House passes Collins’ Project Safe Neighborhoods amendment

WASHINGTON — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) offered an amendment to restore funding for Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative that has helped reduce violent crime in Georgia and throughout communities nationwide Wednesday.

Democrats did not fund Project Safe Neighborhoods in H.R. 3055, the Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act 2020. Despite Democrat efforts to defund this vital program, Collins’ amendment passed Wednesday.

“Americans all want the same thin — safer communities,” he said. “Project Safe Neighborhoods’ tailor-made approach to reducing violent crime empowers our communities to reduce the specific crimes they face. Just last year, the House authorized $50 million to support Project Safe Neighborhoods by a vote of 394 to 13. Not a single Democrat voted against this measure then. I’m baffled by Democrats’ attempts only one year later to prevent this initiative from receiving even one dollar of funding, but I’m glad to see this amendment ultimately adopted.”

This program has positively affected communities in Georgia and across the country. Project Safe Neighborhoods has led to several arrests, convictions and guilty pleas in Georgia, including the arrest of 18 people due to involvement in violent gang activity or parole violations.

Background on Project Safe Neighborhoods:

• Project Safe Neighborhoods is built on a partnership between communities and law enforcement to create a collaborative approach to public safety unique to each community.
• Project Safe Neighborhoods identifies and targets the most violent offenders for enforcement action.
• Project Safe Neighborhoods works to prevent violence long-term.
• Since enactment of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the number of murders, robberies and violent crimes has decreased in Georgia and other states across the country.