Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

“The gang problem is getting out of control in the Central Valley,” Cardoza said.  “Just as we fight terrorism abroad, we must fight a different type of terror in our own communities.  In recent weeks, tragedies in Ceres, Atwater, and Merced have made the urgency of this issue all too clear.  This bill provides the tools to combat gangs and make our communities safer.”

The legislation, introduced by Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, and Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs, authorizes approximately $650 million over the next five years to support federal, state and local law enforcement efforts against violent gangs, including witness protection and at-risk youth prevention programs.  The bill also increases funding for federal prosecutors and FBI agents to increase coordinated enforcement efforts against violent gangs.

In addition, H.R. 970 creates new criminal gang prosecution offenses, enhances existing gang and violent crime penalties to deter and punish illegal street gangs, proposes violent crime reforms required to effectively prosecute gang members, and proposes a limited reform of the juvenile justice system to facilitate federal prosecution of 16 and 17 year old gang members who commit serious acts of violence.

The legislation is nearly identical to the Feinstein-Hatch legislation that was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the last Congress and reintroduced in the 109^th Congress (S. 155).