II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 599 

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to aliens 

associated with criminal gangs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2019 

Mr. COTTON (for himself, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. GRASSLEY, 

and Mr. TILLIS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect 

to aliens associated with criminal gangs, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Singh’s Law’’. 

5 SEC. 2. GROUNDS OF INADMISSIBILITY AND DEPORT6 ABILITY FOR ALIEN GANG MEMBERS. 

7 (a) DEFINITION OF GANG MEMBER.—Section 101(a) 

8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

9 1101(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(53) The term ‘criminal gang’ means an ongoing 

2 group, club, organization, or association of 5 or more per3 sons that has as one of its primary purposes the commis4 sion of 1 or more of the following criminal offenses and 

5 the members of which engage, or have engaged within the 

6 past 5 years, in a continuing series of such offenses, or 

7 that has been designated as a criminal gang by the Sec8 retary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the At9 torney General, as meeting these criteria. The offenses de10 scribed, whether in violation of Federal or State law or 

11 foreign law and regardless of whether the offenses oc12 curred before, on, or after the date of the enactment of 

13 this paragraph, are the following: 

14 ‘‘(A) A ‘felony drug offense’ (as defined in sec15 tion 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 

16 U.S.C. 802)). 

17 ‘‘(B) An offense under section 274 (relating to 

18 bringing in and harboring certain aliens), section 

19 277 (relating to aiding or assisting certain aliens to 

20 enter the United States), or section 278 (relating to 

21 importation of alien for immoral purpose). 

22 ‘‘(C)(i) A violent crime for which the term of 

23 imprisonment is at least 1 year, including— 

24 ‘‘(I) any offense that has, as an element, 

25 the use, attempted use, or threatened use of 


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1 physical force against the person or property of 

2 another; or 

3 ‘‘(II) any other offense in which the record 

4 of conviction establishes that the offender used 

5 physical force against the person or property of 

6 another in the course of committing the offense. 

7 ‘‘(ii) The entry or remaining in a building, 

8 structure or habitation, including vehicles and other 

9 movable enclosures, with the intent to commit a 

10 crime therein (commonly known as ‘burglary’). 

11 ‘‘(D) A crime relating to obstruction of justice, 

12 tampering with or retaliating against a person, vic13 tim, or informant, perjury, or subornation of per14 jury. 

15 ‘‘(E) Any conduct punishable under sections 

16 1028 and 1029 of title 18, United States Code (re17 lating to fraud and related activity in connection 

18 with identification documents or access devices), sec19 tions 1581 through 1594 of such title (relating to 

20 peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons), section 

21 1951 of such title (relating to interference with com22 merce by threats or violence), section 1952 of such 

23 title (relating to interstate and foreign travel or 

24 transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises), 

25 section 1956 of such title (relating to the laundering 


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1 of monetary instruments), section 1957 of such title 

2 (relating to engaging in monetary transactions in 

3 property derived from specified unlawful activity), or 

4 sections 2312 through 2315 of such title (relating to 

5 interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles or 

6 stolen property). 

7 ‘‘(F) A conspiracy or attempt to commit an of8 fense described in subparagraphs (A) through (C), 

9 or soliciting, facilitating, or aiding and abetting any 

10 such offense.’’. 

11 (b) INADMISSIBILITY.—Section 212(a)(2) of such Act 

12 (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end 

13 the following: 

14 ‘‘(J) ALIENS ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL

15 GANGS.—Any alien is inadmissible who a con16 sular officer, the Secretary of Homeland Secu17 rity, or the Attorney General knows or has rea18 son to believe— 

19 ‘‘(i) to be, or to have been, a member 

20 of a criminal gang or to have participated 

21 in the activities of a criminal gang, know22 ing or having reason to know that such ac23 tivities will promote, further, aid, or sup24 port the illegal activity of the criminal 

25 gang; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) has been convicted of a mis2 demeanor or a felony in the United 

3 States.’’. 

4 (c) DEPORTABILITY.—Section 237(a)(2) of such Act 

5 (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end 

6 the following: 

7 ‘‘(G) ALIENS ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL

8 GANGS.—Any alien is deportable who— 

9 ‘‘(i) is, or has been, a member of a 

10 criminal gang or has participated in the 

11 activities of a criminal gang, knowing or 

12 having reason to know that such activities 

13 will promote, further, aid, or support the 

14 illegal activity of the criminal gang; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) has been convicted of a mis16 demeanor or a felony in the United 

17 States.’’. 

18 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF CRIMINAL GANGS. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2 of title II of the Immi20 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182) is amended 

21 by inserting after section 219 the following: 

22 ‘‘SEC. 220. DESIGNATION OF CRIMINAL GANG. 

