Committee Approves Increase for the COPS Program, the Byrne Grant Program
WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for significantly increasing funding for programs to help local communities fight violent crime in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. Senator Casey wrote to the Committee in support of additional funding for these programs. The Committee has recommended state and local law enforcement receive $2,655,100,000 to accomplish this, an increase of more than $126 million over the level provided in 2007.
“Securing money to combat violent crime is crucial to keep our communities safe and this is the first step to achieving that,” Senator Casey said. “I am elated that the Appropriations Committee is as troubled by President Bush’s budget as I am and has decided to reject his request to cut funds from these important programs.”In June, Senator Casey wrote a letter to Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Ranking member of the Committee, urging them to increase funding for the state and local law enforcement. Casey wrote, “State and local law enforcement and juvenile justice programs have seen unprecedented cuts over the past several years and research experts are drawing a correlation between these reductions and recent up ticks in the violent crime rate. These cuts to law enforcement and juvenile justice are a one-two punch to public safety and the well-being of our citizens.”
Senator Casey’s letter specifically requested increased funding for three programs: the COPS program, the Byrne/JAG program and Juvenile Justice Programs. The Committee requested $550 million for the COPS program, which supplies funding to increasing and localizing police presence in a community. In addition, the Byrne/JAG program, which gives states and local law enforcement flexibility in addressing local law enforcement needs, would get $1.4 billion and Juvenile Justice Programs would receive $340 million under the proposed budget from the Senate Appropriation Committee.
The most recent FBI data show an increase in homicides and other violent crimes in 2005 and 2006, the first increase in more than 10 years. In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia had the highest homicide rate among the nation’s 10 largest cities in 2006, with potential for even higher rates in 2007. Other communities throughout the Commonwealth and in the rest of the county are reporting similar increases.
Despite these increases, President Bush’s budget recommends cutting federal assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies by more than $1.4 billion from last year’s funding level. The Senate Appropriations Committee’s proposal not only rejects those cuts, but would provide more than $126 million over the level provided in 2007.
The Appropriations Bill for Commerce and Justice, Science and Related Agencies passed the Appropriations Committee and will head to the floor for a full vote before the Senate. The bill will then proceed to the House-Senate Conference Committee, before final passage in both chambers, and it is expected to be signed into law later this fall.###
