The U.S. Senate's Gang Abatement and Prevention Act would provide money for gang prevention and intervention efforts, including expansion of the Project Safe Neighborhood program, the FBI's Safe Streets Program, and for state and local governments to hire additional prosecutors and staff and buy technology.

Among other provisions, the bill would:

-- Make recruiting of street gang members a federal crime. Current federal law doesn't penalize recruiting people to participate in illegal gang activity. This bill makes the recruitment or solicitation of others to participate in criminal gang activity a federal crime, with the penalty doubled if a minor is recruited.

-- Create a new federal crime for murder and other violent crimes committed in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The U.S. Sentencing Commission also was directed to craft new federal sentencing guidelines that will ensure that those convicted of this offense receive a suitable consecutive sentence.

-- Create a new federal crime of interstate interference with witnesses in state court proceedings.

-- Establish new penalties for gang-related crimes. Under current law, a felon's criminal street gang involvement can be treated at most as a mere sentencing enhancement, and add no more than 10 years to a sentence.

-- Create tougher laws for certain federal crimes like carjacking, conspiracy and other existing offenses in which gang members may be involved.

-- Increase penalties for criminal transfer of firearms for use in crimes of violence and drug trafficking.

The bill also would provide more than $800 million for a series of prevention and outreach programs. Included is:

-- At least $361.5 million over five years for gang prevention and intervention efforts. Half would go to High Intensity Gang Activity Areas.

-- About $100 million over five years to expand the Project Safe Neighborhood program, with an expansion of prosecutors and law enforcement agents focused on reducing violence and gun crimes by gang members.

-- About $50 million over five years for expansion of the FBI's Safe Streets Program, which investigates and prosecutes violent street gangs and criminals.

-- About $100 million over five years to expand crime control grants to state and local governments to hire additional prosecutors, staff and technology as needed to bring more cases against gangs and violent criminals.

-- About $270 million over three years for witness protection needs, including those of state and local prosecutors.