FETCH Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8179
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-02: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-13T19:06:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Federal Enhancement for Tactical Canine Help Act of 2026 (or FETCH Act of 2026) aims to expand federal funding options for law enforcement by allowing grants from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (Byrne JAG) to support police dog (K9) programs. This program provides federal money to state and local governments for crime-fighting efforts.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new category (J) to the list of allowable uses under Section 501(a)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)(1)).
- Specifies 10 types of police dog program expenses that can now be funded:
- Acquiring police dogs.
- Training for law enforcement duties (e.g., obedience, detecting narcotics, contraband, explosives).
- Medications, dietary supplements, veterinary care (including emergencies), and dog food (including special diets).
- Insurance for veterinary care, injuries, death, replacement, or liability.
- Equipment like protective vests, collars, and first aid kits.
- Housing, such as kennels at police facilities or home-care stipends for officers.
- Routine care and post-retirement costs (e.g., injuries, final vet care, adoption by handlers, administrative documents).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Previously, Byrne JAG funds could not explicitly cover these K9-specific costs.
- This amendment explicitly authorizes their use for police dog programs, broadening the grant's flexibility without creating new funding.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: State and local law enforcement agencies can now redirect Byrne JAG funds to enhance K9 units, potentially improving capabilities in drug detection, explosives searches, and other policing tasks.
- Citizens: May indirectly benefit from stronger police resources for public safety, though no direct citizen mandates or rights changes.
- International relations: None apparent.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Law enforcement agencies: Primary beneficiaries, gaining access to federal funds for K9 operations.
- Police dog handlers/officers: Supported through stipends, retirement adoption, and care costs.
- Federal government: Bureau of Justice Assistance (administers Byrne JAG) sees expanded grant uses.
- Taxpayers: Funds come from existing federal allocations, with no new spending authorized.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Simple statutory amendment with no conflicts to existing grant rules; promotes efficient use of anti-crime funds.
- Constitutional: No issues raised, as it involves congressional spending power over federal grants.
- Political: Bipartisan support implied by multiple sponsors; reinforces law enforcement tools amid ongoing crime policy debates, without controversy over civil liberties.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-02: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-04-02: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-02: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Federal Enhancement for Tactical Canine Help Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-02 — PDF (3 pages)