23 ‘‘(a) DESIGNATION.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 

25 Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, 


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1 may designate a group, club, organization, or asso2 ciation of 5 or more persons as a criminal gang if 

3 the Secretary finds that their conduct is described in 

4 section 101(a)(53). 

5 ‘‘(2) PROCEDURE.— 

6 ‘‘(A) NOTIFICATION.—Seven days before 

7 making a designation under this subsection, the 

8 Secretary shall, by classified communication, 

9 notify the Speaker and minority leader of the 

10 House of Representatives, the President pro 

11 tempore, majority leader, and minority leader of 

12 the Senate, and the members of the relevant 

13 committees of the House of Representatives and 

14 the Senate, in writing, of the intent to des15 ignate a group, club, organization, or associa16 tion of 5 or more persons under this subsection 

17 and the factual basis therefor. 

18 ‘‘(B) PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REG19 ISTER.—The Secretary shall publish the des20 ignation in the Federal Register seven days 

21 after providing the notification under subpara22 graph (A). 

23 ‘‘(3) RECORD.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In making a designa2 tion under this subsection, the Secretary shall 

3 create an administrative record. 

4 ‘‘(B) CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.—The 

5 Secretary may consider classified information in 

6 making a designation under this subsection. 

7 Classified information shall not be subject to 

8 disclosure for such time as it remains classified, 

9 except that such information may be disclosed 

10 to a court ex parte and in camera for purposes 

11 of judicial review under subsection (c). 

12 ‘‘(4) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.— 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A designation under 

14 this subsection shall be effective for all purposes 

15 until revoked under paragraph (5) or (6) or set 

16 aside pursuant to subsection (c). 

17 ‘‘(B) REVIEW OF DESIGNATION UPON PE18 TITION.— 

19 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary 

20 shall review the designation of a criminal 

21 gang under the procedures set forth in 

22 clauses (iii) and (iv) if the designated 

23 group, club, organization, or association of 

24 5 or more persons files a petition for revVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Mar 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S599.IS S599

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1 ocation within the petition period described 

2 in clause (ii). 

3 ‘‘(ii) PETITION PERIOD.—For pur4 poses of clause (i)— 

5 ‘‘(I) if the designated group, 

6 club, organization, or association of 5 

7 or more persons has not previously 

8 filed a petition for revocation under 

9 this subparagraph, the petition period 

10 begins 2 years after the date on which 

11 the designation was made; or 

12 ‘‘(II) if the designated group, 

13 club, organization, or association of 5 

14 or more persons has previously filed a 

15 petition for revocation under this sub16 paragraph, the petition period begins 

17 2 years after the date of the deter18 mination made under clause (iv) on 

19 that petition. 

20 ‘‘(iii) PROCEDURES.—Any group, 

21 club, organization, or association of 5 or 

22 more persons that submits a petition for 

23 revocation under this subparagraph of its 

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1 vide evidence in that petition that it is not 

2 described in section 101(a)(53). 

3 ‘‘(iv) DETERMINATION.— 

4 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Not later 

5 than 180 days after receiving a peti6 tion for revocation submitted under 

7 this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 

8 make a determination as to such rev9 ocation. 

10 ‘‘(II) CLASSIFIED INFORMA11 TION.—The Secretary may consider 

12 classified information in making a de13 termination in response to a petition 

14 for revocation. Classified information 

15 shall not be subject to disclosure for 

16 such time as it remains classified, ex17 cept that such information may be 

18 disclosed to a court ex parte and in 

19 camera for purposes of judicial review 

20 under subsection (c). 

