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H.R. 1700: COPS Improvements Act of 2007

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H.R. 1700: COPS Improvements Act of 2007

110th Congress · introduced 2007-03-26 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-03-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Weiner, Anthony D. [D-NY-9] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 348 (2007): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR1700 (2007-05-15), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

COPS Improvements Act of 2007

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 14, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT or COPS program). Revises grant purposes to provide for: (1) the hiring or training of law enforcement officers for intelligence, anti-terror, and homeland security duties; (2) the hiring of school resource officers; (3) school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and schools to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems facing elementary and secondary schools; (4) innovative programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug (including methamphetamine) manufacturing, distribution, and use; (5) criminal gang enforcement task forces; and (6) enhanced community policing and crime prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs. Allows COPS program grants to be used to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers for community-oriented policing, particularly in communities adversely affected by a recent military base closing. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to: (1) assign community prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and address counterterrorism problems, specific violent crime problems, and localized violent and other crime problems; and (2) develop new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention. Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under the COPS grant program. Authorizes the Attorney General to renew COP program grants if grant recipients can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application. Requires the Attorney General to select one or more institutions of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, to conduct a scientific study of the effectiveness of the programs, projects, and activities funded by the COPS program. Requires such institutions to report on on their studies to the Attorney General not later than four years after the enactment of this Act. Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress on such studies. Increases and extends through FY2013 the authorization of appropriations for the COPS program. Increases from 3 to 5% the amount of funds available for technical assistance. Specifies amounts to be made available for hiring officers and prosecutors, and for technology grants. (Sec. 3) Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to report to Congress on the COPS program, including information on: (1) the effect of the program on the rate of violent crime, drug offenses, and other crimes; (2) the degree to which state and local governments awarded a COPS grant contribute funds for law enforcement programs and activities; and (3) any waste, fraud, or abuse in the program. Requires the Inspector General to audit and review a random sampling of state and local law enforcement agencies in preparing such report.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

COPS Improvements Act of 2007

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Weiner, Anthony D. [D-NY-9] · 102 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1700, COPS Improvements Act of 2007 (2007-05-04); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1700, COPS Improvements Act of 2007 (2007-05-04)

Cosponsors on this site

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), John B. Larson (D-CT), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and 42 more.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr1700 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110