[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 81 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SCIENCE, STATE, JUSTICE, COMMERCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2006

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                               speech of

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 15, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2862) making 
     appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, 
     Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes:
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Chairman, today, Congressman Weiner offered an 
amendment to H.R. 2862, the Science, State, Justice & Commerce 
Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Representative Weiner's 
amendment, which ultimately failed, would have restored $126 million to 
the COPS program to help state and local governments hire police 
officers. The offset for the amendment came from the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) and would have returned that agency's funding to 
Fiscal Year 2004 levels, which actually represents a $30 million 
increase over what NSF received for Fiscal Year 2005. I voted for the 
amendment, because I believe and support the important work the COPS 
program allows, but I was troubled by the offset, knowing how important 
science and research are to my community.
  I voted for Mr. Weiner's amendment because I have seen firsthand how 
important COPS programs are to local cities and communities like 
Cheektowaga, Jamestown and Dunkirk in my district in Western New York. 
In fact, since 1994, $25,609,762 in COPS grants have been awarded to 
law enforcement agencies in the 27th District of New York. These grants 
have funded 329 additional police officers and sheriffs' deputies to 
engage in community policing activities including crime prevention. In 
my district, 29 local and state law enforcement agencies have directly 
benefited from funding made available through the COPS Office, 
$1,848,680 has been awarded to add 16 school resources officers to 
improve safety for students, teachers, and administrators in primary 
and secondary schools and $3,268,820 has been awarded for crimefighting 
technologies. This funding has allowed officers to spend more time on 
the streets preventing crime through timesaving technology, 
information-sharing systems, and improved communications equipment.
  Sadly, our underlying appropriations bill zeroes out funding for the 
COPS program, leaving local governments to foot the bill. Cutting the 
COPS program altogether is unacceptable--it is one of our most useful 
and successful tools in reducing crime.
  I also recognize the importance of the NSF, which provides funding 
and guidance to laboratories, universities and research centers across 
the country. In New York State in Fiscal Year 2003, the NSF provided 
over 1,672 awards totaling approximately $389 million to more than 142 
institutions in the State of New York as well as $1,816,000 in 
fellowships.
  While I regret the offset of the amendment and the need to transfer 
NSF funding to allow the COPS program to continue, NSF would still have 
received more in Fiscal Year 2006 than it did in Fiscal Year 2005 to 
continue its mission. The COPS program, however, without Congressional 
action on the House floor, will cease to exist. Mr. Speaker, that is 
why I supported Representative Weiner's amendment.




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