[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 475 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 475
To require the Attorney General to make competitive grants to State,
Tribal, and local governments to establish and maintain witness
protection and assistance programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2023
Mr. Mfume (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Norton, Ms. Kelly of Illinois,
Mr. Evans, Mr. Carson, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of
Georgia, Ms. Titus, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms.
Jackson Lee, Mr. Trone, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Keating, Mr.
Cohen, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, and Mr. Ruppersberger) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Attorney General to make competitive grants to State,
Tribal, and local governments to establish and maintain witness
protection and assistance programs.
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 ``Witness Security and Protection
Grant Program Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. WITNESS PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``applicant'' means a State, Tribal, or local
government that applies for a grant under this section; and
(2) the terms ``serious drug offense'' and ``serious
violent felony'' have the meaning given those terms in section
3559(c)(2) of title 18, United States Code.
(b) Grants Required.--Subject to subsection (j), the Attorney
General shall make competitive grants to State, Tribal, and local
governments to establish or maintain programs that provide protection
or assistance to witnesses in court proceedings involving--
(1) a homicide, serious violent felony, or serious drug
offense; or
(2) gangs or organized crime.
(c) Criteria.--In making grants under this section, the Attorney
General shall evaluate applicants based upon the following:
(1) The extent to which the applicant lacks infrastructure
to support programs that provide protection or assistance to
witnesses.
(2) The prevalence of witness intimidation in the
jurisdiction of the applicant.
(3) The percentage of cases not prosecuted by the applicant
due to witness intimidation.
(4) The number of homicides per capita committed in the
jurisdiction of the applicant.
(5) The number of serious violent felonies or serious drug
offenses per capita committed in the jurisdiction of the
applicant.
(6) The extent to which organized crime is present in the
jurisdiction of the applicant.
(7) Any other criteria that the Attorney General determines
appropriate.
(d) Technical Assistance.--From amounts made available under
subsection (j) to carry out this section, the Attorney General, upon
request of a recipient of a grant under this section, shall direct the
appropriate offices within the Department of Justice to provide
technical assistance to the recipient to the extent the Attorney
General determines technical assistance is needed to establish or
maintain a program that provides protection or assistance to witnesses.
(e) Best Practices.--
(1) Report.--A recipient of a grant under this section
shall submit to the Attorney General a report, in such form and
manner and containing such information as specified by the
Attorney General, that evaluates each program established or
maintained pursuant to the grant, including policies and
procedures under the program.
(2) Development of best practices.--Based on the reports
submitted under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall
develop best practice models to assist State, Tribal, and local
governments in addressing--
(A) witness safety;
(B) short-term and permanent witness relocation;
(C) financial and housing assistance; and
(D) any other services related to witness
protection or assistance that the Attorney General
determines necessary.
(3) Dissemination to states.--Not later than 1 year after
developing best practice models under paragraph (2), the
Attorney General shall disseminate the models to State, Tribal,
and local governments.
(4) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
State, Tribal, and local governments should use the best
practice models developed and disseminated under this
subsection to evaluate, improve, and develop witness protection
or witness assistance programs as appropriate.
(5) Rule of construction relating to sensitive
information.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
require the dissemination of any information that the Attorney
General determines--
(A) is law enforcement sensitive and should only be
disclosed within the law enforcement community; or
(B) poses a threat to national security.
(f) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of a program
carried out using a grant made under this section shall be not
more than 75 percent.
(2) In-kind contributions.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
non-Federal share for a program carried out using a
grant made under this section may be in the form of in-
kind contributions that are directly related to the
purpose for which the grant was made.
(B) Maximum percentage.--Not more than 50 percent
of the non-Federal share for a program carried out
using a grant made under this section may be in the
form of in-kind contributions.
(g) Administrative Costs.--Of amounts made available to carry out
this section for a fiscal year, the Attorney General may use not more
than 5 percent for administrative costs.
(h) Geographic Distribution.--In making grants under this section,
the Attorney General shall--
(1) to the extent reasonable and practical, ensure an
equitable geographical distribution throughout the United
States of programs that provide protection or assistance to
witnesses; and
(2) give due consideration to applicants from both urban
and rural areas.
(i) Report to Congress.--The Attorney General shall submit a report
to Congress--
(1) not later than December 31, 2024, on the implementation
of this section, including any information on programs funded
by grants made under this section; and
(2) not later than December 31, 2028, on the programs
funded by grants made under this section, including on best
practice models developed under subsection (e)(2).
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2028.
<all>