[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 20, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12899-S12904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
          AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000--CONFERENCE REPORT

  Mr. LOTT. I ask consent that the Senate proceed to the conference 
report on the bill (H.R. 2670) making appropriations for the 
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000,

[[Page S12900]]

and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The report will be stated.
  The clerk read as follows:

       The committee on conference on the disagreeing votes of the 
     two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill, H.R. 
     2670, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their 
     respective Houses this report, signed by all of the 
     conferees.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the Senate will proceed to 
the consideration of the conference report.
  (The conference report is printed in the House proceedings of the 
Record of October 19, 1999.)
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my subcommittee 
chairman, Senator Gregg, in presenting to the Senate the fiscal year 
2000, Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and related agencies 
appropriations conference report. I would like to thank Senator Gregg 
for his efforts in resolving many of the difficult issues that were 
encompassed in this bill. As a result of over four weeks of 
negotiations, the conference report before the Senator today--for the 
most past--is good and balanced.
  As Senator Gregg stated, this agreement includes $39 billion and 
exceeds last year's appropriation by almost $3 billion. While this 
sounds like a tremendous increase in funding, for all intent and 
purpose, this increase is for the 2000 decennial census. Consequently, 
the funding decisions encompassed in this bill were difficult. Senator 
Gregg has already covered many of the major issues in this bill so I 
will not go into great detail. But, I would like to point out to my 
colleagues some of the highlights of this bill:
  The Justice Department accounts for the largest portion of this bill 
and contains $18.5 billion for many important law enforcement agencies 
including the FBI, DEA, INS, and Marshals Service. This level of 
funding is only an increase of $287 million above last year's 
appropriated level. Within DOJ, the conferees agreed to recede to the 
Senate's position the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
(COPS) program, and funded the program at the Senate level of $325 
million. In addition, $250 million in carryover is available bringing 
the total budget authority for this program for fiscal year 2000 to 
$575 million. While many of us would like to see a higher level of 
funding for this program, I believe that we have provided a responsible 
level given the austere funding constraints this year.
  Mr. President, the conferees also agreed to continue the Safe Schools 
Initiative that Senator Gregg and I began funding last year. To further 
efforts in combating violence in and around our schools, we have 
included $225 million in funding. Included in that funding is $180 
million for school resource officers and $30 million for prevention 
programs.
  Regarding the Commerce Department, $8.7 billion is provided for the 
numerous missions undertaken by the various agencies of the Commerce 
Department, including stewardship of our nation's oceans and waterways, 
satellite coverage and weather forecasting, regulation of trade and 
telecommunications, assistance to rural areas, high risk technology 
research, and assistance to small manufacturers. Also within this level 
of funding for the Commerce Department is the $4.47 billion necessary 
for conducting the constitutionally mandated decennial census. I would 
like to thank Chairman Gregg for working to resolve the issues around 
census funding without lengthy and counter-productive debate.
  I am pleased that the conference report reflects a level of funding 
for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that is 
closer to the Senate position that the House. NOAA is the premier 
agency for addressing catastrophic weather conditions as well as daily 
forecasts. This year has been one filled with natural disasters--
everything from droughts, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. During 
this past month while our staff was negotiating on this bill, about 10 
million people were evacuated from the coast during Hurricane Floyd. 
Thanks to NOAA's hurricane research, their flights into the storm their 
satellite coverage and weather forecasts, the loss of life, while still 
very tragic, was significantly less than what it otherwise would have 
been. Mr. President, when we went into conference 6 weeks ago, there 
was a $600 million difference in funding for NOAA between the House and 
Senate. The Senate worked diligently to restore NOAA's funding and the 
conference report reflects those efforts with NOAA funded at an 
increase of $137 million above last year's appropriated level. Given 
this agency's missions that include everything from weather forecasting 
and atmospheric research to ocean and fisheries research and ocean and 
coastal management, this level of funding in still insufficient, but 
given the fiscal constraints, it is enough to allow the agency to 
continue forward with its critical missions.
  This conference report provides $5.9 billion for the Department of 
State and related agencies. This will fund security upgrades for State 
Department facilities, construction and maintenance of U.S. missions, 
payment of international organization and peacekeeping funds, and 
educational and cultural exchanges. This year we are providing $313.6 
million in funding for much needed security upgrades at State 
Department facilities around the world. Incidents such as the bombings 
in Kenya and Tanzania have reminded us that we cannot dismiss the 
safety and security of our citizens abroad.
  Now I would like to take a moment to thank the staff for all their 
hard work in bringing this agreement to the floor. Specifically I would 
like to thank Jim Morhard, Paddy Link, Kevin Linskey, Eric 
Harnischfeger, Clayton Heil, and Dana Quam of Senator Gregg's staff and 
Lila Helms, Emelie East, and Tim Harding of my staff. I know that they 
have all worked long hours during the past 4 weeks, including weekends 
and late evenings to reach a compromise and I appreciate their efforts. 
This a large bill that funds the Federal law enforcement, oceans and 
fisheries, our nations courts and everything in between. Reaching 
compromise on these myriad accounts is no small task and I thank them 
for their diligence.
  Mr. President, I take this opportunity to give a few words of thanks 
to someone who has been a tremendous help to me and the Commerce, 
Justice, State Subcommittee over this last year. That person is Tim 
Harding, an extremely bright young man who was detailed to me by the 
Department of Justice COPS on the Beat program.
  Tim worked with me and my staff since last winter. He has seen this 
process through--from receipt of the President's budget, to our 
congressional hearings, to markup, through our whirlwind day on the 
Senate floor, and through this month and a half of conference. At every 
point, Tim was willing and ready to give 100 percent. While we all know 
the Senate is like no other place, Tim took the time to learn what 
makes this process work, and he was able to easily adapt. He provided 
me with memos, helped me with my constituent relations, and drafted 
good-quality statements for my use during hearings, markup, and floor 
consideration of our bill. His work will be sorely missed by me and my 
staff, and I wish him all the best in what promises to be a bright 
future.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I bring to the floor the conference 
agreement for the Commerce, Justice, State, and judiciary 
appropriations for fiscal year 2000.
  This conference agreement includes $39 billion for these and other 
related agencies. This is $2.8 billion above last year's level and $7.9 
billion below the President's request. Also, it is $3.6 billion above 
the Senate level, which includes the additional funding requested for 
the census.
  To start out with, I want to address the department that comprises 
almost half of the funding in this bill, the Department of Justice. We 
provide it with $18.5 billion.
  Within Justice, we continue counterterrorism measures. A total of 
$152 million is directed to the counterterrorism program to bolster 
current counterterrorism initiatives. The conference agreement provides 
$14 million to the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium for their 
cooperative efforts. We put emphasis this year on equipment for first 
responders so that they have what is needed when they arrive first-on-
the-scene of any terrorist attack.
  We also remain concerned about attacks on computer systems, these 
being a primary target to sabotage.

