I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5846 
To authorize the Attorney General to award grants to eligible entities to 
prevent or alleviate community violence by providing education, men-
toring, and counseling services to children, adolescents, teachers, families, 
and community leaders on the principles and practice of nonviolence. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2016 
Mr. LEWIS (for himself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BROWN of 
Florida, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. COHEN, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS 
of Illinois, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 
GUTIE´RREZ, Ms. HAHN, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. JACKSON
LEE, Mr. 
JEFFRIES, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PLASKETT, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
SERRANO, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CARSON of In-
diana, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Attorney General to award grants to eligible 
entities to prevent or alleviate community violence by 
providing education, mentoring, and counseling services 
to children, adolescents, teachers, families, and commu-
nity leaders on the principles and practice of nonviolence. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Jul 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5846.IH
H5846
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing American 
Families by Educating and Training You (SAFETY) 
Through Nonviolence Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The concept and practice of nonviolent 
thoughts, words, and actions have a history and a 
legacy in the United States and the global commu-
nity. 
(2) In the 19th century, American philosophers 
and authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry 
David Thoreau were leaders of the transcendentalist 
philosophical movement which emphasized the poten-
tial good of humanity, the importance of truth, and 
the courage and power of peace. 
(3) In the early 20th century, Mohandas (Ma-
hatma) Gandhi advanced the concepts and practices 
of ahimsa, or non-injury, and satya, or truth as inte-
gral to social and active concepts and practices. 
(4) Gandhi continued Thoreau’s ideas of Civil 
Disobedience in developing the doctrine of satyagra-
ha which connects truth and nonviolence to active ef-
forts in nonviolent, civil disobedience. 
(5) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., built upon 
these philosophies in developing six principles of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Jul 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5846.IH
H5846
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
nonviolence. He explained these to be a way of life 
which sought to build friendships and under-
standing, defeat injustice, accept suffering as a way 
to educate and transform, and to choose love instead 
of hate. Nonviolence’s strength is reinforced by the 
universe siding with justice. 
(6) Rev. James E. Lawson, Jr., a leading theo-
rist and strategist, helped spread the philosophy and 
doctrine of nonviolence by organizing and teaching 
workshops to young activists during the American 
Civil Rights Movement. 
(7) During his presidency, Nelson Rolihlahla 
Mandela expanded the spirit of ubuntu, the African 
philosophy of the interconnectedness, caring, shar-
ing, and harmony of humanity, throughout the 
world. 
(8) According to the 2016 Global Peace Index, 
violence cost $13,600,000,000 in 2015. The fiscal 
loss resulting from conflict greatly exceeds invest-
ments in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. 
(9) Given its proven success and evolution, the 
philosophy and doctrine of nonviolence can and 
should play an important role in breaking the cycle 
and reducing the frequency of violence throughout 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Jul 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5846.IH
H5846
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
the United States and as a model to the global com-
munity. 
(10) These lessons, principles, and practices 
should be made available to Americans of all ages 
and backgrounds in all parts of the country. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO EDUCATE AMERICANS ABOUT THE 
PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Attorney General may make 
grants to eligible entities to prevent or alleviate the effects 
of community violence by providing education, mentoring, 
and counseling regarding the principles and application of 
nonviolence in conflict resolution. 
(b) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Attorney General shall give priority to applicants 
that agree to use the grant in one or more eligible urban, 
rural, tribal, and suburban communities that can certify— 
(1) an increased or sustained level of violence or 
tension in the community; or 
(2) a lack of monetary or other resources to 
adopt innovative, integrated, community-based vio-
lence prevention programs. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Attorney General may not 
make a grant to an eligible entity under this section unless 
the entity agrees to use not less than 70 percent of such 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Jul 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5846.IH
H5846
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
grant for nonviolence-prevention education and program 
development. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘eligible 
entity’’ means a State or local government entity (includ-
ing law enforcement), educational institution, nonprofit 
community, or faith-based organization. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$60,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2017 through 
2022. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:43 Jul 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5846.IH
H5846
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS