Title 34NavyRelease 119-73

§20504 Grant program for support of AMBER Alert communications plans

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Protection of Children and Other Persons › Chapter CHAPTER 205— - AMBER ALERT › § 20504

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General must run a grant program that gives money to States and federally recognized Indian tribes to create or improve AMBER Alert communications plans and to link tribal AMBER Alert systems with State systems. Grants can pay for things like education and training, law‑enforcement programs and equipment, new communications technology, connecting State or regional plans with territorial governments or tribes, and other related activities the Attorney General approves. The federal share normally cannot be more than 50%, but the Attorney General can waive that rule for American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or an Indian tribe that cannot meet it. Grants must be fairly spread across U.S. regions and territories. The Attorney General will set application rules and accountability standards. "Indian tribe" means a federally recognized tribe or a Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation (see section 1602 of title 43). Congress authorized $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out this program and another $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b); those funds stay available until spent.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §20504

Navy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Attorney General shall carry out a program to provide grants to States and Indian tribes for—
(1)the development or enhancement of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert communications plans; and
(2)the integration of tribal AMBER Alert systems into State AMBER Alert systems.
(b)Activities funded by grants under the program under subsection (a) may include—
(1)the development and implementation of education and training programs, and associated materials, relating to AMBER Alert communications plans;
(2)the development and implementation of law enforcement programs, and associated equipment, relating to AMBER Alert communications plans;
(3)the development and implementation of new technologies to improve AMBER Alert communications;
(4)the integration of State or regional AMBER Alert communication plans with a territorial government or an Indian tribe; and
(5)such other activities as the Attorney General considers appropriate for supporting the AMBER Alert communications program.
(c)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share of the cost of any activities funded by a grant under this section may not exceed 50 percent.
(2)If the Attorney General determines that American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, or an Indian tribe is unable to comply with the requirement under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall waive such requirement.
(d)The Attorney General shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure the distribution of grants under the program under subsection (a) on an equitable basis throughout the various regions of the United States, including territories of the United States.
(e)The Attorney General shall prescribe requirements, including application requirements, and standards to improve accountability and transparency for grants awarded under the program under subsection (a).
(f)In this section, the term “Indian tribe” means a federally recognized Indian tribe or a Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation (as those terms are defined in section 1602 of title 43).
(g)(1)There is authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Justice $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out this section and, in addition, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b).
(2)Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 5791c of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(c)(1), inserted “a territorial government or” after “with”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(c)(2), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share of the cost of any activities funded by a grant under the program under subsection (a) may not exceed 50 percent. “(2) Waiver of Federal share.—If the Attorney General determines that an Indian tribe does not have sufficient funds available to comply with the Federal share requirement under paragraph (1) for the cost of activities funded by a grant for the purpose described in subsection (b)(4), the Attorney General may increase the Federal share of the costs for such activities to the extent the Attorney General determines necessary.” Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, § 10001(c)(3), inserted “, including territories of the United States” before period at end. 2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(1), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Attorney General shall carry out a program to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert communications plans.” Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(2), added par. (4) and redesignated former par. (4) as (5). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(3), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted heading, substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal” for “The Federal”, and added par. (2). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(4), substituted “and standards to improve accountability and transparency for grants awarded under” for “for grants under”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(6), added subsec. (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g). Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–166, § 2(5), (7), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and, in par. (1), substituted “2019” for “2004” in two places and “paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b)” for “subsection (b)(3)”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 20504

Title 34Navy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73