A bill to provide grants to support the hiring of law enforcement officers.
Bill: S.2246 | Sponsor: Sen. Hawley, Josh (R-MO)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants for state and local law enforcement agencies to hire and retain law enforcement personnel.

To provide grants to support the hiring of law enforcement officers.

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

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act to increase the number of law enforcement 
officers in the United States by 100,000 to protect families living in 
the United States

SEC. 2. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FUNDING PROGRAM.

    Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(34 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

 ``PART PP--HIRING ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL FOLLOWING THE 
                           COVID-19 PANDEMIC

``SEC. 3061. GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Attorney General may award grants to State 
and local law enforcement agencies to provide additional funding to 
support the hiring and retention of law enforcement personnel and 
augment wages paid to law enforcement personnel.
    ``(b) Limitation on Eligibility.--
            ``(1) In general.--A state or local law enforcement agency 
        shall not be eligible for a grant under this part unless the 
        agency certifies that the agency will hire additional law 
        enforcement personnel to increase the number of law enforcement 
        personnel by 12.5 percent during the 1-year period after 
        receipt of the grant.
            ``(2) Failure to comply with certification.--In the case of 
        a State or local law enforcement agency that receives a grant 
        under this part, and fails to achieve a not less than 12.5 
        percent increase in law enforcement personnel by the end of the 
        1-year period described in paragraph (1), the State or local 
        law enforcement agency may not be eligible for additional grant 
        awards under this part.

``SEC. 3062. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``A State or local law enforcement agency that receives a grant 
under this part shall use the grant to hire or retain law enforcement 
personnel.

``SEC. 3063. APPLICATION.

    ``A State or local law enforcement agency seeking a grant under 
this part shall submit to the Attorney General an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information 
as the Attorney General may reasonably require, including--
            ``(1) the number of law enforcement personnel employed by 
        the agency at the time of the grant application;
            ``(2) a written certification, as described in section 
        3061(b)(1), that the agency will hire additional law 
        enforcement personnel to increase the number of law enforcement 
        personnel by 12.5 percent during the 1-year period after 
        receipt of the grant;
            ``(3) a description of how the agency plans to recruit, 
        hire, and fund the salaries of the law enforcement personnel 
        hired under paragraph (2);
            ``(4) a written certification that the agency shall report 
        to the Attorney General on the date that is 1 year after the 
        date on which the agency receives a grant under this part the 
        number of law enforcement personnel hired during such 1-year 
        period; and
            ``(5) a written certification that the agency shall provide 
        to the Attorney General and the Comptroller General of the 
        United States, upon request, access to any records relating to 
        the receipt and use of a grant under this part.

``SEC. 3064. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General 
$5,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025 to carry out 
this part.''.
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