I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1978 

To establish a grant program to empower relatives, friends, and co-workers 

of domestic violence victims to create safety plans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program to empower relatives, friends, 

and co-workers of domestic violence victims to create 

safety plans. 

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 the ‘‘Domestic Violence 

5 Safety Plan Grant Program Act of 2017’’ or as the ‘‘My 

6 Sister’s Keeper Act of 2017’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 The Congress finds as follows: 

9 (1) Approximately 1 in 4 women will experience 

10 domestic violence during her lifetime and every year; 


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1 1 in 3 women who is a victim of homicide is mur2 dered by her current or former partner. 

3 (2) Every year, more than 3 million children 

4 witness domestic violence in their homes and chil5 dren who live in homes where there is domestic vio6 lence also suffer abuse or neglect at high rates. 

7 (3) Children are more likely to intervene when 

8 they witness severe violence against a parent, which 

9 places them at great risk for injury or even death. 

10 (4) Girls who witness domestic violence are 

11 more vulnerable to abuse as teens and adults and 

12 boys who witness domestic violence are more likely 

13 to become adult abusers of their partners, their chil14 dren, or both, thus continuing the cycle of violence 

15 in the next generation. 

16 (5) Most domestic violence incidents are never 

17 reported. 

18 (6) Family members, close friends, co-workers, 

19 and other persons close to a victim of domestic vio20 lence frequently observe things that lead them to 

21 suspect that their loved one or colleague is being 

22 abused but do not feel they possess the knowledge 

23 and skills needed to provide constructive assistance 

24 that can make a real difference in the life of the vic25 tim. 


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1 (7) Domestic violence costs the national econ2 omy more than $37 billion a year in law enforce3 ment involvement, legal work, medical and mental 

4 health treatment, and lost productivity. 

5 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO DISCOURAGE DOMESTIC VIO6 LENCE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall estab8 lish a program to award grants to eligible State and local 

9 governments, educational institutions, and non-profit or10 ganizations to develop, promote, and teach the importance 

11 of the critical role that can be played by relatives, friends, 

12 and co-workers in combating domestic violence. 

13 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

14 are authorized to be appropriated for purposes of the 

15 grant program under this section $5,000,000 for each of 

16 fiscal years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. 

17 (c) SUNSET.—The provisions of this section shall 

18 cease to have effect beginning on the last day of fiscal 

19 year 2022. 

Æ 


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