Lofgren Announces $814K+ in Federal Funding to Make CA-19 Safer & Decrease DNA Unit’s Backlog

October 5, 2022

Press Release

SAN JOSE, CA - Today, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will provide Santa Clara County with $446,834 to reduce turnaround times to process DNA evidence and provide the City of San Jose with $367,516 for crime prevention programs and law enforcement activities.

"Justice can only be served if victims of crimes know that their cases are not sitting in a backlog," said Rep. Lofgren. "Not only will this federal funding help San Jose boost crime prevention and treatment programs, it will also importantly allow Santa Clara County to better solve homicides, sexual assaults, and other unlawful incidents."

The funding for Santa Clara County comes from the DOJ's DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program. Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) government funding legislation, which Lofgren voted for, provided $151 million for DOJ's Office of Justice Programs' DNA and forensics programs, a $10 million increase. Under the grant, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Laboratory will purchase additional laboratory equipment and software to increase its capacity and reduce the DNA unit's backlog. Lofgren supported including increased funding for the entire DNA Initiative in FY22 government funding legislation.

The funding for the City of San Jose comes from the DOJ's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, and can be used for public safety programs, including education and drug treatment programs, law enforcement, courts, mental health treatment, and crisis intervention. FY22 government funding legislation provided $674.5 million for the JAG Program, an increase of $190.5 million.

In September, Lofgren also voted for a package of four public safety bills, which provide for more law enforcement accountability.

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