21 ‘‘(III) PUBLICATION OF DETER22 MINATION.—A determination made by 

23 the Secretary under this clause shall 

24 be published in the Federal Register. 


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1 ‘‘(IV) PROCEDURES.—Any rev2 ocation by the Secretary shall be 

3 made in accordance with paragraph 

4 (6). 

5 ‘‘(C) OTHER REVIEW OF DESIGNATION.— 

6 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—If in a 5-year pe7 riod no review has taken place under sub8 paragraph (B), the Secretary shall review 

9 the designation of the criminal gang in 

10 order to determine whether such designa11 tion should be revoked pursuant to para12 graph (6). 

13 ‘‘(ii) PROCEDURES.—If a review does 

14 not take place pursuant to subparagraph 

15 (B) in response to a petition for revocation 

16 that is filed in accordance with that sub17 paragraph, then the review shall be con18 ducted pursuant to procedures established 

19 by the Secretary. The results of such re20 view and the applicable procedures shall 

21 not be reviewable in any court. 

22 ‘‘(iii) PUBLICATION OF RESULTS OF

23 REVIEW.—The Secretary shall publish any 

24 determination made pursuant to this sub25 paragraph in the Federal Register. 


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1 ‘‘(5) REVOCATION BY ACT OF CONGRESS.—The 

2 Congress, by an Act of Congress, may block or re3 voke a designation made under paragraph (1). 

4 ‘‘(6) REVOCATION BASED ON CHANGE IN CIR5 CUMSTANCES.— 

6 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may re7 voke a designation made under paragraph (1) 

8 at any time, and shall revoke a designation 

9 upon completion of a review conducted pursu10 ant to subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph 

11 (4) if the Secretary finds that— 

12 ‘‘(i) the group, club, organization, or 

13 association of 5 or more persons that has 

14 been designated as a criminal gang is no 

15 longer described in section 101(a)(53); or 

16 ‘‘(ii) the national security or the law 

17 enforcement interests of the United States 

18 warrants a revocation. 

19 ‘‘(B) PROCEDURE.—The procedural re20 quirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) shall 

21 apply to a revocation under this paragraph. Any 

22 revocation shall take effect on the date specified 

23 in the revocation or upon publication in the 

24 Federal Register if no effective date is specified. 


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1 ‘‘(7) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—The revocation 

2 of a designation under paragraph (5) or (6) shall 

3 not affect any action or proceeding based on conduct 

4 committed prior to the effective date of such revoca5 tion. 

6 ‘‘(b) AMENDMENTS TO A DESIGNATION.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may amend 

8 a designation under this subsection if the Secretary 

9 finds that the group, club, organization, or associa10 tion of 5 or more persons has changed its name, 

11 adopted a new alias, dissolved and then reconsti12 tuted itself under a different name or names, or 

13 merged with another group, club, organization, or 

14 association of 5 or more persons. 

15 ‘‘(2) PROCEDURE.—Amendments made to a 

16 designation in accordance with paragraph (1) shall 

17 be effective upon publication in the Federal Register. 

18 Paragraphs (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8) of sub19 section (a) shall also apply to an amended designa20 tion. 

21 ‘‘(3) ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD.—The adminis22 trative record shall be corrected to include the 

23 amendments as well as any additional relevant infor24 mation that supports those amendments. 


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1 ‘‘(4) CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.—The Sec2 retary may consider classified information in amend3 ing a designation in accordance with this subsection. 

4 Classified information shall not be subject to disclo5 sure for such time as it remains classified, except 

6 that such information may be disclosed to a court ex 

7 parte and in camera for purposes of judicial review 

8 under subsection (c) of this section. 

9 ‘‘(c) JUDICIAL REVIEW OF DESIGNATION.— 

10 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 

11 after publication in the Federal Register of a des12 ignation, an amended designation, or a determina13 tion in response to a petition for revocation, the des14 ignated group, club, organization, or association of 5 

15 or more persons may seek judicial review in the 

16 United States Court of Appeals for the District of 

17 Columbia Circuit. 

18 ‘‘(2) BASIS OF REVIEW.—Review under this 

19 subsection shall be based solely upon the administra20 tive record, except that the Government may submit, 

21 for ex parte and in camera review, classified infor22 mation used in making the designation, amended 

23 designation, or determination in response to a peti24 tion for revocation. 