[[Page S12901]]

The conferees agreed to $18.6 million for the National Infrastructure 
and Protection Center, through the FBI account, which serves as the 
central clearinghouse for threats and warnings or actual cyber-attacks 
on critical infrastructures. The FBI has field computer crime-intrusion 
squads and computer analysis and response teams to combat cyber crime 
and sabotage.
  However, I remain concerned by the release of the FALN members by the 
President, and its effect on our overall counterterrorism policy. In 
the past few years, the Appropriations Committee has worked closely 
with all aspects of the law enforcement community to hammer out a 
united, comprehensive counterterrorism strategy. There has been marked 
improvement in understanding where we need to go to prevent and to be 
ready for terrorist incidents. The President's clemency agreement takes 
that understanding and drives a stake in it. The President chose to 
release members of a known terrorist organization, against the 
recommendation of the pardon attorney and the Federal Bureau of 
Investigations.
  The FBI is one of the lead agencies on terrorism policy, and the 
President disregarded their opposition to the clemency agreement. The 
President's actions went against his own administration and 
congressional efforts to craft and implement a strong counterterrorism 
policy.
  Ironically, his argument was that none of these individuals had been 
charged with murder. Terry Nicholas was not charged with murder, but 
168 died in the Oklahoma City bombing.
  Unfortunately, the President's actions have created a schism in our 
terrorist policy that may take years to overcome.
  Moving to an area that is as horrifying as a terrorist attack, the 
conference agreement provides funding to address child abductions and 
missing children. We were able to retain the Senate's Missing Children 
program, which provides $19.9 million to help law enforcers find and 
care for missing children. We also fund the FBI's programs to prevent 
child sexual exploitation on the Internet. These efforts help solve 
investigations involving missing children by creating specialized cyber 
units whose purpose is to monitor and react to Internet pedophiles. The 
FBI works closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children to find the victims of these attacks and return them to their 
families.
  To protect children in schools, the conference agreement recommends 
$225 million through the Safe Schools Initiative. The availability of 
these funds for schools, groups, and law enforcement should encourage 
communities to work together to address the escalation of violence in 
schools throughout the Nation.

