The senator said she wrote the language into the bill to make sure that communities like Yakima will get the federal help they need to fight gang activity.

The language, which was first written by Senator Murray earlier this year, will require the Department of Justice to review the criteria by which it awards grants relating to gang violence and prevention. In recent months, community and law enforcement leaders in the Yakima area have raised concerns to Senator Murray that they are not getting the federal funding they need to address gang-related violence. The bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives and the Senate in the coming days and be signed into law.

“I fought hard for this language to help communities like Yakima access the federal resources they need to fight gang violence and keep local families safe, and I am proud that it was included in this bipartisan House-Senate compromise bill,” said Senator Murray. “I heard from local families and law enforcement in Yakima who told me how important it was for them to get federal support to combat and prevent gang violence, and I went back to Washington, D.C. to make sure that their voices were heard and their priorities were represented as this bill was written.”

 

Senator Murray’s previous work on the Yakima Gang Initiative has already led to important local anti-gang efforts, including funding for the Yakima Gang Commission.

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