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119-hr-8746119th Congress

VICTIM Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

Introduced

Summary

A federal grant program to boost clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes would create funding, training, technology upgrades, and victim-support requirements to help State, Tribal, and local law enforcement solve violent crimes more effectively.

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  • Law enforcement agencies would be able to get grants for hiring, training, forensic testing, evidence processing, and upgraded investigative technology to improve homicide and firearm-related case clearance.
  • Victims and families would gain stronger access to services paid for by grants, including emergency needs, medical and counseling support, legal help, trauma-informed interviewing, and language and disability access.
  • The program would be funded at $60 million per year from 2027 through 2031 and would reserve at least 5 percent each year for Tribal agencies and 5 percent for rural agencies. Grant recipients must submit annual reports, the National Institute of Justice must evaluate practices every two years, and the Department of Justice Inspector General must audit recipients annually.

*Authorizes $60 million per year for fiscal years 2027–2031 for the grant program, creating an annual federal outlay at that level if funds are appropriated.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Grants for investigators and victims

If enacted, grant money could pay to hire, train, retain, and deploy investigators and forensic staff and to buy investigative and evidence-processing technology. Grants would also be allowed to pay for victim-centered services such as emergency food, housing, clothing, travel, medical and counseling services, legal help, and compensation, plus language and disability access and trauma-informed practices. Grant funds would have to supplement, not supplant, other Federal or non-Federal funds. Agencies hiring investigative personnel would need to make a good faith effort to check prior disciplinary records using the National Decertification Index (and other available accountability databases) or by requesting prior personnel records.

New grants to improve investigations

If enacted, the Attorney General would create a COPS grant program within 180 days to help State, Tribal, and local law enforcement improve homicide and firearm-related clearance rates. The bill would authorize $60 million each year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the program. Each year at least 5% of the annual funds would be reserved for Tribal agencies and at least 5% would be reserved for rural agencies. Eligible State, Tribal, or local law enforcement agencies (or groups of such agencies) would apply for these grants.

Definitions for clearance and metrics

If enacted, the bill would define key terms used in the program. "Clearance by arrest" would mean arrest of at least one person, charging, and referral for prosecution (or juvenile citation). "Clearance by exception" would mean identifying a suspect with enough evidence but an outside circumstance prevents arrest or charge. The bill would define "clearance rate" as offenses cleared divided by offenses reported and define eligible entities and "rural" using OMB metropolitan area rules.

Streamlined applications and audits

If enacted, the Attorney General would report within 60 days on a streamlined application that an eligible agency could complete in no more than two hours, and the COPS Director would use that short application for local governments. Grant recipients would have to submit annual reports starting one year after receiving a grant and continuing through a final report on fiscal year 2032, including hires, training, technology purchases and costs, clearance data, victim and suspect demographics, and investigation outcomes. The DOJ Inspector General would audit recipients annually starting the first fiscal year after the program begins, and unresolved audit findings not closed within 12 months could make a recipient ineligible for the next fiscal year. The National Institute of Justice would evaluate program practices within two years and every two years after, and the Attorney General would report evaluation results to Congress within 30 days.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

PA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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