Kaptur Votes to Increase Federal Funding for Local Law Enforcement

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) released the following statement after the House passed four comprehensive bills to deliver new federal funding and resources to local law enforcement officers and agencies across the country. The bills will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.

Today, the House passed four comprehensive bills to deliver new federal funding and resources to law enforcement officers and agencies across the country to aid in hiring, recruitment, training, mental health services, and more. The bills also fund programs for job training and workforce programs for youth as well as support for victims of violence.

The four bills – H.R. 6448 – Invest to Protect Act; H.R. 5768 – VICTIM Act; H.R. 4118 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act; and H.R. 8542 – Mental Health Justice Act – build on previous federal funding for local law enforcement that Rep. Kaptur delivered through the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021.

“Our law enforcement officers have difficult jobs. It’s our responsibility to deliver the funding and resources they need,” said Rep. Kaptur. “I will always have the backs of the men and women who put on the badge and wear the uniform. This new federal funding will allow us to put more officers on the street, keep our communities safe, and tackle the root causes of violence.”

Highlights of the comprehensive law enforcement funding bills

• H.R. 6448 – Invest to Protect Act: Creates a grant program to help ensure that police departments in small towns and communities with fewer than 125 officers have the resources and training they need by providing funding to these small law enforcement agencies for training, recruiting, and retaining officers and providing mental health resources to their officers
• H.R. 5768 – VICTIM Act: Creates a grant program to help state and local law enforcement agencies improve their clearance rates for homicides and non-fatal shootings as well as for police to address the needs of victims and their family members
• H.R. 4118 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act: Authorizes federal grants to communities for evidence-based community violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence through job training and work opportunities for youth in communities impacted by violence
• H.R. 8542 – Mental Health Justice Act: Creates a grant program for states and local governments to hire, train, and dispatch mental health professionals when responding to 911 calls due to a mental health crisis

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For more information, contact Chris Dalton at chris.dalton@mail.house.gov.