S.Amdt. 6552

This amendment proposes the Strong Communities Act of 2026. Its purpose is to add a new program to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide competitive grants to local law enforcement agencies.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Grants for Training: The Attorney General can provide grants to local law enforcement agencies. These funds are used for officers and recruits to attend training programs at eligible entities, which are either local law enforcement agencies with training programs or institutions of higher education that offer them in coordination with a local agency.

• Service Requirements: To be eligible, officers or recruits must agree to serve as full-time law enforcement officers for at least 4 years within an 8-year period after completing their training. This service must be performed at an agency within a specific distance from where they have lived for at least 5 years:

  • Within 7 miles of their residence.
  • Within 20 miles if they live in a county with fewer than 150,000 residents.

• Repayment: If an officer or recruit does not complete the required service, they must pay back the benefits they received. The Attorney General will create regulations for extenuating circumstances that may excuse this repayment.

• Transparency: The Attorney General must send annual reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary. These reports will detail the number and location of grant recipients, the number of recruits intended for training, those who returned as employees, and those who remain employed.