  The conferees believe it is also important to encourage out-of-school 
prevention methods as well. One way to stop juvenile violence is to get 
young people involved in programs outside of school. The conference 
agreement includes the Senate number, $50 million, for the Boys and 
Girls Clubs of America. It retains the Senate language regarding the 
use of the Internet in the clubs. Additionally, $13.5 is provided for 
Juvenile Mentoring Programs (JUMP), such as Big Brothers and Big 
Sisters and similar community programs that bring responsible adults 
together with children in a mentoring capacity. I believe prevention is 
preferable to punishment, and these programs can redirect the energies 
of high risk youth into positive activities.
  The conference agreement provides over $537 million for juvenile 
programs through the juvenile justice budget and accountability 
incentive grants.
  In an effort to combat another problem our society faces daily, the 
conference agreement supports counter drug efforts by the Justice 
Department. We provide DEA with $53.9 million for mobile enforcement 
teams and $17.4 million for regional drug enforcement teams. These 
teams have the flexibility to go to the hot spots in small cities and 
towns and provide an immediate, effective response to drug trafficking. 
They come in at the request of State and local law enforcement and work 
together to stop drug trafficking.
  The agreement also includes $27.1 million for the DEA and $35.6 
million for State and local enforcement efforts to end methamphetamine 
production and distribution.
  Under my tenure as chairman, this committee has been supportive of 
the Violence Against Women Act Programs. The conference agreement 
includes the Senate level of $284 million. Within this level, $207 
million is available for general formula grants to the States. Within 
those grants, $10 million will be available for programs on college 
campuses and $10 million for Safe Start programs. In addition, we 
retained the increase for court appointed special advocates and provide 
$10 million.
  The Senate will be glad to hear we were able to bolster some accounts 
in conference that had been reduced this year in the Senate bill. The 
local law enforcement block grant was raised to last year's level of 
$523 million.
  The conferees provide $30 million for police corps; $25 million for 
grants for bullet proof vests; and $40 million for the Indian country 
law enforcement initiative.
  The State prison grants were increased above the Senate proposed 
level to $686.5 million, and $420 million was designated for SCAAP.
  The last issue I want to address within the Justice Department is 
funding for law enforcement technology grants. As we approach the new 
millennium and provide funding for fiscal year 2000, it is important 
that we ensure that law enforcement is not behind in technology. The 
conference agreement includes funding of $250 million for law 
enforcement technology grants. These grants will be available for State 
and local law enforcement to acquire equipment and training to address 
criminal activities in our communities.
  Moving to Commerce, the conferees recommend a level of $25.6 million 
for the United States Trade Representative. The International Trade 
Commission is funded at $44.5 million, and the International Trade 
Administration is funded at a level of $313.5 million. The funding 
level for the Bureau of Export Administration is $54 million.
  The conferees provide full funding for the Bureau of the Census at a 
level of $4.8 billion. The decennial census is funded at the 
Administration's requested level. The Administration sent a budget 
amendment to Congress as the Senate's Commerce, Justice, State 
Appropriations measure was being reported to the Senate. Therefore, the 
committee was unable to incorporate this amendment in the original 
bill. A hearing was held on the administration's budget amendment in 
late July, and the conference report before us today contains all of 
the funds requested by the administration.
  The funding for the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration includes $26.5 million for the public broadcasting grant 
program and $15.5 million for information infrastructure grants.
  The agreement funds the programs of the National Institute for 
Standards and Technology (NIST) at a total of $639 million for fiscal 
year 2000. Of this amount, $283.1 million is for NIST's scientific and 
technical research and services programs.
  NIST's external activities, the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and 
Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP) are funded at the levels of $211 
million, including carryover balances, and $104.8 million, 
respectively.
  The agreement fund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration programs at a level of $2.3 billion. This funding level 
will continue vital funding for oceanic and atmospheric research 
programs which have such strong support in the Senate.
  The five major line offices of the agency are funded as follows: the 
National Ocean Service at a level of $267.3 million; the National 
Marine Fisheries Service at $403.7 million; the Office of Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research at $300 million; the National Weather Service at 
$603.8 million; and, the National Environmental Satellite, Data and 
Information Service at a level of $111.4 million.
  The agreement also provides funding for the first new fishery 
research vessel approved for the agency in several years.
  The conference agreement contains $10 million to capitalize two funds 
created under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, and $50 million for a Pacific 
Salmon Restoration Fund requested by the administration.

