Introduced in House — H.R. 9059

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9059

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 29, 2026

Mr. Gottheimer (for himself, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Cuellar, and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To direct the Assistant Attorney General to award grants to the National Police Athletic/Activities League to improve academic and social outcomes for youth and reduce both juvenile crime and the risk that youth will become victims of crime by providing productive activities conducted by law enforcement personnel during non-school hours.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Police Athletic/Activities League Youth Enrichment Reauthorization Act.

Sec. 2. Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

The goals of the National Police Athletic/Activities League and its member chapters are to—

(A)

increase the academic success of youth participants in Police Athletic/Activities League programs, including in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;

(B)

promote a safe, healthy environment for youth under the supervision of law enforcement personnel where mutual trust and respect can be built;

(C)

develop life-enhancing character and leadership skills in young people;

(D)

increase school attendance by providing alternatives to suspensions and expulsions;

(E)

reduce the juvenile crime rate in participating designated communities;

(F)

reduce the number of police calls involving juveniles during non-school hours;

(G)

teach youth protection skills, particularly those geared to the online world;

(H)

provide youths with alternatives to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gangs, and other activity that is harmful to such youths and their communities;

(I)

create positive communication and interaction between youth and law enforcement personnel;

(J)

prepare youth for the workplace; and

(K)

strengthen neighborhoods by bringing youth, families, and law enforcement together around shared programs and goals.

(2)

The National Police Athletic/Activities League and its member chapters, during its over 85-year history as a national organization, has proven to be a positive force in the communities it serves.

(3)

The National Police Athletic/Activities League has over 200 chartered Police Athletic/Activities League chapters throughout the United States, including the United States Virgin Islands, serving 2,000,000 youths, ages 5 to 18, nationwide.

(4)

Based on National Police Athletic/Activities League chapter demographics, approximately 75 percent of the youths who benefit from Police Athletic/Activities League programs live in inner cities and urban areas.

(5)

National Police Athletic/Activities League chapters are locally operated, volunteer-driven organizations. Although most Police Athletic/Activities League chapters are sponsored by a law enforcement agency, National Police Athletic/Activities League chapters rarely receive funding from law enforcement agencies and are dependent in large part on support from the private sector, such as individuals, business leaders, corporations, and foundations. National Police Athletic/Activities League chapters have been exceptionally successful in balancing public funds with private sector donations and maximizing community involvement.

(6)

Today’s youth face far greater risks than did their parents and grandparents. Law enforcement statistics demonstrate that youth between the ages of 12 and 18 are at risk of committing violent acts and being victims of violent acts after school hours, between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

(7)

Greater numbers of students are dropping out of school and failing in school, even though the consequences of academic failure are more dire in 2026 than ever before.

(8)

The National Police Athletic/Activities League is the premier model for modern community policing and connecting cops to kids, based on the belief that young people, if reached early enough, are more likely to become productive adults and agents of change. It is dedicated to fostering positive relationships between law enforcement and youth through recreational, educational, and mentorship programs.

(9)

Many distressed areas in the United States are still underserved by Police Athletic/Activities League chapters.

Sec. 3. Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to provide adequate resources in the form of—

(1)

assistance for the 200 established National Police Athletic/Activities League chapters to increase services to the communities they are serving;

(2)

seed money for the establishment of 250 (50 per year over a 5-year period) additional local Police Athletic/Activities League chapters in public housing projects and other distressed areas, including distressed areas with a majority population of Native Americans, by not later than fiscal year 2032; and

(3)

support of an annual gathering of Police Athletic/Activities League chapters and designated youth leaders from such chapters to participate in a 3-day conference that addresses national and local issues impacting the youth of America and includes educational sessions to advance character and leadership skills.

Sec. 4. Grants authorized

(a) In general

For each of fiscal years 2028 through 2032, the Assistant Attorney General shall award a grant to the National Police Athletic/Activities League to—

(1)

establish PAL chapters to serve public housing projects and other distressed areas; and

(2)

expand existing PAL chapters to serve additional youths.

(b) Application

(1) Submission

To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, the National Police Athletic/Activities League shall submit to the Assistant Attorney General an application, which shall include—

(A)

a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional PAL chapters and a detailed summary of those areas in which such new PAL chapters will be established, or in which existing chapters will be expanded to serve additional youths, during the next fiscal year;

(B)

a plan to ensure that there are not fewer than 500 PAL chapters in operation by January 1, 2032;

(C)

a certification that there will be appropriate coordination between new PAL chapters and those communities where such new PAL chapters will be located; and

(D)

an explanation of how new PAL chapters will operate without additional Federal financial assistance once assistance under this Act is discontinued.

