USA PATRIOT Act/Title VI

TITLE VI — PROVIDING FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORISM, PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS,
AND THEIR FAMILIES

SUBTITLE A — AID TO FAMILIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS

Sec. 611. Expedited Payment for Public Safety Officers Involved in the Prevention, Investigation, Rescue, or Recovery Efforts Related to a Terrorist Attack.

(a) IN GENERAL.—

Notwithstanding the limitations of subsection (b) of section 1201 or the provisions of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of such section or section 1202 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796, 3796a), upon certification (containing identification of all eligible payees of benefits pursuant to section 1201 of such Act) by a public agency that a public safety officer employed by such agency was killed or suffered a catastrophic injury producing permanent and total disability as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty as described in section 1201 of such Act in connection with prevention, investigation, rescue, or recovery efforts related to a terrorist attack, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance shall authorize payment to qualified beneficiaries, said payment to be made not later than 30 days after receipt of such certification, benefits described under subpart 1 of part L of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3796 et seq.).

(b) DEFINITIONS.—

For purposes of this section, the terms ``catastrophic injury´´, ``public agency´´, and ``public safety officer´´ have the same meanings given such terms in section 1204 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b).

Sec. 612. Technical Correction with Respect to Expedited Payments for Heroic Public Safety Officers.

Section 1 of Public Law 107-37 (an Act to provide for the expedited payment of certain benefits for a public safety officer who was killed or suffered a catastrophic injury as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty in connection with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001) is amended by—

(1) inserting before ``by a´´ the following: ``(containing identification of all eligible payees of benefits pursuant to section 1201)´´;

(2) inserting ``producing permanent and total disability´´ after ``suffered a catastrophic injury´´; and

(3) striking ``1201(a)´´ and inserting ``1201´´.

Sec. 613. Public Safety Officers Benefit Program Payment Increase.

(a) PAYMENTS.—

Section 1201(a) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796) is amended by striking ``$100,000´´ and inserting ``$250,000´´.

(b) APPLICABILITY.—

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any death or disability occurring on or after January 1, 2001.

Sec. 614. Office of Justice Programs.

Section 112 of title I of section 101(b) of division A of Public Law 105-277 and section 108(a) of appendix A of Public Law 106-113 (113 Stat. 1501A-20) are amended—

(1) after ``that Office´´, each place it occurs, by inserting ``(including, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law (unless the same should expressly refer to this section), any organization that administers any program established in title 1 of Public Law 90-351)´´; and

(2) by inserting ``functions, including any´´ after ``all´´.

SUBTITLE B — AMENDMENTS TO THE VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT OF 1984

Sec. 621. Crime Victims Fund.

(a) DEPOSIT OF GIFTS IN THE FUND.—

Section 1402(b) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and´´ at the end;

(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and´´; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(5) any gifts, bequests, or donations to the Fund from private entities or individuals.´´.

(b) FORMULA FOR FUND DISTRIBUTIONS.—

Section 1402(c) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601(c)) is amended to read as follows:

``(c) FUND DISTRIBUTION; RETENTION OF SUMS IN FUND; AVAILABILITY FOR EXPENDITURE WITHOUT FISCAL YEAR LIMITATION.—

``(1) Subject to the availability of money in the Fund, in each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2003, the Director shall distribute not less than 90 percent nor more than 110 percent of the amount distributed from the Fund in the previous fiscal year, except the Director may distribute up to 120 percent of the amount distributed in the previous fiscal year in any fiscal year that the total amount available in the Fund is more than 2 times the amount distributed in the previous fiscal year.

``(2) In each fiscal year, the Director shall distribute amounts from the Fund in accordance with subsection (d). All sums not distributed during a fiscal year shall remain in reserve in the Fund to be distributed during a subsequent fiscal year. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all sums deposited in the Fund that are not distributed shall remain in reserve in the Fund for obligation in future fiscal years, without fiscal year limitation.´´.

(c) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR COSTS AND GRANTS.—

Section 1402(d)(4) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601(d)(4)) is amended—

(1) by striking ``deposited in´´ and inserting ``to be distributed from´´;

(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``48.5´´ and inserting ``47.5´´;

(3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``48.5´´ and inserting ``47.5´´; and

(4) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``3´´ and inserting ``5´´.

(d) ANTITERRORISM EMERGENCY RESERVE.—

Section 1402(d)(5) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601(d)(5)) is amended to read as follows:

``(5)(A) In addition to the amounts distributed under paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), the Director may set aside up to $50,000,000 from the amounts transferred to the Fund in response to the airplane hijackings and terrorist acts that occurred on September 11, 2001, as an antiterrorism emergency reserve. The Director may replenish any amounts expended from such reserve in subsequent fiscal years by setting aside up to 5 percent of the amounts remaining in the Fund in any fiscal year after distributing amounts under paragraphs (2), (3) and (4). Such reserve shall not exceed $50,000,000.

``(B) The antiterrorism emergency reserve referred to in subparagraph (A) may be used for supplemental grants under section 1404B and to provide compensation to victims of international terrorism under section 1404C.

``(C) Amounts in the antiterrorism emergency reserve established pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be carried over from fiscal year to fiscal year. Notwithstanding subsection (c) and section 619 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (and any similar limitation on Fund obligations in any future Act, unless the same should expressly refer to this section), any such amounts carried over shall not be subject to any limitation on obligations from amounts deposited to or available in the Fund.´´.

(e) VICTIMS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.—

Amounts transferred to the Crime Victims Fund for use in responding to the airplane hijackings and terrorist acts (including any related search, rescue, relief, assistance, or other similar activities) that occurred on September 11, 2001, shall not be subject to any limitation on obligations from amounts deposited to or available in the Fund, notwithstanding—

(1) section 619 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, and any similar limitation on Fund obligations in such Act for Fiscal Year 2002; and

(2) subsections (c) and (d) of section 1402 of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601).

Sec. 622. Crime Victim Compensation.

(a) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR COMPENSATION AND ASSISTANCE.—

Paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1403(a) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602(a)) are amended by inserting ``in fiscal year 2002 and of 60 percent in subsequent fiscal years´´ after ``40 percent´´.

(b) LOCATION OF COMPENSABLE CRIME.—

Section 1403(b)(6)(B) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602(b)(6)(B)) is amended by striking ``are outside the United States (if the compensable crime is terrorism, as defined in section 2331 of title 18), or´´.

(c) RELATIONSHIP OF CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION TO MEANS-TESTED FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS.—

Section 1403 of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

``(c) EXCLUSION FROM INCOME, RESOURCES, AND ASSETS FOR PURPOSES OF MEANS TESTS.— Notwithstanding any other law (other than title IV of Public Law 107-42), for the purpose of any maximum allowed income, resource, or asset eligibility requirement in any Federal, State, or local government program using Federal funds that provides medical or other assistance (or payment or reimbursement of the cost of such assistance), any amount of crime victim compensation that the applicant receives through a crime victim compensation program under this section shall not be included in the income, resources, or assets of the applicant, nor shall that amount reduce the amount of the assistance available to the applicant from Federal, State, or local government programs using Federal funds, unless the total amount of assistance that the applicant receives from all such programs is sufficient to fully compensate the applicant for losses suffered as a result of the crime.´´.

(d) DEFINITIONS OF ``COMPENSABLE CRIME´ AND ``STATE´.—

Section 1403(d) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602(d)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``crimes involving terrorism,´´; and

(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``the United States Virgin Islands,´´ after ``the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,´´.

(e) RELATIONSHIP OF ELIGIBLE CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAMS TO THE SEPTEMBER 11TH VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—

Section 1403(e) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602(e)) is amended by inserting ``including the program established under title IV of Public Law 107-42,´´ after ``Federal program,´´.

(2) COMPENSATION.—

With respect to any compensation payable under title IV of Public Law 107-42, the failure of a crime victim compensation program, after the effective date of final regulations issued pursuant to section 407 of Public Law 107-42, to provide compensation otherwise required pursuant to section 1403 of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602) shall not render that program ineligible for future grants under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984.

Sec. 623. Crime Victim Assistance.

(a) ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PUERTO RICO, AND OTHER TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS.—

Section 1404(a) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(6) An agency of the Federal Government performing local law enforcement functions in and on behalf of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any other territory or possession of the United States may qualify as an eligible crime victim assistance program for the purpose of grants under this subsection, or for the purpose of grants under subsection (c)(1).´´.

(b) PROHIBITION ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CERTAIN VICTIMS.—

Section 1404(b)(1) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(b)(1)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and´´ at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and´´; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(F) does not discriminate against victims because they disagree with the way the State is prosecuting the criminal case.´´.

(c) GRANTS FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION AND COMPLIANCE EFFORTS.—

Section 1404(c)(1)(A) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(c)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ``, program evaluation, compliance efforts,´´ after ``demonstration projects´´.

(d) ALLOCATION OF DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.—

Section 1404(c)(2) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(c)(2)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``not more than´´ and inserting ``not less than´´; and

(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``not less than´´ and inserting ``not more than´´.

(e) FELLOWSHIPS AND CLINICAL INTERNSHIPS.—

Section 1404(c)(3) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(c)(3)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and´´ at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and´´; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(E) use funds made available to the Director under this subsection—

``(i) for fellowships and clinical internships; and

``(ii) to carry out programs of training and special workshops for the presentation and dissemination of information resulting from demonstrations, surveys, and special projects.´´.

Sec. 624. Victims of Terrorism.

(a) COMPENSATION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.—

Section 1404B(b) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603b(b)) is amended to read as follows:

``(b) VICTIMS OF TERRORISM WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.— The Director may make supplemental grants as provided in section 1402(d)(5) to States for eligible crime victim compensation and assistance programs, and to victim service organizations, public agencies (including Federal, State, or local governments) and nongovernmental organizations that provide assistance to victims of crime, which shall be used to provide emergency relief, including crisis response efforts, assistance, compensation, training and technical assistance, and ongoing assistance, including during any investigation or prosecution, to victims of terrorist acts or mass violence occurring within the United States.´´.

(b) ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.—

Section 1404B(a)(1) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603b(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``who are not persons eligible for compensation under title VIII of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986´´.

(c) COMPENSATION TO VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.—

Section 1404C(b) of the Victims of Crime of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603c(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The amount of compensation awarded to a victim under this subsection shall be reduced by any amount that the victim received in connection with the same act of international terrorism under title VIII of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986.´´.