Should $50 Million in Annual Grants Help States & Cities to Combat Gangs? (H.R. 3249)

What is H.R. 3249?

(Updated November 16, 2018)

This bill was enacted on June 18, 2018

This bill would authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Block Grant Program to provide $50 million in annual grants over the 2018-2020 period that’d aim to help federal, state, and local agencies for combat gang crime and developing prevention initiatives, like community outreach. Of the total funding, 30 percent would go to regional task forces in areas with a significant or increased presence of gangs and localities. Localities receiving grants would be given the greatest practical flexibility to focus funds on problems they’ve identified. The PSN program — which has previously been authorized under other grant programs — would become a standalone grant program.

Argument in favor

This bipartisan bill will provide resources local gang task forces they need to counteract and prevent gang violence and activity in their communities.

Argument opposed

This bill is well-intended, but it doesn’t do enough to ensure that the anti-gang task forces getting grants don’t enforce racially biased policies.

Impact

Law enforcement agencies that’d receive grants under the PSN program; the communities they serve; and the Dept. of Justice.

Cost of H.R. 3249

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost $130 million over the 2018-2020 period.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) introduced this bill to curb the rise in gang activity and violence by authorizing the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant program to give local law enforcement agencies grants to combat gangs:

“I have seen firsthand the good work that gang task forces can do to remove the gang threats in our community. They are an important tool in crime prevention, and this legislation will make sure they have the tools they need to take on violent gangs like MS-13. The Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act will help steer federal funding toward frontline regional gang task forces like the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. The community policing involved with the Regional Gang Task Force includes officers who speak Spanish, understand gang culture, and are familiar with these communities. ICE officials complement these efforts by removing the dangerous members, allowing the Task Force to work in our highest risk schools on gang prevention and education.”

House Democrats expressed reservations about this bill despite supporting its authorization, writing in its committee report:

“We support preventing and fighting crime no matter who the perpetrator may be, but we must be careful to avoid targeting groups of young people who are not engaged in crime, and also avoid using law enforcement as a means to target anyone because of their ethnicity or national origin. Too often, the rhetoric of fighting gangs has been laced with racial bias. We cannot ignore that unfortunate reality of current times. Therefore, we must be vigilant in conducting oversight of Program funds and in protecting against such possible abuse.”

This legislation passed the House Judiciary Committee and the House as a whole on voice votes before being amended and passed by a voice vote in the Senate. It has the support of two cosponsors, both of whom are Republicans.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) Press Release
  
• Republican Policy Committee
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Ripon Advance