I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1740 

To allow Homeland Security Grant Program funds to be used to safeguard 

faith-based community centers across the United States, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 27, 2017 

Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico (for herself, Mr. MAST, Ms. 

ROSEN, Mr. KATKO, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of 

New York, Mr. TONKO, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, Mr. EVANS, Mr. 

LANCE, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. PETERS, Ms. FRANKEL of 

Florida, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. 

HASTINGS, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. 

CICILLINE, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, 

Mr. FASO, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. TITUS, Mr. SIRES, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. 

JEFFRIES, Mr. PERLMUTTER, and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, 

and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To allow Homeland Security Grant Program funds to be 

used to safeguard faith-based community centers across 

the United States, 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, 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1740 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Faith-Based Commu3 nity Center Protection Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT 

5 PROGRAM. 

6 Title XX of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 

7 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended— 

8 (1) in section 2001 (6 U.S.C. 601)— 

9 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (6) 

10 through (14) as paragraphs (7) through (15), 

11 respectively; and 

12 (B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the 

13 following: 

14 ‘‘(6) FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY CENTER.—The 

15 term ‘faith-based community center’ means a facility 

16 operated by a nonprofit faith-based community orga17 nization for the provision of recreational, social, or 

18 education services. For purposes of this paragraph, 

19 the term ‘nonprofit’ means an organization described 

20 under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

21 Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 

22 501(a) of such Code.’’; and 

23 (2) in section 2008 (6 U.S.C. 609)— 

24 (A) in subsection (a)— 

25 (i) in paragraph (13), by striking 

26 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1740 IH

1 (ii) by redesignating paragraph (14) 

2 as paragraph (15); and 

3 (iii) by inserting after paragraph (13) 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘(14) protecting faith-based community centers 

6 or vulnerable populations, including children or the 

7 elderly; and’’; and 

8 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

9 ‘‘(g) PROTECTION OF FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY

10 CENTERS AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDS.—Of the 

12 total amount authorized to be appropriated under 

13 paragraph (3) for grants awarded for the purpose 

14 described in subsection (a)(14), the Administrator 

15 shall award— 

16 ‘‘(A) 50 percent for the protection of faith17 based community centers and vulnerable popu18 lations in communities with a population of not 

19 more than 1,000,000 individuals, as determined 

20 by the latest available decennial census; and 

21 ‘‘(B) 50 percent for the protection of faith22 based community centers and vulnerable popu23 lations in communities with a population of 

24 more than 1,000,000 individuals, as determined 

25 by the latest available decennial census. 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1740 IH

1 ‘‘(2) FEDERAL SHARE.— 

2 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of 

3 a grant awarded for the purpose described in 

4 subsection (a)(14) may not exceed 50 percent of 

5 the total cost of a project and the non-Federal 

6 share shall be the remaining percentage of such 

7 total cost. 

8 ‘‘(B) METHOD OF PAYMENT.—The non9 Federal share of project costs under a grant 

10 awarded for the purpose described in subsection 

11 (a)(14) may be paid in cash or in-kind from a 

12 grantee or a nonprofit entity involved with the 

13 project. 

14 ‘‘(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

15 There are authorized to be appropriated 

16 $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2017 to the Adminis17 trator to make grants for the purpose described in 

18 subsection (a)(14).’’. 

19 SEC. 3. FALSE INFORMATION AND HOAXES. 

20 Section 1038(a)(1)(A) of title 18, United State Code, 

21 is amended by striking ‘‘5 years’’ and inserting ‘‘10 

22 years’’. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS