Hinson Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Gang-Related Crime

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) reintroduced the bipartisan Gang Activity Reporting Act alongside Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09). This commonsense legislation would revitalize and strengthen information-sharing between federal agencies and local law enforcement — ensuring they have the necessary information and resources to keep our communities safe. Senator Chuck Grassley is leading this effort in the Senate. 

"Gang violence continues to terrorize communities across the country, and our law enforcement needs better intelligence and stronger support to fight back. If we don’t understand how gangs operate, we can’t stop them. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill to ensure federal and local officials have the most up-to-date information they need to protect our communities. Families deserve safer streets, and I’ll continue working to give our law enforcement the tools they need to combat gang violence.” — Congresswoman Ashley Hinson

“Over a four-year period from 2021 to 2024, law enforcement agencies reported over 69,000 incidents of gang activity, and more than half of these incidents were violent crimes. This is why our bipartisan bill, introduced alongside my fellow Appropriator, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is necessary. The FBI and our local law enforcement agencies need accurate, and comprehensive federal reporting on gang membership data and trends, so we can take the appropriate steps to support law enforcement and strengthen public safety in Ohio, Iowa, and from coast to coast. While it is encouraging to see the FBI Crime Data Explorer report that violent crime is down 8% from August 2024, there is bipartisan and bicameral consensus in Congress that we must do more to ensure law enforcement agencies have access to the appropriate resources, tools, and support to combat gang violence. Understanding gang activity and trends is vital to combating violent crime, and making our communities safer, which is why our legislation is essential in this fight.”  — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur

Background:

• Gangs destroy communities, targeting students in public schools for recruitment and significantly disrupting child development and families.
  • Illicit drugs are devastating our communities, with gangs transporting fentanyl and meth across states and across our border.
  • Transnational gangs have also stolen billions from taxpayers by defrauding government programs
• Federal reporting on gang activity is severely lacking, with no substantial update from the FBI since 2015, and numerous other reports ceasing in 2012. Rep. Hinson’s legislation would change this and meaningfully help our law enforcement combat gang-related crime by:
  • Directing the Attorney General, DHS, and the FBI to work directly with local law enforcement – including in Iowa – to produce a comprehensive report on the growth, recruitment strategies, and activity of local, national, and transnational gangs, as well as the federal resources currently being used to combat them.

Bill text can be found here.

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