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| Publications | Issue List | Vote Analysis | Main Page | No. 72 | September 7, 2000 |
| H.R. 4690 -- Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, FY 2001 |
Calendar No. 703
Reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute from the Committee on Appropriations on July 21, 2000, by a vote of 28-0. No written report as of press time.
NOTEWORTHYH.R. 4690 appropriates $36.69 billion in new budget authority for FY 2001. This amount is $2.94 billion less than the appropriation for FY 2000, and $14.23 billion less than the budget estimate, partly due to the Committee's decision not to approve advance appropriations requested by the Administration. [See chart on p. 2 showing totals by title.]
The Committee bill provides funding to support --
-- The Department of Justice ($18.73 billion) and its component agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA);
-- The Department of Commerce and related agencies ($5.94 billion), of which $2.7 billion supports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA);
-- The Federal Judiciary ($4.24 billion);
-- The Department of State and related agencies ($6.56 billion), including contributions for United Nations organizations and international peacekeeping. The largest component of this amount is for the Department's Administration of Foreign Affairs;
-- Other Agencies ($2.2 billion); and
-- The Southwest Border Initiative ($413.9 million) for various law enforcement initiatives on the Southwest border of the United States.
The House passed its version of H.R. 4690 on June 26 by a vote of 214-195.
HIGHLIGHTSTotals, by title, are provided below:
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and
Related Agencies Appropriations, FY 2001
(Dollars, in thousands; sums may not equal total of title amounts due to rounding)
Appropriation Account
FY 2000 Level Budget Estimate Senate Committee Recommendation
Title I, Justice Department 18,646,502 21,651,344 18,726,623 Title II, Commerce Dept., Related Agencies
8,719,438 12,138,939 4,915,549 Title III, Federal Judiciary 3,959,292 4,421,987 4,236,991 Title IV, State Department, Related Agencies 6,302,118 10,313,532 6,558,856 Title V, Related Agencies 2,068,370 2,409,013 2,248,831 Title VII, Rescissions -64,753 -10,000 -433,825 Title VIII, Southwest Border Initiative ---------- -------- 413,940* Totals 39,630,967 50,924,815 36,689,965 * contingent emergency appropriation
BILL PROVISIONSTitle I -- Department of Justice
The Committee bill recommends an appropriation of $18.73 billion for Department of Justice programs, allocated according to the following major categories:
$3.1 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
$1.3 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration;
$1.2 billion for the U.S. Attorneys;
$4.6 billion for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, including $1.5 billion in offsetting fees;
$4.3 billion for the Federal Prison System; and
$3.1 billion for the Office of Justice Programs.
Other notable features in Title I include:
$257.5 million for training, equipment, and research and development programs to combat domestic terrorism;
$230 million for the Safe Schools Initiative to implement effective school violence prevention and safety programs. Within this amount, $20 million is provided for technologies to improve school safety;
$70.0 million for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and $16 million for juvenile mentoring programs to provide character-building opportunities;
$279.7 million for juvenile justice programs, and $100 million for the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant Program;
$25.5 million for the Missing Children Program, including $13.5 million for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, $6.0 million for Internet investigations, and $3.2 million for the Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Center for State and local law enforcement investigations;
$5.2 million for the FBI's efforts to combat child abductions and serial killings;
Additional funding for cyber crime initiatives, including $27.8 million for the National Infrastructure and Protection Center (NIPC) and support of the FBI'S field computer crime intrusion squads and computer analysis response teams;
A total of $77.7 million for methamphetamine initiatives, including $27.5 million for DEA personnel and operations, $24.1 million for clandestine lab cleanup, $21.7 million for State and local law enforcement to combat methamphetamine production, trafficking, and use, and $3.5 million for equipment needed to train State and local law enforcement officials. [The President's request did not include any funding for methamphetamine initiatives];
$30.3 million for DEA's heroin enforcement strategy;
$27.5 million for DEA regional drug enforcement teams and $53.9 million for mobile enforcement teams to address drug threats at the State and local level;
$284.9 million for the Violence Against Women Act programs including $28.0 million for civil legal assistance, $24.5 million for rural domestic violence programs, $11.5 million for court-appointed special advocates, and $11.0 million for college campus programs;
A thousand additional Border Patrol agents to help prevent illegal immigration, and an additional $15.7 million for equipment upgrades;
$812.0 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services Program;
$452.0 million for the Edward Byrne Memorial Grants;
$400.0 million for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants;
$130.0 million for the Crime Identification Technology Grants;
$63.0 million for State prison drug treatment programs;
$30.0 million for DNA identification and forensic laboratory upgrades;
$40.0 million for improved law enforcement in Native American communities;
$30.0 million for the regional information sharing system; and
$26.0 million to provide law enforcement officers with bullet-proof vests.
