[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.
____________________