VICTIM Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced
Summary
Improve clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes. This bill would have the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services create a grant program to fund investigative technology, training, personnel, and victim services.
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- Law enforcement agencies can get grants to hire and train investigators, upgrade forensic and evidence-processing technology, and analyze violent crime trends. Grantees must do a good-faith check of prior disciplinary records using the National Decertification Index or the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database or by requesting prior personnel records.
- Victims and families can get better access to emergency needs like food, housing, travel, and trauma-informed medical, counseling, and legal services. The program also funds language and disability access and policies to protect civil rights during evidence collection and testing.
- At least 5% of each year’s funding is reserved for tribal law enforcement and at least 5% for rural agencies. Recipients must report annually through fiscal year 2032 on clearances, case outcomes, demographics, staffing, training, and victim services and are subject to Department of Justice Inspector General audits that can bar future grants if findings remain unresolved.
*It authorizes $60.0 million per year in appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
New DOJ grants for violent crime
If enacted, the Attorney General would create a COPS Office grant program to help State, Tribal, and local law enforcement improve homicide and firearm case clearance. The program must be established not later than 180 days after enactment. Congress could provide $60 million each year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. At least 5% of each year's money must go to Tribal agencies and 5% must go to rural agencies. The bill would define key terms like 'clearance by arrest', 'clearance by exception', 'clearance rate', who is an eligible entity, and what counts as 'rural'. Grant funds would have to supplement, not replace, existing Federal or non-Federal funding.
Grants for investigations and victim help
If enacted, grant recipients would have to use funds to improve clearance rates for homicides and firearm violent crimes. Grant money could pay for hiring and training investigators and evidence staff, buying or upgrading forensic and investigative technology, doing crime trend analysis, and supporting officer wellness. Grants could also pay for victim and family help, including emergency food, housing, clothing, travel, counseling, medical and legal assistance, and language and disability access. If a recipient uses program money to hire investigators, the recipient would need to make a good-faith check for prior disciplinary records using the National Decertification Index or by requesting prior employer records.
Stronger audits and reporting for grants
If enacted, grant recipients would have to file annual reports starting one year after award and continuing through fiscal year 2032. Reports must list staff hired, trainings, technology purchases and costs, clearance-rate and crime-trend data, victim and suspect demographics, investigation lengths and outcomes, and victim services used and needed. The National Institute of Justice would evaluate grantee practices not later than two years after enactment and every two years after that, and the Attorney General would give Congress the evaluation and grantee reports within 30 days of each evaluation. The DOJ Office of Inspector General would audit recipients beginning the first fiscal year after the program starts. If an OIG final finding of unauthorized or unallowable costs is not resolved within 12 months, the recipient would be barred from getting program funds in the following fiscal year. The Attorney General must certify audit completion and list any excluded recipients to relevant Congressional committees each year.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov