[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 29, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8218-S8219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TEENS, CRIME AND THE COMMUNITY FUNDING

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I would like the attention of my 
colleagues to point out what I see as an unintentional omission. Last 
year's Commerce, Justice, State appropriations' conference report 
contained language which provided $1.0 million for the National Crime, 
Prevention Council's Teens, Crime and the Community Program otherwise 
known as TCC. The Senate supported this provision last year and it was 
my intention that it be included in this year's bill. Unfortunately, it 
was inadvertently left out of the committee report. For my part, I 
believe it should be the Senate's intent that funding for The Teens, 
Crime, and the Community Program be included when the bill reaches 
conference.
  Mr. GREGG. Would the Senator yield?
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I yield to the distinguished chairman.
  Mr. GREGG. I appreciate the ranking member, Senator Hollings, 
bringing this oversight to the Senate's attention. Last year, I 
supported including this program in the conference report,

[[Page S8219]]

and, I agree with the Senator from South Carolina, it should be 
included in this fiscal year 1998 bill.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I appreciate the Senator's support and would point out 
that the TCC Program provides a unique curriculum to educate young 
people about crime risks and prevention with the aim of reducing or 
eliminating specific crime problems in their school or community. Over 
500,000 young people in over 1,000 different schools and communities 
all across the country have participated in the program. It has proven 
to be an effective strategy for reducing crime, preventing delinquency, 
and involving youth in community crime prevention efforts.
  Mr. GREGG. Let me conclude by saying that in conference we will seek 
to get the House to agree to provide $1.0 million of juvenile justice 
and delinquency prevention funds for this worthwhile program. I yield 
the floor.


         SOUTH DAKOTA EMERGENCY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I would like to thank the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary, Mr. Gregg, and 
the ranking member, Mr. Hollings, for their excellent work on the 
fiscal year 1998 Commerce, Justice, State, and judiciary appropriations 
bill. They and their staffs have put together an excellent bill and 
should be commended for their leadership.
  Let me take a brief moment to explain my intentions regarding 
amendment 1004. Its purpose is twofold. First, it makes $100,000 
available for a grant to Roberts County, SD.
  It is clear from my discussions with law enforcement personnel in 
rural areas of South Dakota that few greater priorities exist than to 
ensure that South Dakotans have immediate access to emergency services 
when necessary. Unfortunately, many rural counties in South Dakota do 
not have the resources to purchase equipment for a 911 system to 
provide this capability. It is my intention that these funds be used 
for the purchase of that equipment and any other functions that must 
necessarily take place for the establishment of a 911 system in Roberts 
County. It is my further hope that in coming years Congress and the 
Department of Justice will continue to address the urgent need for 
assistance in the purchase of equipment to provide 911 services.
  The second purpose of the section is to provide $900,000 to the South 
Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation [DCI]. The DCI requires an 
immediate upgrade of computer and telecommunications equipment in its 
field offices, new equipment for its forensics lab, and new radio 
equipment to address problems in law enforcement radio transmissions. 
These funds will be of significant assistance in the provision of this 
equipment for the DCI, and I am pleased that I have been able to work 
with the committee to meet this need.
  Once again, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their 
assistance with these important matters.


                             FTE INCREASES

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, the appropriation measure before us 
includes $363 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service. In 
addition, the Committee recommendation allows for the administration's 
proposed increased of 58 full-time equivalents [FTE's] for the National 
Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS]. The Committee directs the NMFS to use 
as many available FTE's as are needed to ensure the full and timely 
implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act. The Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized in the 104th 
Congress after a long and difficult process of negotiation and 
compromise. It includes many new provisions to improve the conservation 
and management of this Nation's fishery resources. I appreciate the 
tremendous task the NMFS faces in fully implementing all of the new 
provisions and requirements we placed on the NMFS and share the 
committee's desire to see adequate FTE's allocated to this important 
task.
  I am also concerned, however, about the very real need for FTE's to 
implement the requirements of the Endangered Species Act [ESA], 
particularly in the Pacific Northwest. With several salmon species 
already listed under the ESA and an elaborate recovery plant currently 
being implemented with a critical decision point rapidly approaching, 
with habitat conservation plans being negotiated with public utility 
districts in central Washington, and additional ESA listings likely 
coming in the future, the NMFS is in desperate need of both resources 
and personnel to meet its obligations. I appreciate the committee's 
willingness to fund NMFS efforts in these areas at or above the 
President's requested levels. These funds will go along way toward 
salmon recovery efforts throughout the entire Pacific coast. I would 
like to emphasize the need for adequate FTE's to be provided to this 
important effort. While the committee has correctly directed FTE's to 
the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, this allocation should 
not come at the expense of the agency's ability to undertake salmon 
recovery efforts in the Pacific Northwest. Both of these 
responsibilities of the NMFS are vitally important to Washington State 
and the Pacific Northwest. I urge the NMFS to meet the real need for 
FTE's in both of these areas.

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