(2) Review

Not later than 120 days after the date of submission of an application under paragraph (1), the Assistant Attorney General shall take action on such application.

Sec. 5. Use of funds

(a) In general

The National Police Athletic/Activities League shall use grant funds awarded under this Act to provide funding for—

(1)

the establishment of PAL chapters serving public housing projects and other distressed areas; and

(2)

the expansion of existing PAL chapters.

(b) Program requirements

Each PAL chapter assisted under paragraph (1) shall carry out not less than 2 programs during non-school hours, of which—

(1)

not less than 1 program shall provide—

(A)

mentorship assistance and opportunities;

(B)

academic assistance;

(C)

recreational and athletic activities;

(D)

technology training; or

(E)

character development and leadership training; and

(2)

any remaining programs shall provide—

(A)

activities to prevent use of drugs and alcohol and participation in gangs;

(B)

health and nutrition counseling;

(C)

cultural and social programs;

(D)

conflict resolution training, anger management, and peer pressure resistance training;

(E)

job skill preparation activities;

(F)

safety skills conveying; or

(G)

Youth Police Athletic League Conferences or Youth Forums.

(c) Additional requirements

In carrying out the programs required under subsection (b), a PAL chapter shall, to the maximum extent practicable—

(1)

recruit volunteers from businesses, academic communities, social organizations, and law enforcement organizations to serve as mentors or to otherwise assist with such programs;

(2)

ensure that youth in the local community participate in designing the after-school activities;

(3)

develop creative methods of conducting outreach to youth in the community served;

(4)

request donations of computer equipment and other materials and equipment; and

(5)

work with State and local parks and recreation agencies to ensure that activities funded with grant funds awarded under this Act do not duplicate otherwise funded activities in the community served.

Sec. 6. Reports

(a) Report to Assistant Attorney General

For each fiscal year in which a grant is awarded under this Act, the National Police Athletic/Activities League shall submit to the Assistant Attorney General a report on the use of grant funds awarded under this Act.

(b) Report to Congress

Not later than May 1 of each fiscal year for which amounts are made available to carry out this Act, the Assistant Attorney General shall submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and of the House of Representatives a report that details the progress made under this Act in establishing and expanding PAL chapters in public housing projects and other distressed areas, and the effectiveness of PAL programs in reducing drug misuse, school dropout rates, and juvenile crime.

Sec. 7. Authorization of Appropriations

(a) In general

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2032.

(b) Additional funds

The Attorney General may allocate funding appropriated to, or collected by the Department of Justice as determined appropriate by the Attorney General and the Assistant Attorney General, to the extent that such allocations are not prohibited by law.

(c) Funding for program administration

Of the amount made available to carry out this Act in each fiscal year—

(1)

not less than 2 percent shall be used for research and evaluation of the grant program under this Act;

(2)

not less than 1 percent shall be used for technical assistance related to the use of grant funds awarded under this Act; and

(3)

not less than 1 percent shall be used for the management and administration of the grant program under this Act, except that the total amount made available under this paragraph for administration of such grant program may not exceed 6 percent.

Sec. 8. Definitions

In this Act:

(1) Assistant Attorney General

The term Assistant Attorney General means the Attorney General, acting through the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.

(2) Distressed area

The term distressed area means an urban, suburban, or rural area in which the percentage of high-risk youth residing in such area equals or exceeds 40 percent.

(3) High-risk youth

The term high-risk youth means an individual—

(A)

who has not attained 21 years of age;

(B)

who is at high risk of becoming, or has become, a drug abuser or an alcohol abuser; and

(C)

who—

(i)

is identified as a child of a substance abuser;

(ii)

is a victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse;

(iii)

has dropped out of school;

(iv)

has become pregnant;

(v)

is economically disadvantaged;

(vi)

has committed a violent or delinquent act;

(vii)

has experienced mental health problems;

(viii)

has attempted suicide; or

(ix)

is disabled by injuries.

(4) PAL Chapter

The term PAL chapter means a chapter of a Police or Sheriff’s Athletic/Activities League that is a member of the National Police Athletic/Activities League.

(5) National Police Athletic/Activities League

The term National Police Athletic/Activities League or National PAL means the private, nonprofit representative organization for Police or Sheriff’s Athletic/Activities Leagues throughout the United States, including the United States Virgin Islands.

(6) Public housing; project

The terms public housing and project have the meanings given those terms in section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1)).