House Passes Commerce, Justice, State Spending Bill

July 8, 2004

House Passes Commerce, Justice, State Spending Bill

WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE) today supported passage of the House's $40.5 billion bill to fund the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments for fiscal year 2005. The funding package (H.R. 4754) passed by a vote of 397 to 18.

"The initiatives in this bill affect every one of us in some way or another. This bill will help make our cities safer, with funds to combat drug trafficking and programs that improve our quality of life," Terry said.

As the third largest of the 13 annual domestic spending measures, H.R. 4754 provides funding for agencies and programs including the FBI, the federal prison system, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Small Business Administration.

Terry praised the inclusion of $30 million for the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, designed to reduce gun crime through community initiatives and police operations. Recent statistics have showed that the program has been successful in Omaha. The bill also included $51 million for the Department of Justice's "Weed and Seed" program, designed to coordinate existing anti-crime efforts in high-crime neighborhoods while fostering neighborhood growth and restoration programs.

H.R. 4754 recommended funding the national priority projects of Girls and Boys Town USA. Earlier this year, Terry asked for $1.5 million to go towards helping high risk children get a second chance at life. Sixteen years after receiving care, 91 percent of program graduates had at least a high school degree and 81 percent were currently employed.

Also, the Nebraska State Patrol's effort to combat the production and distribution of methamphetamines were recommended for review by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Terry requested $895,000 that would support Nebraska's drug court treatment programs, counseling services, short-term participant housing and after-care treatment.

The bill also provides:
$687 million for the COPS program, designed to create a flexible funding program for hiring, training, overtime, information technology and forensic technology;
$176 million to eliminate the DNA testing backlog of approximately 221,000 rape and homicide samples within five years;
$25 million for continuation of the Bulletproof Vest program to purchase bullet and stab resistant vests for state and local law enforcement officers.