Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4603 - Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 1995, and Supplemental Appropriations for FY 1994

(House Rules)
(Sponsors: Obey (D), Wisconsin; Mollohan (D), West Virginia)

This Statement of Administration Policy expresses the Administration's views on H.R. 4603, the Commerce, Justice, State, The Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 1995, and Supplemental Appropriations for FY 1994, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee. The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 4603 and will work with the House to address the concerns described below.

Department of Justice

The Administration commends the Committee for supporting the full funding request of $2.4 billion associated with the pending crime bill. However, the Administration is concerned about the lack of resources targeted to specific Administration priorities, including hiring more police and assisting States with costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. Specifically, the House is urged to fund the President's full $1.7 billion community policing request to ensure that 100,000 new police officers are on the street by 1999. This is the President's highest investment priority. The House is also urged to support the request for the State Criminal Aliens Assistance Program to ensure that States most affected by the cost of incarcerating criminal aliens receive as much as possible of the $350 million in requested Federal assistance.

The Administration is also very concerned that the Committee has provided no resources for several important anti-crime initiatives within the $2.4 billion provided. For example, the Committee's mark fails to reserve funds for drug courts, boot camps, Department of Treasury law enforcement, and innovative crime prevention programs. These are important programs in the President's anti-crime plan. We urge the House to ensure that, upon enactment of the crime bill, funding will be available for these initiatives, including those within the jurisdiction of other appropriations subcommittees.

The Administration is troubled that the Committee has funded criminal records upgrades through the Byrne formula grant program rather than as a separate program. This may preclude the Department from ensuring that Federal resource assistance is effectively targeted and coordinated to make a national instant records check system operational.

Increased funding for these anti-crime investments could be achieved through a reallocation of resources from lower-priority or unrequested programs in the Committee bill. In particular, the Committee is asked to shift funds from the Byrne formula grant program to support the Administration's more targeted anticrime approach. The committee has increased the Administration's request for discretionary and formula Byrne grants by almost $750 million. While the Byrne formula grant program is worthwhile, we believe that a funding increase of the magnitude recommended by the Committee, almost $450 million over the FY 1994 level, is not warranted. The Administration believes that this is not an effective substitute for the more targeted assistance to state and local governments for community policing and incarceration of illegal aliens.

The Administration would support an amendment that would increase funding levels for new police officers and support the State criminal Aliens Assistance Program, if it were offset by reducing formula Byrne grants, as described above, and by reducing Committee increases to the requests for several Justice Department agencies.

The Administration is concerned about report language stating that the Subcommittee expects the Bureau of Justice Assistance to set aside 30 percent of FY 1995 Community Policing funds for jurisdictions that previously submitted applications pursuant to P.L. 103-50, an FY 1993 supplemental appropriations bill that included funding for police hiring. Although the Administration commends the Subcommittee for recognizing the need to distribute community policing grants as fast as possible, we are concerned that providing additional awards "without further competition" would seriously compromise the integrity and effectiveness of the grant-making process.

Department of Commerce

The Administration appreciates the Committee's strong support for the President's investment priorities for the Department of Commerce, although some initiatives would receive less than the desired amount. We hope that the Congress will be able to fund the Economic Development Administration's defense conversion program and its loan guarantee program, which leverages approximately five dollars for every dollar appropriated. If necessary, funds for regular economic development assistance programs could be reduced to allow for increases in this investment category.

The Administration also appreciates the Committee's support of fees for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Committee is urged to consider a higher fee level, closer to the Administration's request. Establishing fees is an important source of funds for our investment in the restoration of commercial fisheries in FY 1995 and in the future.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

The Administration commends the Committee for funding SBA programs in close alignment with the request. The Administration is particularly pleased with the Committee's full funding of the requested FY 1994 supplemental emergency contingency fund for the Disaster Loan program. The Administration will work with the House to ensure that sufficient resources are available to fund the President's Empowerment Zone initiative and the reformed Small Business Investment Company program.

International Programs

The Administration is especially pleased that the Committee has taken a major step in endorsing our request to lower substantially U.S. arrears for U.N. peacekeeping operations both by approving full funding for the FY 1995 budget request and by approving $670 million in FY 1994 supplemental funding for the arrears. This action will go a long way toward reducing the arrears owed by the U.S. government and improving United States leverage in pushing needed reforms in U.N. peacekeeping planning and operations. The Administration also welcomes the Committee's provision of adequate funding for the Administration's international broadcast consolidation program.

The Administration is concerned about reductions from the request for State Department operations, and hopes that some of the reductions can be restored later in the process.

Other Related Agencies

The Administration is very concerned about the lack of Committee support for the Legal Services Corporation (a reduction of $85 million from the President's request). The Administration believes that additional funds could be provided for the Corporation if the House were to eliminate increases in programs not requested by the Administration.

Staffing Levels

The staffing levels suggested in Committee report language may not be supportable, given the requirement to reduce Federal employment mandated in the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994. Under that Act, we must impose a hiring freeze on all federal agencies if the employment targets are not met.