Skip to main content

Congressman Gonzalez Votes to Pass a Bill Authorizing $750 Million for School Violence Prevention Programs

March 14, 2018

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in favor of H.R. 4909, the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018. The safety and well-being of students and teachers in the 15th District of Texas is a top priority for Congressman Gonzalez. The congressman was proud to co-sponsor this bipartisan legislation that would authorize funding to improve school security. H.R. 4909 passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 407-10 this afternoon.

"No student should be afraid to attend school, no parent should be afraid to send their child to school, and no teacher should be afraid to go to work," Congressman Gonzalez said. "This legislation represents the first of many steps to ensure that America's classrooms are rewarding environments that are free from harm."

H.R.4909 reauthorizes and amends the bipartisan 2001 Secure Our Schools (P.L. 106-386) program through the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, providing local law enforcement, school personnel and students with the tools they need to proactively prevent a threat. The legislation authorizes $750 million over 10 years to the Bureau of Justice Assistance for grants that support evidence-based school safety programs across the country. Specifically, the bill authorizes funding for:

  • Evidence-based investments in the development and operation of FBI & Secret Service-based school threat assessment teams to help schools to intake and triage threats before tragedy strikes,
  • Implementation of anonymous reporting systems for students in coordination with local law enforcement,
  • Training and technical assistance for students, school personnel and law enforcement to identify signs of violence and intervene early to prevent students from hurting themselves and others, and
  • Facilitating coordination between schools and local law enforcement.

In addition to a group of more than 90 bipartisan co-sponsors, the measure also has the support of the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Secure Schools Alliance, among others. Congressman Gonzalez has rejected the administration's proposal to eliminate or defund these programs for Fiscal Year 2019.

Issues:Education