$15 million for Project Home Safe: funds provided to the National Sports Shooting Foundation for its campaign to distribute gun safety kits to gun owners through participating municipalities and counties.
Provides (Section 104, General Provisions) for certain classes of aliens who enter the United States illegally to adjust to permanent resident status.
Title II -- Department of Commerce and Related Agencies
The Committee bill provides $5.94 billion to the Department of Commerce and related agencies, as follows:
$29.6 million for the U.S. Trade Representative;
$49.1 million for the International Trade Commission;
$315.7 million for the International Trade Administration;
$61.0 million for the Bureau of Export Administration;
$693.6 million for the Bureau of the Census. Salaries and expenses for the agency are funded at a level of $158.4 million;
$76.9 million for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The Public Telecommunications Grant Program is funded at $50.0 million. The Information Infrastructure grants are funded at $15.5 million;
$596.6 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), of which $305 million is for Scientific and Technical Research and Services. The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) program is funded at $198.6 million and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program is at $109.1 million;
$783.8 million, matching the President's request, for the Patent and Trademark Office. This makes a total of $1.0 billion available to the agency in FY 2001;
$27.0 million for the Minority Business Development Agency;
$2.7 billion for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and
$5.0 million for Northern Right Whale preservation and research.
Title III -- The Judiciary
The Committee bill recommends an appropriation of $4.24 billion for the operation and maintenance of the federal courts, including salaries of judges, magistrates, supporting personnel, and other expenses, as follows:
$8.8 million for a 3.7-percent cost-of-living adjustment for justices and judges; and
An additional $7.0 million for the five federal districts on the Southwest border as part of the Southwest Border Initiative (see Title VIII, below.)
Title IV -- Department of State and Related Agencies
The Committee bill recommends funding at the level of $6.56 billion for the Department of State and related agencies; this amount does not include the Clinton Administration's request for advance funding in the amount of $3.35 billion which the Committee denied. The major spending categories include:
$4.5 billion for Administration of Foreign Affairs, the State Department's largest account. This figure includes $3.1 billion for diplomatic and consular programs.
$639.7 million for security upgrades at State Department and international broadcasting facilities around the world.
$944 million for Contributions to International Organizations, and $500.0 million for international peacekeeping activities.
$225.0 million for educational and cultural exchanges.
$299.6 million for the United Nations for current owed dues.
$441.6 million for the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Title V -- Related Agencies
The Committee recommends a total of $2.2 billion for related agencies, including:
$203.3 million for the Maritime Administration, with $98.7 million for the Maritime Security Program, $9.5 million for the State Maritime Academies, and $24.4 million for the Title XI Maritime Guaranteed Loan Program.
$876.5 million for the Small Business Administration (SBA), including $90 million for the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs); $10.0 million for PRIME technical assistance; $4.0 million for SCORE; $4.0 million for Veteran's outreach; and a $10.8 billion program level for the 7(a) loan program.
$157.5 million program level (funded by fee collections) for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) including $16.5 million for consumer protection which will help expand toll-free consumer hotlines and expand the consumer sentinel so it is accessible to international law enforcement. Also, continues funding for combating marketing scams.
$237.2 million for the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) with $200.1 million in offsetting fees.
$300.0 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), including $289.0 million for field grants.
$489.7 million for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which includes additional funding to investigate and prosecute Internet related cases.
Title VI -- General Provisions
Most of the general provisions have been included in previous years' appropriations bills. For example, Section 605 restates previous law with regard to the reprogramming of appropriated funds between agency programs or activities.
Title VII -- Rescissions
This title makes several rescissions, including $212.7 million from the unobligated balances available for peacekeeping activities.
Title VIII -- Southwest Border Initiative
This title makes available $413.9 million in contingent emergency funding for various law enforcement initiatives on the Southwest border of the United States.
ADMINISTRATION POSITIONNo Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) had been received by press time.
COST
According to the Committee, the bill's general purpose discretionary spending is $33.45 billion in budget authority. With regard to outlays, the Committee, in consultation with the Congressional Budget Office, estimates that the bill would result in outlays of $23.45 billion in FY 2001, $6.19 billion in FY 2002, $3.265 billion in FY 2003, $1.173 billion in FY 2004, and $400 million in FY 2005 and beyond.
POSSIBLE AMENDMENTSHollings. To provide $20.5 million to the Justice Department for tobacco litigation [offered and defeated during Committee markup, 14-14].
Other amendments are anticipated, but their contents could not be confirmed at press time.
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