[[Page S12902]]

  A small part of our bill--$3.7 billion--is the judiciary. The 
conference agreement provides the judiciary with $122 million more than 
the Senate level. We fully fund defender services, and increase the 
hourly rate for court appointed public defenders. In addition, the 
Senate COLA provision was retained.
  Now, for the last department in this bill, we provide $5.8 billion to 
the State Department.
  The conferees recommend $254 million for worldwide security under 
Diplomatic and Consular Programs. We also provided $313.6 million in 
security-related construction under the Security and Maintenance of 
U.S. Missions account. These levels will address infrastructure 
concerns raised by the Dar Es Salaam and Nairobio bombings last year.
  Cultural and Educational Exchange Programs are funded at $205 
million. These programs give U.S. and foreign citizens the chance to 
interact on an educational level where cultural diversity can be 
explored.
  The conference agreement includes adequate funding for the agencies 
related to the State Department, including the Asia Foundation and the 
National Endowment for Democracy.
  Lastly in State, we provide $351 million to cover U.N. arrears, 
subject to authorization. This represents the final payment associated 
with the Helm-Biden agreement on UN reforms.
  This bill contains a handful of related agencies that act 
independently of the departments within this bill, and comprise $2 
billion of the total of this conference agreement.
  For the Maritime Administration, the conference agreement recommends 
$178.1 million. Within the level, the Maritime Academy receives $34.1 
million. The Maritime Security Program is funded at $98.7 million, 
including carryover balances.
  The conference agreement funds the Federal Communications Commission 
at a level of $210 million. This funding level permits the agency to 
pay rent in its new location, but does not provide funding for some of 
the new technology initiatives the agency had hoped to implement in FY 
2000.
  As requested in the FCC budget, the Senate bill contained a provision 
permitting the FCC to protect our national spectrum assets. The 
provision in the Senate bill, Section 618, would have permitted the FCC 
to re-auction licenses currently entangled in bankruptcy court 
proceedings. This provision was dropped in conference at the insistence 
of the House. I regret that it was dropped.
  The FCC began auctioning licenses for spectrum in late 1994, and some 
of the companies who were successful bidders subsequently filed for 
bankruptcy. The bankruptcy courts have permitted some of these 
companies to avoid paying their debt to the Federal Government for 
obtaining these licenses. Billions of dollars are being lost to the 
treasury because of these rulings. These companies should not be 
permitted to use these licenses, for which they have not paid in full, 
as assets in a bankruptcy proceeding. Spectrum licenses are national 
assets, and the proceeds from the sale of these licenses are the 
taxpayers' assets. I hope we will be able to revisit this provision at 
a later date.
  The Small Businesses Administration (SBA) is one of the larger 
agencies in this bill. The conference agreement provides $803.5 million 
for their SBA. Within the amount, $84.5 million goes to the Small 
Business Development Centers.
  We also provide the Senate level of funding for the Women's Business 
Centers and National Women's Business Council.
  The SBA disaster loan assistance program is funded at a level of 
$255.4 million.
  And, as a last mention on this bill, the agreement before us 
recommends $125 million for the Federal Trade Commission. Of particular 
importance is the Senate language regarding the Internet.
  The conference agreement contains modified language regarding efforts 
to police the Internet and U.S. electronic financial markets within the 
Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. 
The conferees are aware that the explosion of Internet commerce also 
increases the opportunities for fraud and abuse. We want to ensure that 
those agencies that monitor the Internet are able to adapt to the 
increasing activity and match their consumer protection efforts in 
equal measure.
  I think this agreement addresses the issue, yet believe there is 
still much more to do in the areas of Internet policy.
  Overall, I believe this conference agreement of the House and Senate 
bills provides funding required to execute the needed services and 
programs under our purview. We have not reduced these accounts like we 
had to to meet the low Senate allocation. We were able to provide 
additional funding to these accounts that Senators and the 
administration thought were not given their due in the Senate bill. The 
ranking member and his staff participated fully in bringing this 
agreement to you. I want to extent my thanks for their collegian 
efforts. They worked with us side-by-side to construct what we believe 
is a respectable bill.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this conference agreement as being a 
sound compromise.
  I would like to take a moment to thank the staff for all their 
efforts on this conference agreement. Every year they do their best to 
get this particular bill completed quickly, and, every year we find 
ourselves jockeying for last position. I know they work hard to avoid 
this situation. The diverse jurisdiction of this bill tends to lead to 
controversy somewhere within its's realms even in the best of years. I 
appreciate the staff giving up weekends and countless nights to bring 
to Congress a passable CJS appropriations bill. Thanks to my staff, Jim 
Morhard, Paddy Link, Kevin Linskey, Eric Harnischfeger, Clayton Heil, 
Vas Alexopoulos, Dane Quam, Brian McLaughlin, and Jackie Cooney.


