Supporting Survivors from Faith-based Communities Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8813
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T08:07:51Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8813: Supporting Survivors from Faith-based Communities Act
Purpose
This legislation establishes a grant program to fund the creation and operation of a national faith-based resource center. The center aims to improve responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by providing education, training, and technical assistance to faith communities, victim service providers, and government agencies. It seeks to enhance support for victims who identify with faith traditions while ensuring victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Establishes terms such as "consortium of eligible entities" (requiring collaboration among at least three organizations, including faith-based and culturally specific groups with prior grant experience), "eligible entity" (limited to certain faith-based or culturally specific nonprofits that prioritize victim safety over family cohesion or marriage preservation), "victim with faith," "spiritual abuse," and "religious divorce denial."
- Grant Program: Authorizes the Attorney General, through the Office on Violence Against Women, to award grants to eligible consortia for operating the resource center. The center must address the needs of victims with faith by training faith leaders, seminaries, and communities on prevention, recognition of abuse, and referral to services.
- Use of Funds: Supports training for faith communities on issues like safety protocols, protection orders, and prevention of forced marriage; training for victim service providers on faith-specific accommodations (e.g., dietary needs or prayer observances); and activities like convening stakeholders and operating a compensated victim advisory working group.
- Establishment Phase: Limits first-year grant funds to building administrative infrastructure and partnerships with underserved communities.
- Model State Code: Directs the Attorney General to develop and publish model state legislation addressing religious divorce denial, in consultation with faith leaders and victims, while ensuring constitutional compliance.
- Reporting Requirements: Mandates annual reports from grantees on activities and effectiveness, with biennial summaries submitted to Congress.
- Authorization: Provides $2,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with funds remaining available until expended.
- Rules of Construction: Prohibits use of funds for proselytizing or promoting religion, and requires grants to supplement, not replace, existing Office on Violence Against Women programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new dedicated national resource center focused specifically on faith-based responses to violence against women, building on but expanding the framework of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
- Requires creation of model state legislative language on religious divorce denial, a topic not previously addressed in this manner under federal law.
- Imposes new eligibility restrictions on grant recipients to exclude organizations that prioritize family cohesion or religious considerations over victim safety.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Expands the role of the Office on Violence Against Women in administering grants, convening stakeholders, and overseeing training programs, potentially increasing administrative workload for the Department of Justice.
- Citizens: Improves access to culturally appropriate services for victims with faith backgrounds, including those from underserved populations, by integrating faith communities into coordinated responses and addressing barriers like spiritual abuse.
- International Relations: No direct impacts are specified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Faith communities, faith institutions, clergy, and seminaries.
- Victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who hold faith or spiritual beliefs.
- Victim service providers, legal assistance providers, housing providers, and state or tribal coalitions.
- Law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, child protective services, and other criminal or civil justice agencies.
- Eligible consortia of faith-based and culturally specific organizations.
- Researchers, health professionals, and disaster response coordinators.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Explicitly incorporates rules to maintain separation of religion and state, prohibiting any use of funds to promote religious viewpoints or observance.
- Requires the model state code on religious divorce denial to align with constitutional standards.
- Mandates that all funded activities prioritize victim safety, autonomy, and preferences over considerations such as family cohesion, marriage preservation, or community privacy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (8)
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Supporting Survivors from Faith-based Communities Act — issued 2026-05-14 — PDF (15 pages)