Booker Introduces Critical Legislation to Fund Community Violence Intervention

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, legislation that would create a new Office of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and a new grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services to award $5 billion in grants to community-based, nonprofit organizations and eligible units of local government to create or support evidence-based and prevention programs to interrupt cycles of violence. U.S. Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) introduced companion legislation in the House.

Community violence should no longer be a problem for law enforcement to react to after it has occurred. We must invest in community-based violence intervention and prevention initiatives that stop this violence from happening in the first place. This legislation would provide resources to community outreach programs, hospital-based violence intervention programs, gun violence interventions strategies, and violence interruption and crisis management initiatives.

"Too many people in New Jersey and across our country continue to lose loved ones to senseless gun violence," said Senator Booker. "By investing federal dollars into programs and methods that work to prevent gun violence, we can do something about the violence plaguing our communities before it happens. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act will empower communities with the resources they need to reduce gun violence, save lives, and make our neighborhoods safer."

Over the past decade, gun violence has risen sharply in communities across the United States, with a particularly devastating impact on predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods. Between 2018 and 2021, the rate of firearm-related deaths increased by 100 percent for Black youth and by 50 percent for Hispanic youth. In 2021, Black children represented 46 percent of youth firearm deaths though they represent only 14 percent of the youth population in the U.S. In 2023, there were 46,278 gun deaths-the third-highest annual total on record, trailing only 2022 and 2021. Shootings, homicides, and group violence continue to pose a serious and disproportionate threat to too many communities across the country.

This violence has enormous human, social, and economic costs. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention found that "one-in-three youth living in inner cities show a higher prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder than soldiers" in the U.S. military during wartime. Gun violence harms rural communities as well, which suffer from a 37 percent higher death rate due to gun violence than urban communities. Gun violence costs the country approximately $280 billion per year.

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act is endorsed by Community Justice, Sandy Hook Promise, Giffords Gun Violence Prevention & Advocacy, and Everytown for Gun Safety.

"Over the last several years, cities across the country finally saw decreases in homicides and shootings, and that is only because of significant federal investment in community violence intervention (CVI) strategies," Adzi Vokhiwa, Vice President of Policy at Community Justice, said. "However, Black and Brown communities continue to bear the brunt of gun violence. Without a doubt, more funding is needed to support CVI programs especially after the cancellation of many federal CVI grant awards earlier this year. If signed into law, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act would provide the largest federal investment in community-based and community-led efforts to end gun violence, expand workforce training for youth at the highest risk of violence, and help ensure the implementation of a public health approach to gun violence prevention. We thank Congressman Horsford and Senator Booker for recognizing the effectiveness and importance of CVI strategies and introducing this important legislation to save lives across the country."

"Gun violence manifests itself differently across U.S. communities, with children in many Black and Brown communities being disproportionally affected as well as children living in areas with high poverty rates," Mark Barden, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, said. "Lives can and will be saved when local leaders are equipped with the tools, training, and resources to address the unique circumstances of violence in their regions. We applaud the reintroduction of the 'Break the Cycle of Violence Act,' and encourage Congress to pass this important bill to protect children throughout our country."

"Seemingly never-ending cycles of gun violence crush families, hurt the economy, and suppress communities' ability to thrive. In particular, Black and Latino Americans bear the brunt of America's gun violence and gun crime epidemic. But we have strategies and programs that are proven to save lives-all they need is sufficient funding," Emma Brown, Executive Director of the national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, said. "Every lawmaker, Republicans and Democrats alike, should support Representative Horsford and Senator Booker's Break the Cycle of Violence Act. This bill, which GIFFORDS is proud to have shaped, will not only fund essential programs, but also provide jobs to American youth that will allow them to thrive and break the cycle of violence."

"Communities most impacted by gun violence need real resources-and the Break the Cycle of Violence Act delivers," Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, said. "It invests in proven, lifesaving programs and puts support where it's needed most: in the hands of grassroots leaders. We're grateful to Rep. Horsford for reintroducing this critical bill."

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act provisions include:

· $5 billion investment in anti-violence programs to create and support violence interruption and crisis management initiatives.

· $1.5 billion investment in workforce training and job opportunities, including improved youth employment and training activities, paid work experience for school aged youth, and partnerships with community-based organizations to serve youth in high-crime and high-poverty areas.

· An Office of Community Violence Intervention at HHS to implement evidence-based violence reduction initiatives.

· A Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to ensure people with expertise in community violence intervention have a voice in CVI policies.

· A National Community Violence Response Center to provide technical assistance for implementing community violence intervention and prevention programs.

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

To read the full text of the bill, click here.