Lois Frankel (D-FL)
Supporting Survivors from Faith-based Communities Act
A Democratic bill with 3 Republican cosponsors · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Supporting Survivors from Faith-based Communities Act establishes a grant program to create a national faith-based resource center. This center focuses on issues involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The program aims to provide education, training, and technical assistance to faith communities and various service providers. It also seeks to improve how stakeholders respond to victims who identify with a faith or spiritual tradition. Additionally, the Attorney General is tasked with developing model State legislative language to address religious divorce denial.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +5
Would women be better off under this?
The bill targets domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault, which disproportionately impact women.
- Scored +3
Would children be better off under this?
The bill explicitly mandates that training and prevention programs address the impact of violence on children.
- Scored +3
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill addresses trauma-informed responses to domestic violence, which is a key component of mental health and psychological well-being.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Support for Victims: The resource center will provide education and training to help faith communities and institutions better prevent and respond to violence (Section 3(c)).
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Improved Professional Responses: The bill aims to improve the response of legal, law enforcement, and victim service providers to people with faith (Section 3(c)(1)).
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Cultural and Religious Sensitivity: Training for service providers will include best practices for accommodating faith-based needs, such as dietary requirements, modesty norms, and daily prayer (Section 3(e)(2)(D)).
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Addressing Religious Divorce Denial: The Attorney General will develop model State legislative language to help address issues where victims are prevented from exiting a marriage through religious processes (Section 4).
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Empowering Victims through Representation: The establishment of a victim advisory working group ensures that survivors can help inform the activities of the resource center (Section 3(d)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Exclusion of Certain Organizations: Organizations that prioritize family cohesion, marriage, or opposition to divorce over the safety and autonomy of victims are ineligible to serve as entities for this grant (Section 3(a)(2)(B)).
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Restrictions on Fund Usage: Funds cannot be used for proselytizing or promoting any specific religion or religious viewpoint (Section 3(i)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill targets domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault, which disproportionately impact women. Would children be better off under this? — The bill explicitly mandates that training and prevention programs address the impact of violence on children. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly identifies tribal organizations as eligible entities for the grant program. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides support for underserved and culturally specific populations who may face unique barriers to safety. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill includes emphasis on trauma-informed care which is a core component of disability-sensitive service provision.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill includes provisions for culturally specific and underserved populations within faith communities. Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill tasks the Attorney General with developing model state legislative language to address religious divorce denial. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By addressing domestic violence and religious divorce denial, the bill supports the stability and safety of family units.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill addresses trauma-informed responses to domestic violence, which is a key component of mental health and psychological well-being.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires annual reports to the Attorney General and biennial reports to Congress regarding the center's effectiveness.
- 6/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/14/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey
Raja KrishnamoorthiDemocrat · Illinois
Young KimRepublican · California
Emily RandallDemocrat · Washington
Maria SalazarRepublican · Florida
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Frederica WilsonDemocrat · Florida