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116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 8648
To establish the Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance program,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 20, 2020
Mrs. WAGNER (for herself, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, and Mr. CREN-
SHAW) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
A BILL
To establish the Homeland Security Investigations victim
assistance program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeland Security
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Investigations Victim Assistance Act of 2020’’.
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY INVES-
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TIGATIONS VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
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(a) FORMALIZATION OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY
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INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—Sec-
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tion 442 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
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252) is amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(d) HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS VICTIM
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ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—There is established in
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Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigra-
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tion and Customs Enforcement the Victim Assist-
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ance Program.
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‘‘(2) FUNCTIONS.—The Victim Assistance Pro-
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gram shall—
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‘‘(A) provide oversight, guidance, training,
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travel, equipment, and coordination to victim
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assistance personnel nationwide;
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‘‘(B) locate, at a minimum, a forensic
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interview specialist and a victim assistance spe-
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cialist in each Homeland Security Investigations
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Special Agent in Charge office in addition to a
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victim assistance specialist in every Homeland
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Security Investigations office participating in a
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human trafficking task force, every Homeland
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Security Investigations regional attache´ office,
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and every Homeland Security Investigations of-
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fice participating in a child sexual exploitation
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task force; and
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‘‘(C) provide training on such topics as vic-
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tims’ rights, victim-related policies, roles of fo-
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rensic interviewers and victim assistance spe-
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cialists, and the victim centered approach.’’.
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SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
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It is the sense of Congress that the U.S. Immigration
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and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investiga-
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tions Victim Assistance Program provides critical services
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to victims of trafficking and assists victims of crime in
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furtherance of Federal criminal investigations. The Victim
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Assistance Program should continue to assess victims’
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needs; provide referrals to survivors to nonprofit organiza-
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tions, faith-based organizations, and other victim service
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providers; and work with special agents to integrate victim
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assistance considerations throughout the investigation and
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judicial processes.
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SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
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There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
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this Act $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through
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2025.
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