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1 ‘‘(3) SCOPE OF REVIEW.—The Court shall hold 

2 unlawful and set aside a designation, amended des3 ignation, or determination in response to a petition 

4 for revocation the court finds to be— 

5 ‘‘(A) arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of dis6 cretion, or otherwise not in accordance with 

7 law; 

8 ‘‘(B) contrary to constitutional right, 

9 power, privilege, or immunity; 

10 ‘‘(C) in excess of statutory jurisdiction, au11 thority, or limitation, or short of statutory 

12 right; 

13 ‘‘(D) lacking substantial support in the ad14 ministrative record taken as a whole or in clas15 sified information submitted to the court under 

16 paragraph (2); or 

17 ‘‘(E) not in accord with the procedures re18 quired by law. 

19 ‘‘(4) JUDICIAL REVIEW INVOKED.—The pend20 ency of an action for judicial review of a designation, 

21 amended designation, or determination in response 

22 to a petition for revocation shall not affect the appli23 cation of this section, unless the court issues a final 

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1 ignation, or determination in response to a petition 

2 for revocation. 

3 ‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section— 

4 ‘‘(1) the term ‘classified information’ has the 

5 meaning given that term in section 1(a) of the Clas6 sified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.); 

7 ‘‘(2) the term ‘national security’ means the na8 tional defense, foreign relations, or economic inter9 ests of the United States; 

10 ‘‘(3) the term ‘relevant committees’ means— 

11 ‘‘(A) the Committee on the Judiciary of 

12 the Senate; and 

13 ‘‘(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of 

14 the House of Representatives; and 

15 ‘‘(4) the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 

16 of Homeland Security, in consultation with the At17 torney General.’’. 

18 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

19 for such Act is amended by inserting after the item relat20 ing to section 219 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 220. Designation of criminal gang.’’. 

21 SEC. 4. MANDATORY DETENTION OF CRIMINAL GANG MEM22 BERS. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 236(c)(1) of the Immigra24 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(c)(1)) is amend25 ed— 


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1 (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 

2 the end; 

3 (2) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ‘‘or’’ at 

4 the end; and 

5 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘(E) is inadmissible under section 

8 212(a)(2)(J) or deportable under section 

9 217(a)(2)(G),’’. 

10 (b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than March 1 of 

11 each year (beginning 1 year after the date of the enact12 ment of this Act), the Secretary of Homeland Security, 

13 after consultation with the appropriate Federal agencies, 

14 shall submit a report to the Committees on the Judiciary 

15 of the House of Representatives and of the Senate on the 

16 number of aliens detained under the amendments made 

17 by subsection (a). 

18 SEC. 5. ASYLUM CLAIMS BASED ON GANG AFFILIATION. 

19 (a) INAPPLICABILITY OF RESTRICTION ON REMOVAL

20 TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES.—Section 241(b)(3)(B) of the 

21 Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

22 1251(b)(3)(B)) is amended, in the matter preceding 

23 clause (i), by inserting ‘‘who is described in section 

24 212(a)(2)(J)(i) or section 237(a)(2)(G)(i) or who is’’ after 

25 ‘‘to an alien’’. 


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1 (b) INELIGIBILITY FOR ASYLUM.—Section 

2 208(b)(2)(A) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(2)(A)) (as 

3 amended by section 201 of this Act) is further amended— 

4 (1) in clause (v), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end; 

5 (2) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (vii); 

6 and 

7 (3) by inserting after clause (v) the following: 

8 ‘‘(vi) the alien is described in section 

9 212(a)(2)(J)(i) or section 237(a)(2)(G)(i); 

10 or’’. 