                              HATE CRIMES

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, civil rights is still the unfinished 
business of America. It is unconscionable that Congress would signal 
that the Federal Government has no role in combating hate crimes in 
this country. Yet, that is exactly the signal the Republican leadership 
has sent by eliminating the Senate-passed provisions on hate crimes 
from the final report of the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Act.
  Since just after the Civil War, Congress has repeatedly recognized 
the special Federal role in protecting civil rights and preventing 
discrimination. This Federal responsibility, based on the 14th 
amendment to the Constitution, is reflected in a large body of Federal 
civil rights laws, including many criminal law provisions. These laws 
are aimed at conduct that deprives persons of their rights because of 
their membership in certain disadvantaged groups. The Federal criminal 
law, among other prohibitions, bars depriving individuals of housing 
rights, destroying religious property because of religious bias, and 
committing violent acts because of racial hatred.
  The point of these laws is not to protect only certain people from 
violence--we all deserve to be protected. The point is to recognize 
this special Federal responsibility to stop especially vicious forms of 
discrimination, and penalize it with the full force of Federal law.
  Hate crimes legislation recognizes that violence based on deep-seated 
prejudice, like all forms of discrimination, inflicts an especially 
serious injury on society. These crimes can divide whole nations along 
racial, religious and other lines, as are seen too often in countries 
throughout the world. These crimes send a poisonous message that the 
majority in society feels free to oppress the minority. The strongest 
antidote to that unacceptable poison is for the majority to speak out 
strongly, and insist that these flagrant acts of violent bigotry will 
not be tolerated. That is why it is essential for hate crimes 
legislation to be endorsed by our nation and our communities at every 
level--Federal, State, and local.
  The Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999, that so many of us support, 
is bipartisan. It is endorsed by a broad range of religious, civil 
rights and law enforcement organizations. It takes two needed steps. It 
strengthens current laws against crimes based on race, religion, or 
national origin. And it adds gender, sexual orientation, and disability 
to the protections in current law.

