[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1652 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1652
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To deposit certain funds into the Crime Victims Fund, to waive matching
requirements, and for other purposes.
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 ``VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime
Victims Fund Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE FIX OF CRIME VICTIMS FUND AND COMPENSATION.
(a) Crime Victims Fund.--Section 1402 of the Victims of Crime Act
of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 20101) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (5)(B), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(6) any funds that would otherwise be deposited in the
general fund of the Treasury collected pursuant to--
``(A) a deferred prosecution agreement; or
``(B) a non-prosecution agreement.''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``Director'' and
inserting ``Director, except that renewals and extensions
beyond that period may be granted at the discretion of the
Attorney General''.
(b) Crime Victim Compensation.--Section 1403 of the Victims of
Crime Act of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 20102) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``40 percent in
fiscal year 2002 and of 60 percent in subsequent fiscal
years'' and inserting ``75 percent'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``of 40 percent
in fiscal year 2002 and of 60 percent in subsequent
fiscal years'';
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph
(4); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following
new paragraph:
``(3) For the purposes of calculating amounts awarded in
the previous fiscal year under this subsection, the Director
shall not require eligible crime victim compensation programs
to deduct recovery costs or collections from restitution or
from subrogation for payment under a civil lawsuit.'';
(2) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ``authorities;'' and
inserting ``authorities, except if a program determines such
cooperation may be impacted due to a victim's age, physical
condition, psychological state, cultural or linguistic
barriers, or any other health or safety concern that
jeopardizes the victim's wellbeing;''; and
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(5) the term `recovery costs' means expenses for
personnel directly involved in the recovery efforts to obtain
collections from restitution or from subrogation for payment
under a civil law suit.''.
SEC. 3. WAIVER OF MATCHING REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Section 1404(a) of the Victims of Crime Act of
1984 (34 U.S.C. 20103(a)) is amended by inserting at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(7)(A) Each chief executive may waive a matching
requirement imposed by the Director, in accordance with
subparagraph (B), as a condition for the receipt of funds under
any program to provide assistance to victims of crimes
authorized under this chapter. The chief executive shall report
to the Director the approval of any waiver of the matching
requirement.
``(B) Each chief executive shall establish and make public,
a policy including--
``(i) the manner in which an eligible crime victim
assistance program can request a match waiver;
``(ii) the criteria used to determine eligibility
of the match waiver; and
``(iii) the process for decision making and
notifying the eligible crime victim assistance program
of the decision.''.
(b) National Emergency Waiver.--Section 1404(a) of the Victims of
Crime Act of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 20103(a)), as amended by subsection (a),
is further amended by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:
``(8) Beginning on the date a national emergency is
declared under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.) with respect to a pandemic and ending on the date that is
one year after the date of the end of such national emergency,
each chief executive shall issue waivers for any matching
requirement, in its entirety, for all eligible crime victim
assistance programs contracted to provide services at that
time.''.
SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Passed the House of Representatives March 17, 2021.
Attest:
Clerk.
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1652
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To deposit certain funds into the Crime Victims Fund, to waive matching
requirements, and for other purposes.