
     employed.
       ``(4) Repayment.--
       ``(A) In general.--If an officer or recruit does not 
     complete the service described in paragraph (3), the officer 
     or recruit shall submit to the local law enforcement agency 
     an amount equal to any benefits the officer or recruit 
     received through the local law enforcement agency under this 
     subsection.
       ``(B) Regulations.--The Attorney General shall promulgate 
     regulations that establish categories of extenuating 
     circumstances under which an officer or recruit may be 
     excused from repayment under subparagraph (A).''.

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I further ask unanimous consent that the committee-
reported amendments be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendments were agreed to.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall the bill pass?
  The bill (S. 994), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                 S. 994

       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 ``Strong Communities Act of 
     2023''.

     SEC. 2. STRONG COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.

       Section 1701 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(o) COPS Strong Communities Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(i) an institution of higher education, as defined in 
     section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1001), that, in coordination or through an agreement with a 
     local law enforcement agency, offers a law enforcement 
     training program; or
       ``(ii) a local law enforcement agency that offers a law 
     enforcement training program.
       ``(B) Local law enforcement agency.--The term `local law 
     enforcement agency' means an agency of a State, unit of local 
     government, or Indian Tribe that is authorized by law or by a 
     government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, 
     detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of 
     criminal law.
       ``(2) Grants.--The Attorney General may use amounts 
     otherwise appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal 
     year (beginning with fiscal year 2023) to make competitive 
     grants to local law enforcement agencies to be used for 
     officers and recruits to attend law enforcement training 
     programs at eligible entities if the officers and recruits 
     agree to serve in law enforcement agencies in their 
     communities.
       ``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant through a 
     local law enforcement agency under this subsection, each 
     officer or recruit described in paragraph (2) shall--
       ``(A) serve as a full-time law enforcement officer for a 
     total of not fewer than 4 years during the 8-year period 
     beginning on the date on which the officer or recruit 
     completes a law enforcement training program for which the 
     officer or recruit receives benefits;
       ``(B) complete the service described in subparagraph (A) in 
     a local law enforcement agency located within--
       ``(i) 7 miles of the residence of the officer or recruit 
     where the officer or recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 
     years; or
       ``(ii) if the officer or recruit resides in a county with 
     fewer than 150,000 residents, within 20 miles of the 
     residence of the officer or recruit where the officer or 
     recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 years; and
       ``(C) submit to the eligible entity providing a law 
     enforcement training program to the officer or recruit 
     evidence of employment of the officer or recruit in the form 
     of a certification by the chief administrative officer of the 
     local law enforcement agency where the officer or recruit is 
     employed.
       ``(4) Repayment.--
       ``(A) In general.--If an officer or recruit does not 
     complete the service described in paragraph (3), the officer 
     or recruit shall submit to the local law enforcement agency 
     an amount equal to any benefits the officer or recruit 
     received through the local law enforcement agency under this 
     subsection.
       ``(B) Regulations.--The Attorney General shall promulgate 
     regulations that establish categories of extenuating 
     circumstances under which an officer or recruit may be 
     excused from repayment under subparagraph (A).''.


[[Page S3583]]


  

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask that the motion to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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