[[Page S12903]]

  Earlier this year, the Senate added these important provisions to the 
Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Act. But last Monday evening, the 
Senate-House conferees approved a conference report that does not 
contain the hate crimes provision. Behind closed doors, the conferees 
dropped the provisions. As a result, Congress is now MIA--missing in 
action on this basic issue of tolerance and justice and civil rights in 
our society.
  Clearly, we must find a way to act on this important issue before the 
session ends. The Federal Government should be doing all it can to halt 
these vicious crimes that shock the conscience of the nation. State and 
local governments are doing their part to prevent hate crimes, and so 
must Congress.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, one of the most significant amendments that 
the Senate adopted this summer as part of the Commerce-Justice-State 
appropriations bill was the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This 
legislation strengthens current law by making it easier for federal 
authorities to investigate and prosecute crimes based on race, color, 
religion, and national origin. It also focuses the attention and 
resources of the federal government on the problem of hate crimes 
committed against people because of their sexual orientation, gender, 
or disability.
  I commend Senator Kennedy for his leadership on this bill, and I am 
proud to have been an original cosponsor. Now is the time to pass this 
important legislation
  Recent incidents of violent crimes motivated by hate and bigotry have 
shocked the American conscience and made it painfully clear that we as 
a nation still have serious work to do in protecting all Americans from 
these crimes and in ensuring equal rights for all our citizens. The 
answer to hate and bigotry must ultimately be found in increased 
respect and tolerance. But strengthening our Federal hate crimes 
legislation is a step in the right direction.
  All Americans have the right to live, travel and gather where they 
choose. In the past we have responded as a nation to deter and to 
punish violent denials of civil rights. We have enacted federal laws to 
protect the civil rights of all of our citizens for more than 100 
years. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act continues that great and 
honorable tradition.
  Five months ago, Judy Shepard, the mother of hate crimes victim 
Matthew Shepard, called upon Congress to pass the Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act without delay. Let me close by quoting her eloquent 
words:

       Today, we have it within our power to send a very different 
     message than the one received by the people who killed my 
     son. It is time to stop living in denial and to address a 
     real problem that is destroying families like mine, James 
     Byrd Jr.'s, Billy Jack Gaither's and many others across 
     America. . . . We need to decide what kind of nation we want 
     to be. One that treats all people with dignity and respect, 
     or one that allows some people and their family members to be 
     marginalized.