11 SEC. 6. TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS. 

12 Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 

13 (8 U.S.C. 1254a) is amended— 

14 (1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place 

15 such term appears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of 

16 Homeland Security’’; 

17 (2) in subparagraph (c)(2)(B)— 

18 (A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

19 end; 

20 (B) in clause (ii), by striking the period 

21 and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

22 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(iii) the alien is, or at any time has 

24 been, described in section 212(a)(2)(J) or 

25 section 237(a)(2)(G).’’; and 


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1 (3) in subsection (d)— 

2 (A) by striking paragraph (3); and 

3 (B) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end 

4 the following: ‘‘The Secretary of Homeland Se5 curity may detain an alien provided temporary 

6 protected status under this section whenever 

7 appropriate under any other provision of law.’’. 

8 SEC. 7. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE VISAS. 

9 Section 101(a)(27)(J)(iii) of the Immigration and 

10 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)(iii)) is amend11 ed— 

12 (1) in subclause (I), by striking ‘‘and’’; 

13 (2) in subclause (II), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 

14 end; and 

15 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘(III) no alien who is, or at any 

17 time has been, described in section 

18 212(a)(2)(J) or section 237(a)(2)(G) 

19 shall be eligible for any immigration 

20 benefit under this subparagraph;’’. 

21 SEC. 8. PAROLE. 

22 An alien described in section 212(a)(2)(J) of the Im23 migration and Nationality Act, as added by subsection (b), 

24 shall not be eligible for parole under section 212(d)(5)(A) 

25 of such Act unless— 


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1 (1) the alien is assisting or has assisted the 

2 United States Government in a law enforcement 

3 matter, including a criminal investigation; and 

4 (2) the alien’s presence in the United States is 

5 required by the Government with respect to such as6 sistance. 

7 SEC. 9. RONIL SINGH MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE 

8 GRANT PROGRAM. 

9 (a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—From amounts made 

10 available pursuant to subsection (g), the Attorney General, 

11 acting through the Office of Justice Programs, may award 

12 grants to States or units of local government to provide 

13 additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual 

14 support, training, technical assistance, and information 

15 systems for— 

16 (1) combating criminal and youth gangs 

17 through law enforcement measures; and 

18 (2) law enforcement gang-prevention activities. 

19 (b) CERTIFICATION.—A State or unit of local govern20 ment may not receive a grant under this section unless— 

21 (1) the State or local government— 

22 (A) consistently notifies U.S. Immigration 

23 and Customs Enforcement before releasing 

24 criminal aliens who are unlawfully present in 

25 the United States; and 


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1 (B) allows U.S. Immigration and Customs 

2 Enforcement officers to access the detention fa3 cilities of the State or local government for the 

4 purpose of interviewing or taking into custody 

5 an alien described in subparagraph (A); and 

6 (2) the Attorney General determines that the 

7 State or local government has a cooperative relation8 ship with all Federal immigration authorities, in9 cluding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforce10 ment. 

11 (c) PROGRAM ASSESSMENT.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each program using grant 

13 funding authorized under this section shall carry out 

14 a program assessment, which shall be developed con15 sistent with guidelines established by the Attorney 

16 General, in coordination with the National Institute 

17 of Justice. 

18 (2) WAIVER.—The Attorney General may waive 

19 the application of paragraph (1) with respect to a 

20 program that, in the opinion of the Attorney Gen21 eral, is not of sufficient size to justify a full program 

22 assessment. 

23 (d) PROHIBITED USES.—Notwithstanding any other 

24 provision of this Act, funds provided under this section 

25 may not be used, directly or indirectly for— 


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1 (1) security enhancements or any equipment to 

2 any nongovernmental entity that is not engaged in 

3 criminal justice or public safety; or 

4 (2) vehicles (excluding police cruisers), vessels 

5 (excluding police boats), aircraft (excluding police 

6 helicopters), luxury items, real estate, construction 

7 projects (other than penal or correctional institu8 tions), or similar items unless the Attorney General 

9 certifies that extraordinary and exigent cir10 cumstances exist that make such uses essential to 

11 the maintenance of public safety and good order. 

12 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 10 per13 cent of any grant awarded under this section may be used 

14 for costs incurred to administer such grant. 

