Skelton, Colleagues Seek Increase in Law Enforcement Funding

Press Release

Skelton, Colleagues Seek Increase in Law Enforcement Funding

Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO) co-signed a letter sent on August 27, 2008 to the leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, urging them to consider providing $490 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This funding allows state and local law enforcement agencies to conduct a broad range of activities, including the purchase of equipment, the training of law enforcement officers, and the carrying out of school violence programs. In Missouri, Byrne-JAG funds have been particularly helpful in fighting the scourge of methamphetamine addiction and drug trafficking.

"As a former prosecuting attorney, I have worked in Congress to ensure our law enforcement professionals have the tools they need to combat violent crime and the spread of illegal drugs. I am hopeful that my colleagues will act quickly to restore funding to the Byrne-JAG program. These tools are necessary to contain the swell of crime and are especially helpful in Missouri where drugs and violence take a tremendous toll on communities' resources," Skelton said.

The Byrne-JAG program faced deep cuts in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was signed into law last year. In 2007, the Congress had approved sufficient resources for the program, but in an effort to avoid a threatened presidential veto of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, funding was reduced.

In an effort earlier this year, Skelton supported including additional law enforcement funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2008 Emergency War Supplemental Appropriations Act. This effort was ultimately not successful.

The letter is set forth below.

_________________________________________________

August 27, 2008

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable David Obey
Chairman
House Committee on Appropriations
H-218 U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable John Boehner
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Jerry Lewis
Ranking Member
House Committee on Appropriations
1016 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Boehner, Chairman Obey, and Ranking Member Lewis:

As you consider which programs deserve additional resources in a prospective domestic supplemental or stimulus spending bill, we respectfully ask you to consider providing $490 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This funding will ensure that state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the country have the resources they need to combat violent crime and the spread of illegal drugs.

Due to budget restrictions, the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program suffered severe cuts in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act. To restore funding to this critical program, we supported the language included in the Senate Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to fund Byrne-JAG at $490 million. While funding for international efforts to combat illicit drugs and crime was included in the final bill, the measure regrettably excluded emergency resources for domestic law enforcement efforts through the Byrne-JAG program.

The Byrne-JAG program allows state and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system. Funding is distributed on a formula basis and may be used to address the most pressing criminal justice problems in a given area. The Byrne-JAG program helps state and local law enforcement agencies fund cold case units, school violence programs, hate crime programs, crime victim and witness programs, prosecution and court programs, the purchase of equipment, and the training of law enforcement officers. In addition, the program provides the only source of support for state, regional, and local agencies for drug enforcement and treatment programs.

The reduction in Byrne-JAG funding is a direct cut to state and local law enforcement in every state and can significantly affect the ability of law enforcement agencies to continue to provide these important services to victims, witnesses, schools, and the local communities. It is estimated that at least half of all Byrne-JAG funding goes directly to support the individuals who administer the critical services provided by Byrne-JAG, which suggests that thousands of criminal justice and social service jobs are at stake if Byrne-JAG funding is not restored.

We, the undersigned Members of Congress, request that you take action and include urgently needed emergency funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program in any prospective domestic supplemental appropriations bill.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Source