  There are still a few weeks left in this session; we should pass the 
Hate Crimes Prevention Act this year.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I feel compelled to express my concerns 
with the Commerce, Justice, State, and the judiciary appropriations 
bill for fiscal year 2000. I am disappointed by the inadequate funding 
for coastal salmon recovery and the Pacific Salmon Treaty. While I 
cannot complain about the funding for Washington State in relation to 
Alaska, California, and Oregon, I do believe the overall funding is 
woefully inadequate to address the tremendous crisis facing threatened 
and endangered salmon runs. Each state and their counties and cities 
are prepared to face the challenge of salmon recovery, but they must be 
given the tools to do so. The funds for Pacific coastal salmon recovery 
should be at the President's request level of $100 million.
  In relation to the Pacific Salmon Treaty, I must again bemoan the 
lack of adequate funding. The treaty agreement was signed late in the 
appropriation process and thus it is understandable that large scale 
funding would be difficult. However, the funding provided under this 
conference report does not approach our obligations under the treaty. 
We need to be signaling the intention of the U.S. to meet its treaty 
obligations and this bill does not do this. I believe the funding for 
the Northern and Southern Funds called for under the treaty should be 
more than the $10 million provided. Furthermore, the elimination of the 
buy-back money for fishers is not only cruel to the families affected 
by the fishing reductions, but again does not send the right message to 
Canada.
  In a related matter, the conference report contains legislative 
language that exempts Alaska from the provisions and requirements of 
the Endangered Species Act in relation to salmon. While I appreciate 
the State of Alaska's desire to have the Pacific Salmon Treaty protect 
its salmon fishery from any jeopardy findings, the provision is not in 
the spirit of the treaty. The states of Oregon and Washington, as well 
as the Pacific Northwest tribes, negotiated in good-faith to conclude 
the treaty. I must support Governor Kitzhaber and Governor Locke and 
the tribes in their opposition to this provision. This legislative 
provision is in effect an addendum to the treaty that the treaty 
negotiators did not agree to. It should be removed.
  I am very disappointed the conference did not adopt the language of 
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Hate crime is real. Despite great gains 
in equality and civil rights over the latter part of the century, hate 
crimes are still being committed and offenders must be punished. 
Including this provision would have given us more tools to fight hate. 
The proposal would have expanded the definition of a hate crime and 
improved prosecution of those who act our their hate with violence. If 
someone harms another because of race, gender, color, religion, 
disability or sexual orientation, they would be punished.
  I am very disappointed that the conference failed to include the 
Senate language of the Hate Crime Prevention Act. Along with many of my 
colleagues, I will continue to push this legislation. It is about basic 
human rights for those who all too often persecuted while the majority 
looks the other way.
  I am also unhappy the Community Oriented Policing Services Program 
(COPS) was so underfunded. The Subcommittee mark in the Senate included 
no funding for COPS. Some of us on the full Appropriations Committee 
restored a modest amount of money to the program. The President 
requested $1.2 billion, but the conference funded COPS at only $325 
million. That is wrong.
  COPS is one of the most successful programs of this decade. The 
initiative to get an additional 100,000 new police officers on the 
streets was widely criticized by many from the other side of the aisle. 
They said that the federal government could never successfully assist 
local law enforcement. They were wrong. The program is now praised by 
former opponents, the states are happy with it, and it has proven to be 
very effective.
  Another problem is that once again behind closed doors, we continue 
to assault reproductive health care for women. Section 625 of this 
conference report includes a major authorizing change that was not part 
of the House or Senate passed bills. We did not debate or discuss this 
major expansion of the conscience clause included in Public Law 106-58, 
FY00 Treasury Postal Appropriations.
  For those members who were not in this closed door meeting, let me 
explain. Section 625 would allow a pharmacist to object to providing a 
woman with a prescribed contraceptive if he or she felt the use of this 
contraceptive was contrary to their own individual religious beliefs or 
moral convictions. Pharmacists can make a moral judgment and deny women 
access to emergency contraceptives or any form of contraceptive.
  We already allow plans participating in the FEHBP to object on 
religious grounds to providing reproductive health services; we now 
will allow pharmacists to deny women access. A small town pharmacist 
could simply object to filling a prescription because she morally 
objects to the use of contraceptives. A woman is now subjected to the 
moral judgment of her pharmacists. Is she free to simply go to another 
pharmacy? In many rural communities there really aren't nearby other 
options. In addition, many plans require use of a preferred provider 
for pharmacy benefits. What happens if your preferred provider is 
morally opposed to providing contraceptives?

[[Page S12904]]

  I do not oppose conscience clauses, but I do oppose denying women 
access to legally prescribed contraceptives simply based on moral 
objections. This is simply outrageous and once again the threat to 
women's health is ignored.
  Let me end on a positive note. I am appreciative of the 
subcommittee's work to provide $5 million in State Department monies 
for costs related to the World Trade Organization Ministerial meeting 
which will be held in Seattle, WA. The President requested $2 million 
and I am pleased Senator Gregg and Senator Hollings agreed to my 
request for a significant increase for WTO expenses. I had hoped for 
some additional language to ensure that the State Department reimbursed 
localities in Washington State for legitimate WTO police and fire 
expenses. The WTO Ministerial will be the largest trade meeting ever 
held in the United States, both the Federal Government and Washington 
State are bearing significant costs to host the world's trade 
negotiators. I expect and I will push the State Department to be 
responsive to the needs of local governments in Washington State in the 
expenditure of these additional monies.
  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Gregg for recognizing 
the need of three Vermont towns to upgrade, modernize and acquire 
technology for their police departments in this Conference Report. 
Allowing these police departments to improve their technology will 
permit them to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the 
services they provide.
  Reflecting the needs of the police departments, the $1 million in 
technology funds for these three towns should be divided on the 
following basis: one-half ($500,000) to the Burlington Police 
Department, one-third ($333,000) to the Rutland Police Department, and 
one-sixth ($167,000) to the St. Johnsbury Police Department. Again, I 
appreciate his help in addressing the technology problems these towns' 
police departments are facing. I look forward to working with him to 
get this important appropriations bill signed into law.
  Mr. LOTT. I ask unanimous consent the conference report be agreed to 
and the motion to consider be immediately laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The conference report was agreed to.

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