15 (f) GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY.— 

16 (1) DEFINED TERM.—In this subsection the 

17 term ‘‘unresolved audit finding’’ means an audit re18 port finding in the final audit report of the Inspector 

19 General of the Department of Justice that the 

20 grantee has used grant funds for an unauthorized 

21 expenditure or otherwise unallowable cost that is not 

22 closed or resolved during the 12-month period begin23 ning on the date on which the final audit report is 

24 issued. 

25 (2) AUDIT REQUIREMENT.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the first 

2 day of the first fiscal year beginning after the 

3 date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector 

4 General of the Department of Justice shall— 

5 (i) conduct audits of grant recipients 

6 under this section to prevent waste, fraud, 

7 and abuse of funds by grantees; and 

8 (ii) determine the appropriate number 

9 of grantees to be audited each year. 

10 (B) MANDATORY EXCLUSION.—A grant re11 cipient under this section that has an unre12 solved audit finding shall not be eligible to re13 ceive grant funds under this section during the 

14 first 2 fiscal years beginning after the end of 

15 the 12-month period described in paragraph 

16 (1). 

17 (C) REIMBURSEMENT.—If an entity is 

18 awarded grant funds under this section during 

19 the period during which the entity is barred 

20 from receiving grants under subparagraph (B), 

21 the Attorney General shall— 

22 (i) deposit an amount equal to the 

23 amount of the grant funds that were im24 properly awarded to the grantee into the 

25 General Fund of the Treasury; and 


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1 (ii) seek to recoup the costs of the re2 payment to the fund from the grant recipi3 ent that was erroneously awarded grant 

4 funds. 

5 (D) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under 

6 this section, the Attorney General shall give pri7 ority to eligible applicants that did not have an 

8 unresolved audit finding during the 3 fiscal 

9 years before submitting an application for such 

10 a grant. 

11 (3) CONFERENCE EXPENDITURES.— 

12 (A) LIMITATION.—Amounts appropriated 

13 to the Department of Justice pursuant to sub14 section (g) may not be used by the Attorney 

15 General, or by any individual or entity awarded 

16 discretionary funds through a cooperative 

17 agreement under this section, to host or sup18 port any expenditure for conferences that uses 

19 more than $20,000 in funds made available to 

20 the Department of Justice, unless the Deputy 

21 Attorney General or the appropriate Assistant 

22 Attorney General, Director, or principal deputy 

23 (as designated by the Deputy Attorney General) 

24 provides prior written authorization that the 

25 funds may be expended to host the conference. 


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1 (B) WRITTEN APPROVAL.—Written ap2 proval under subparagraph (A) shall include a 

3 written estimate of all costs associated with the 

4 conference, including the cost of all food, bev5 erages, audio-visual equipment, honoraria for 

6 speakers, and entertainment. 

7 (C) REPORT.—The Deputy Attorney Gen8 eral shall submit an annual report to the Com9 mittee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the 

10 Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 

11 Representatives that details all conference ex12 penditures approved under this paragraph. 

13 (4) ANNUAL CERTIFICATION.—Beginning on 

14 the first day of the first fiscal year after the date 

15 of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General 

16 shall submit an annual certification to the Com17 mittee on the Judiciary of the Senate, the Com18 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Com19 mittee on the Judiciary of the House of Representa20 tives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

21 House of Representatives that— 

22 (A) indicates whether— 

23 (i) all audits conducted by the Office 

24 of the Inspector General pursuant to para25 graph (2) have been completed and reVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Mar 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S599.IS S599

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25 

•S 599 IS

1 viewed by the appropriate Assistant Attor2 ney General or Director; 

3 (ii) all mandatory exclusions required 

4 under paragraph (2)(B) have been issued; 

5 and 

6 (iii) all reimbursements required 

7 under paragraph (2)(C) have been made; 

8 and 

9 (B) includes a list of any grant recipients 

10 excluded under paragraph (2)(B) from the pre11 vious year. 

12 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

13 authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000, for each of 

14 the fiscal years 2020 through 2023, for grants under this 

15 section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this subsection 

16 shall remain available until expended. 

17 SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

18 The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 

19 on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply 

20 to acts that occur before, on, or after the date of the enact21 ment of this Act. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS