Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 80 (Tuesday, May 15, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4985-H4995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

COPS IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2007

Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1700) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets
Act of 1968 to enhance the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 1700

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``COPS Improvements Act of
2007''.

SEC. 2. COPS GRANT IMPROVEMENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 1701 of the Omnibus Crime Control
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Grant Authorization.--The Attorney General shall
carry out grant programs under which the Attorney General
makes grants to States, units of local government, Indian
tribal governments, other public and private entities, multi-
jurisdictional or regional consortia, and individuals for the
purposes described in subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e).'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking the subsection heading text and inserting
``Community Policing and Crime Prevention Grants'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``, to increase the
number of officers deployed in community-oriented policing'';
(C) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
``(4) award grants to pay for or train officers hired to
perform intelligence, anti-terror, or homeland security
duties;'';
(D) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
``(5) award grants to hire school resource officers and to
establish school-based partnerships between local law
enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat
crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in and
around elementary and secondary schools;'';
(E) by striking paragraph (9);
(F) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (12) as
paragraphs (9) through (11), respectively;
(G) by striking paragraph (13);
(H) by redesignating paragraphs (14) through (17) as
paragraphs (12) through (15), respectively;
(I) in paragraph (14), as so redesignated, by striking
``and'' at the end;
(J) in paragraph (15), as so redesignated, by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(K) by adding at the end the following:
``(16) establish and implement innovative programs to
reduce and prevent illegal drug manufacturing, distribution,
and use, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use
of methamphetamine;
``(17) establish criminal gang enforcement task forces,
consisting of members of Federal, State, and local law
enforcement authorities (including Federal, State, and local
prosecutors), for the coordinated investigation, disruption,
apprehension, and prosecution of criminal gangs and offenders
involved in local or multi-jurisdictional gang activities;
and
``(18) award enhancing community policing and crime
prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs,
as warranted.'';
(3) by striking subsection (c);
(4) by striking subsections (h) and (i);
(5) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) as
subsections (f) through (i), respectively;
(6) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Troops-to-Cops Programs.--
``(1) In general.--Grants made under subsection (a) may be
used to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as
career law enforcement officers for deployment in community-
oriented policing, particularly in communities that are
adversely affected by a recent military base closing.
``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, `former member of
the Armed Forces' means a member of the Armed Forces of the
United States who has been honorably discharged from the
Armed Forces of the United States.
``(d) Community Prosecutors Program.--The Attorney General
may make grants under subsection (a) to pay for additional
community prosecuting programs, including programs that
assign prosecutors to--
``(1) handle cases from specific geographic areas; and
``(2) address counter-terrorism problems, specific violent
crime problems (including intensive illegal gang, gun, and
drug enforcement and quality of life initiatives), and
localized violent and other crime problems based on needs
identified by local law enforcement agencies, community
organizations, and others.
``(e) Technology Grants.--The Attorney General may make
grants under subsection (a) to develop and use new
technologies (including interoperable communications
technologies, modernized criminal record technology, and
forensic technology) to assist State and local law
enforcement agencies in reorienting the emphasis of their
activities from reacting to crime to preventing crime and to
train law enforcement officers to use such technologies.'';
(7) in subsection (f), as so redesignated--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``to States, units of
local government, Indian tribal governments, and to other
public and private entities,'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``define for State and
local governments, and other public and private entities,''
and inserting ``establish'';
(C) in the first sentence of paragraph (3), by inserting
``(including regional community policing institutes)'' after
``training centers or facilities''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Exclusivity.--The Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services shall be the exclusive component of the
Department of Justice to perform the functions and activities
specified in this paragraph.'';
(8) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking
``may utilize any component'', and all that follows and
inserting ``shall use the Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services of the Department of Justice in carrying
out this part.'';
(9) in subsection (h), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``subsection (a)'' the first place that
term appears and inserting ``paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subsection (b)''; and
(B) by striking ``in each fiscal year pursuant to
subsection (a)'' and inserting ``in each fiscal year for
purposes described in paragraph (1) and (2) of subsection
(b)'';
(10) in subsection (i), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``the Federal share shall decrease from
year to year for up to 5 years'' and inserting ``unless the
Attorney General waives the non-Federal contribution
requirement as described in the preceding sentence, the non-
Federal share of the costs of hiring or rehiring such
officers may be less than 25 percent of such costs for any
year during the grant period, provided that the non-Federal
share of such costs shall not be less than 25 percent in the
aggregate for the entire grant period, but the State or local
government should make an effort to increase the non-Federal
share of such costs during the grant period''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The
preceding sentences shall not apply with respect to any
program, project, or activity provided by a grant made
pursuant to subsection (b)(4).''; and
(11) by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Retention of Additional Officer Positions.--For any
grant under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) for hiring
or rehiring career law enforcement officers, a grant
recipient shall retain each additional law enforcement
officer position created under that grant for not less than
12 months after the end of the period of that grant, unless
the Attorney General waives, wholly or in part, the retention
requirement of a program, project, or activity.''.
(b) Applications.--Section 1702 of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-1) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``,
unless waived by the Attorney General'' after ``under this
part shall''; and
(B) in paragraph (8), by striking ``share of the cost'' and
all that follows and inserting ``share of the costs during
the grant period, how the applicant will maintain the
increased hiring level of the law enforcement officers, and
how the applicant will eventually assume responsibility for
all of the costs for such officers;''; and
(2) by striking subsection (d).
(c) Renewal of Grants.--Section 1703 of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-2) is
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 1703. RENEWAL OF GRANTS.

``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a
grant made under this part may be renewed, without
limitations on the duration of such renewal, to provide
additional funds if the Attorney General determines that the
funds made available to the recipient were used in a manner
required under an approved application and if the recipient
can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the
objectives of the initial application.
``(b) Grants for Hiring.--Grants made under this part for
hiring or rehiring additional career law enforcement officers
may be renewed for up to 5 years, except that the Attorney
General may waive such 5-year limitation for good cause.
``(c) No Cost Extensions.--Notwithstanding subsections (a)
and (b), the Attorney General may extend a grant period,
without limitations as to the duration of such extension, to
provide additional time to complete the objectives of the
initial grant award.''.
(d) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Section 1704 of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3796dd-3) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``that would, in the absence of Federal
funds received under this part, be made available from State
or local sources'' and inserting ``that the Attorney General
determines would, in the absence of Federal funds received

[[Page H4986]]

under this part, be made available for the purpose of the
grant under this part from State or local sources''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The
preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to funds made
available under this part by a grant made pursuant to
subsection (a) for the purposes described in subsection
(b)(4).''; and
(2) by striking subsection (c).
(e) Study of Program Effectiveness.--Section 1705 of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3796dd-4) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(d) Study of Program Effectiveness.--
``(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide for a
scientific study of the effectiveness of the programs,
projects, and activities funded under this part in reducing
crime.
``(2) Study.--The Attorney General shall select one or more
institutions of higher education, including historically
Black colleges and universities, to conduct the study
described in paragraph (1).
``(3) Reports.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
the enactment of the COPS Improvements Act of 2007, the
institution or institutions selected under paragraph (2)
shall report the findings of the study described in paragraph
(1) to the Attorney General. Not later than 30 days after the
receipt of such report, the Attorney General shall report
such findings to the appropriate committees of Congress,
along with any recommendations the Attorney General may have
relating to the effectiveness of the programs, projects, and
activities funded under this part in reducing crime.''.
(f) Enforcement Actions.--Section 1706 of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-5) is
amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``REVOCATION OR
SUSPENSION OF FUNDING'' and inserting ``ENFORCEMENT
ACTIONS''; and
(2) by striking ``revoke or suspend'' and all that follows
and inserting ``take any enforcement action available to the
Department of Justice.''.
(g) Definitions.--Section 1709(1) of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-8(1))
is amended by inserting ``who is a sworn law enforcement
officer'' after ``permanent basis''.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1001(a)(11)
of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 3793(a)(11)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``1,047,119,000 for
each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009'' and inserting
``1,150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013'';
and
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ``3 percent may be
used for technical assistance under section 1701(d)'' and
inserting ``5 percent may be used for technical assistance
under section 1701(f)''; and
(B) by striking the second sentence and inserting the
following: ``Of the funds available for grants under part Q,
not less than $600,000,000 shall be used for grants for the
purposes specified in section 1701(b), not more than
$200,000,000 shall be used for grants under section 1701(d),
and not more than $350,000,000 shall be used for grants under
section 1701(e).''.
(i) Purposes.--Section 10002 of the Public Safety
Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C.
3796dd note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``development'' and
inserting ``use''; and
(2) in the matter following paragraph (4), by striking
``for a period of 6 years''.
(j) COPS Program Improvements.--
(1) In general.--Section 109(b) of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3712h(b)) is
amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (1);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs
(1) and (2), respectively; and
(C) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by inserting ``,
except for the program under part Q of this title'' before
the period.
(2) Law enforcement computer systems.--Section 107 of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3712f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Exception.--This section shall not apply to any grant
made under part Q of this title.''.

SEC. 3. REPORT BY INSPECTOR GENERAL REQUIRED.

(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the
Department of Justice shall submit to Congress a report on
the Public Safety and Community Policing (``COPS ON THE
BEAT'') grant program authorized by part Q of title I of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3796dd et seq.), including the elements described in
subsection (b).
(b) Elements of Report.--The report submitted under
subsection (a) shall include information on the following,
with respect to the grant program described in such
subsection:
(1) The effect of the program on the rate of violent crime,
drug offenses, and other crimes.
(2) The degree to which State and local governments awarded
a grant under the program contribute State and local funds,
respectively, for law enforcement programs and activities.
(3) Any waste, fraud, or abuse within the program.
(c) Random Sampling Required.--For purposes of subsection
(a), the Inspector General of the Department of Justice shall
audit and review a random sampling of State and local law
enforcement agencies. Such sampling shall include--
(1) law enforcement agencies of various sizes;
(2) law enforcement agencies that serve various
populations; and
(3) law enforcement agencies that serve areas of various
crime rates.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.

General Leave

Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join 102 cosponsors, including a dozen
members of the House Judiciary Committee, in supporting this
legislation.
During the 1990s, the crime rate for all categories of crime and in
all parts of the United States fell dramatically. For example, homicide
rates in 2001 plunged 43 percent from their peak in 1991, reaching
their lowest level in 35 years.
Now, there are many potential explanations offered regarding the
dramatic and unexpected drop in the rate of violent crime during the
1990s. One popular explanation is the Nation's sustained economic
growth during the days of the Clinton administration.
But researchers often point to one other explanation: the creation of
the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in 1994, the COPS
bill; and the subsequent infusion of more than $7.6 billion in grants
into State and local law enforcement communities to hire police
officers and promote community policing as an effective strategy to
prevent crime. The bill before us reinvigorates the COPS crime fighting
program in several important respects.
First, it establishes hiring grants for community policing officers,
anti-terror officers, and school resource officers. It also
reauthorizes ``Troops-to-COPS'' grants to hire former members of the
Armed Forces in particular as career law enforcement officers. And it
also authorizes a ``Community Prosecutors Program'' to pay for
community prosecuting programs, including those that assign prosecutors
to handle cases from specific geographic areas or to address counter-
terrorism and related problems.
Finally, it authorizes ``Technology Grants'' to State and local law
enforcement agencies to help them refocus some of their activities from
reacting to crime to preventing it. Crime prevention has now come back
into vogue.
So this legislation, because of its long and successful prior
experience, has been endorsed by key law enforcement groups: the
National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the
National Association of Police Organizations, and the National League
of Cities.
I am proud to indicate their strong support for this measure, and I
urge my colleagues to lend their support to a bill whose restoration is
more than deserved.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FORBES. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, America's State and local law enforcement agencies are
on the front lines combating and preventing crime every day. In the
last decade, their dedication and service and innovative policing
programs have led to a 34 percent decrease in violent crime.
It is unclear, however, whether the $11 billion in COPS grants
awarded since 1994 can receive the same credit. Studies have reached
inconsistent findings as to the effectiveness of the COPS program in
reducing the Nation's rising crime rates.
The COPS program awards grants to State, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies to hire or rehire police officers or procure new
crime-fighting technology. It is intended to provide short-term Federal
assistance to State and local law enforcement agencies. It is not
intended to assume the funding of State and local police, a duty that
lies first and foremost with the States.
The COPS program specifically directs that grant money not be used to
supplant State or local funds but, rather, increase the amount of funds
for

[[Page H4987]]

community policing. In reality, this has proven not to always be the
case. Studies show that spending on the COPS program has not led to an
increase in the overall spending by local law enforcement but often
supplants State and local funds.
The actual number of officers put on the street under this program is
also in dispute. Estimates vary from 118,000 to as few as 82,000
additional police officers. The answer to addressing crime in the 21st
century is not simply more cops on the street. It is innovative
programs, such as multi-jurisdictional task forces designed to target
specific types of crimes and neighborhoods plagued by gangs and drugs.
We should look to cities like New York and Los Angeles, who continue
to enjoy reduced violent crime rates thanks to smart, effective
policing.
To put to rest once and for all conflicting findings about the
effectiveness of the COPS program, the committee adopted an amendment
directing the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to conduct
an audit of the COPS program to review three areas: first, the effect
of the program on the rate of violent crime; second, the degree to
which COPS funding recipients contribute State or local funding to law
enforcement programs and activities; and, third, any waste, fraud, or
abuse within the COPS program.
As introduced, H.R. 1700 reduced the likelihood that community
policing would, in fact, some day be funded by America's communities.
The bill stripped several provisions from current law that encourage
State and local governments to assume a larger share of COPS grants.
This is directly contrary to the purpose of the COPS program and would
only exacerbate the use of Federal funds to supplant State and local
funds.
H.R. 1700 also stripped from current law limits on the duration of
COPS grants and instead allowed unlimited grant renewal. This too is
directly contrary to the original intent of the COPS program to provide
short-term assistance to State, local, and tribal governments to hire
additional police officers.
I am pleased that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle
listened to our concerns and supported our changes to preserve the
partnership between the Federal Government, State, local, and tribal
governments. I thank Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers, Crime
Subcommittee Chairman Scott, and Congressman Weiner for their
cooperation.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Los Angeles, California, Diane Watson.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1700,
the COPS Improvements Act of 2007. As a daughter of a police officer, I
believe this bill is essential to keep our citizens safe and help
communities combat crime.
Improving the COPS program is very important to the constituents I
represent in California's 33rd Congressional District. If this bill
passes, my district alone will get at least 25 new police officers, an
additional school resource officer, along with more funding to be used
for technology in Los Angeles' law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Speaker, today our children are killing one another in my
district at an appalling rate. The Los Angeles Police Department
recorded 7,714 gang crimes in 2006, a 14 percent jump over the previous
year. I believe we need to take a comprehensive approach to combating
gang violence and ensure that our youth have safe, quality schools that
give them an alternative to the streets.
But there is one action we can take right now that will immediately
reduce the level of violence and protect our kids, and that is to put
more police on the streets.
We have the bill here today that does just that, the COPS
Improvements Act, and I urge colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Chabot).
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
want to thank him and the folks on the other side of the aisle for
their leadership in this area.
I rise in support of H.R. 1700, the COPS Improvements Act of 2007.
The COPS grant program represents a true partnership between the
Federal Government and State, local, and tribal law enforcement
agencies to fight crime. This partnership has enabled more police
officers to be hired and rehired and facilitated the use of the most
advanced crime-fighting technology to ensure that officers are
effectively deployed into our communities all across the country.
As a result of our joint efforts, the number of violent offenses
reported in our country is down from the more than 1.8 million reported
back in 1994 to 1.3 million reported in 2005. But we cannot become
complacent. We must ensure that State, local, and tribal law
enforcement officials have the resources they need to keep law
enforcement on the streets.
H.R. 1700 accomplishes this by increasing the funds available for the
COPS program from $1 billion to $1.15 billion and by creating a number
of new grant programs that will assist communities, such as community
policing, crime prevention programs, and programs to address illegal
drug manufacturing.
Most importantly, the bill that we are considering today stays true
to the COPS grant program's original purpose, that the Federal
Government support State, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts,
not supplant them, as the ranking member indicated. That would be the
last thing that we should do. H.R. 1700, in its current form, requires
that States, local, and tribal law enforcement demonstrate their
commitment to the partnership by making a good-faith effort to match
the funds provided by the Federal Government. Yet at the same time, the
bill allows the Federal Government to play a primary role in those
circumstances in which a grant recipient cannot meet their financial
obligation for reasons beyond their control, thus ensuring that our
communities remain safe and that crime does not prevail.
H.R. 1700 is an important and necessary tool for law enforcement, and
I encourage my colleagues to support it.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to yield such time as he
may consume to the author of this measure, Mr. Weiner of New York,
whose confidence I have so much of this afternoon, notwithstanding that
there are eight other speakers, because of his persevering commitment
to reinstituting this community policing bill.
Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for both his confidence
and his leadership of our committee, and I also want to thank Bobby
Scott, the chairman of the Crime Subcommittee.
We are really here for three reasons. We are here because the COPS
program has been a singular success. It has been a success because we
identified in the 1990s that crime was not a program that only
localities could get a handle on, that we had a Federal role. It is a
success because it was a singularly democratic, with a small ``d,''
program.

{time} 1200

And small towns and big cities throughout all 50 States wound up
benefiting from the over 118,000 police officers that were put on the
street because of this program. We know, for example, that 82 percent
of the grants went to cities with 50,000 people or less. And while
cities like mine did very well because there were more police on the
beat, we know that there were a large number of very small towns that
benefited.
We know, as you can see, that the COPS program provides resources to
all 50 States. This wasn't a political program. If you were a police
department and you showed a way to get more cops on the street, the
Federal Government wasn't going to sit back; they were going to be
actively involved. And we know that it was successful. We know it
because the Government Accountability Office looked at the connection
between police officers and the reduction in crime and found a
correlation. We know the University of Nebraska looked at a very
similar thing and said, with all the varying elements that go into
reducing crime, was the fact that there are over 110,000 new police
officers on the street

[[Page H4988]]

funded by the COPS program a correlative effect? And the answer was
yes.
We are also here for another reason. We are here because crime has
started to creep back up. We are starting to see index crimes in cities
around the country start to rise again. After years of decline, we are
seeing it go up. And we are also here because there is even more law
enforcement burden being put on localities and States than arguably any
time in American history. Tom Ridge once famously said that homeland
security starts in our hometown. And when we were talking about the
cuts that were being made to homeland security, we were reminded that
actually it is the localities that we are asking to do more and more of
these things.
So we are here in acknowledgement that localities need the help.
Localities now have to do more than they ever had to do before, and
that's why in this program for the first time we are funding T-COPS,
cops that are going to be hired to do antiterrorism work.
But particularly the reason that we're here is a third reason, that
my colleagues on that side of the aisle eliminated the hiring
component. President Bush eliminated the hiring component. This is a
visual about how many police officers were hired under the COPS program
from 1995 to 2005. This is what has happened under President Bush and
under our Republican leadership. This many police officers. Zero. Zero.
Zero in Virginia. Zero in South Dakota. Zero in California. The program
was eliminated under my Republican friends. And as they stand up here
today, and you're going to see them vote in large numbers for this
program, they're going to wrap themselves around the idea that they
support the COPS program when in fact overwhelmingly it was quite the
opposite.
Let me show you the abandonment that's going on in the COPS program.
This is the number of cops that were hired in 1998. Look at the
decline. Look at how many were hired in 2005 and 2006. So the third
reason we are here is we are taking up the gauntlet that was, frankly,
laid down, put in a box and sealed away by my Republican friends. They
said, you know what? Law enforcement is not a local job, it's a
national job, we heard in committee. We heard, oh, the program hasn't
worked the way it was intended. The fact of the matter is, had it not
been for the Democrats taking over this body, had it not been for the
chairmanship of Mr. Conyers, this program would be zeroed out this
year, too. You know how I know? Because we've had many years where
those of us have stood up trying to change this where we were rebuffed
again and again.
Now, I can't say all of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.
We've got many, including the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller) who
is an original sponsor of this. But it is stunning to me that anyone
can stand up and say that they support this program after supporting
this.
In conclusion, I want to thank the chairman and my colleagues for
passing this. We're going to ask for a recorded vote, and we're going
to watch the large number of folks who helped write bills to zero out
the COPS program suddenly embrace the idea that we have to put cops on
the street. And I welcome my friends on the other side of the aisle to
the cause of providing help for local law enforcement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today at long last.
Under new Democratic leadership, the Congress will take up my bill,
H.R. 1700, to bring the COPS program back from the scrap heap, back
from a point where the program's hiring component has been zeroed out,
and restore it to be what it proved to be during the Clinton
administration: one of the most successful law enforcement programs in
the history of the United States.
We are facing a rise in crime in the United States. In a survey of
cities large and small, released last month, the Police Executive
Research Board found that 71 percent of cities had seen an increase in
homicides, 80 percent had seen an increase in robberies, and 67 percent
had seen an increase in assaults with guns. Moreover the FBI recently
reported that nationwide figures showed that last year, homicides,
assaults and other violent offenses grew by 4 percent, and robberies,
which are often interpreted as a precursor to more serious crime,
jumped by 10 percent.
Democrats faced a similar challenge in 1993 when asked about the rise
in drug-fueled street crime.
Then, Democrats, led by Bill Clinton, answered with the most far
reaching and innovative Federal anti-crime initiative ever--the COPS
program. It did the most intuitive thing--it hired more than 100,000
beat cops. It worked. It put police in every neighborhood, town and
city. Sure, big cities like Chicago and L.A. hired officers with
Federal help. But so did small towns like Marengo, IL, and Plano, TX.
Now, as crime rises and we work to combat the new challenges our
country faces in the wake of 9/11 the COPS program is again the
solution.
The background is this. The COPS program works. A study by the
nonpartisan Government Accountability Office recently stated, ``COPS-
funded increases in sworn officers per capita were associated with
declines in rates of total index crimes, violent crimes, and property
crime.'' According to the study, between 1998 and 2000, COPS hiring
grants were responsible for reducing crimes by about 200,000 to 225,000
crimes--one third of which were violent. Studies done by the Brookings
Institution, the University of Nebraska, Yale and Georgetown
Universities, the University of Maryland, and the Urban Institute--
among others--found similarly that COPS works.
When John Ashcroft spoke about this during his confirmation hearings
for Attorney General, he said, ``Let me just say, I think the COPS
program has been successful. The purpose of the COPS program was to
demonstrate to local police departments that if you put additional
police, feet on the street, that crime would be affected and
people would be safer and more secure. We believe the COPS program
demonstrated that conclusively.'' That is John Ashcroft.

When Tom Ridge was sworn in as the Secretary of Homeland Security, he
said homeland security starts in our home towns.
Over the course of the last 5 years, local law enforcement has become
deeply involved in homeland security. Big cities have been forced to
upgrade not only their equipment and training but also the type of
personnel they hire. Some cities have hired officers exclusively to
focus on homeland security--police who work to gather intelligence,
analyze terror threats, and monitor our most vulnerable targets.
And how have Republicans in Washington responded since coming to
office? They have eliminated the program police departments big and
small had grown to depend on: COPS Funded at over $1 billion a year at
the end of the Clinton administration, President Bush has zeroed out
the hiring component of what some believe to have been the most
successful law enforcement program in the Nation's history.
The bill we are considering today would restore the COPS program and
update to the challenges local law enforcement agencies face in the
post 9/11 world.
This bill breathes new life into the COPS program by authorizing $600
million per year for hiring grants, which could fund up to 50,000 new
cops on the beat over the next 6 years. And in an effort to make sure
that police departments around the country can use this funding as they
need--as terrorism becomes a greater burden on their limited budgets--
this bill explicitly enables COPS to provide funding for officers who
perform ``intelligence, anti-terror, or homeland security duties.''
The bill also authorizes $350 million per year for COPS technology
grants. These grants will allow police agencies to purchase things like
laptop computers for patrol cars, crime mapping software, and
interoperable communications equipment.
And the bill explicitly enables COPS to use funding for ``Troops to
Cops'' programs that help returning veterans find employment as law
enforcement officers.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
Mr. Conyers, the chairman of the Crime Subcommittee, Mr. Scott, and the
Democratic leadership for bring this bill expeditiously to the floor
for passage.
I also want to thank Joshua Fay-Hurvitz, Bobby Vassar, Greg Barnes,
Mike Volkov, Caroline Lynch, Karas Pattison, Molly Lothamer, and other
members of the Democratic, Republican, and Legislative Counsel staffs
who have worked so hard to make this day possible.
I urge passage of the COPS Improvement Act.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Over and over again we hear on the floor, we hear outside this body
the importance of coming together in a bipartisan manner and what we
can do to resolve issues for the American people. The unfortunate thing
is when we try to do that, as we have done in this bill and we bring
this bill in a bipartisan manner, sometimes my friends on the other
side of the aisle simply can't take yes for an answer. And when we hear
presentations like we just have, Mr. Speaker, I feel it is incumbent

[[Page H4989]]

upon me to stand up and just correct some of those facts.
The first thing is that the COPS program has been authorized in the
2005 Department of Justice authorization bill through 2009 for $1.047
billion. All this authorization will do is increase that to $1.15
billion through 2013.
In addition, when you see these lines that drop off with the number
of cops that are being hired, one of the things that we have heard from
the testimony that we've had is twofold. One of the reasons that we had
declines in the crime rate was not just because of the numbers of
police officers, but more importantly, not just because we sent money,
but because throughout the 1990s we had a lot of policies from
Republican legislators across the States that did things like abolish
parole, that did things like mandatory sentences, that did things like
truth-in-sentencing that took criminals off the streets and out of our
communities. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if we
do that, we reduce violent crime.
The other thing that we heard testimony on is that in New Orleans,
when we went to do hearings there, the number of police officers
increased and the crime increased. And in New York, the number of
police officers decreased and the crime decreased. By the rationale we
just heard, one would argue we should have less police officers.
But the testimony was, Mr. Speaker, we do need police officers on the
streets. That's why we brought this bill in a bipartisan manner. But it
is important that we have smart policing, that we have comprehensive
programs. Because if we just dump money at the problem and we don't do
that, we're not going to solve the problems that are before us.
Mr. Speaker, fortunately there were members from the Judiciary
Committee that worked in a bipartisan manner to bring this bill to the
floor. I hope we will pass it.
Mr. CONYERS. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FORBES. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. CONYERS. I would like to play good cop in this because I want to
commend those Republicans who are going to vote for this measure for
joining us. Look, it doesn't matter when you come on board. It's that
your thoughtfulness in helping us craft a bipartisan bill was
exceedingly important, and I personally am indebted to you for that.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, we certainly thank you for your
cooperativeness and support in reaching what we think is a much better
bill by the time that it reached the floor than when it started.
Mr. CONYERS. Thank you.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Keller).
Mr. KELLER of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the lead Republican original cosponsor
of this legislation which will reauthorize the COPS program and put
50,000 more cops on our streets.
The COPS program is responsible for putting nearly 120,000 cops on
the streets nationwide, including 774 cops in central Florida.
Violent crime is on the rise, and we need this legislation now more
than ever. For example, in my hometown of Orlando, Florida, the murder
rate is up 122 percent. I recently met with all of central Florida's
chiefs of police and sheriffs, and 100 percent of them support the COPS
program. This legislation is also endorsed by the National Sheriffs
Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Is the COPS program successful? Absolutely. Former Attorney General
John Ashcroft described the COPS program as a ``miraculous sort of
success.'' A 2005 GAO study concluded that the COPS program
successfully played a role in the decline in violent crime in the
1990s. And more than 95 percent of law enforcement officers hired by a
COPS grant are still on the street today.
Now, some might say that putting cops on the street is not a priority
worth funding with Federal dollars. Well, I would rather put cops on
the street than build bridges to nowhere or give subsidies to spinach
growers. Let's be practical. There are children in Orlando, Florida,
growing up in neighborhoods where 49 people were killed last year.
Those kids want to be able to walk home from school safely and play in
their neighborhoods without fear. These kids don't care if the cops'
salary is paid for with purely local funds or a mixture of local and
Federal funds. They just want to feel safe.
This legislation is a step in the right direction. I want to thank
the cosponsor of this legislation, Congressman Anthony Weiner, for his
leadership and strong support of the COPS program. He and I worked
together earlier to get $70 million added in the supplemental.
Some have said that some Republicans are new to this. I can assure
you that I've been an original cosponsor of this bill ever since I got
here to Congress. If I can quote L.L. Cool Jay, the rapper: ``Don't
call it a comeback; I've been here for years.''
This COPS legislation was approved by the Judiciary Committee by a
full voice vote and is worthy of our bipartisan support. I ask my
colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1700.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, Eddie Bernice Johnson has supported this
bill from its inception, and so I recognize the gentlelady from Dallas,
Texas, for 1 minute.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the
chairman of the committee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the COPS Improvements
Act of 2007.
As violent crime continues to rise, we must address the needs of our
Nation's law enforcement professionals. Law enforcement presence
remains one of the greatest assets against crime. I have witnessed
firsthand the importance of this program where our community cops
simply work with our young people, help to break up gangs, helping them
with tutoring in the evening when they are on duty in those
communities. So in addition to this bill just allowing the 50,000 cops
to be hired, it also allows for the increase in funding to improve
technology for our police agencies. And it may be used to update police
stations and cars for providing the latest technology in crime
fighting.
I am delighted to see that it is being considered, and I strongly
support and recommend the approval.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
(Mr. LaTOURETTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the COPS
Improvements Act of 2007. I want to congratulate Chairman Conyers, Mr.
Weiner and Mr. Keller for bringing this bill forward.
My written statement talks all about the importance of adding a
police officer school, resources officers and things of that nature. I
want to talk about an aspect of the bill that I am particularly excited
about, and that is the technology grants contained in the bill.
The police departments in my district were recently notified that the
backbone radio system that we basically spent millions of dollars on a
number of years ago is now going to become obsolete in 2011 because the
manufacturer is no longer going to make the spare parts. In the small
communities that I represent, it means a bill of $10 million. The
technology upgrades in this particular piece of legislation are going
to give my communities the opportunity to bid for grants that hopefully
will replace that radio system and make our community safer.
Secondly, in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, I have heard
from most of the school districts in my district that we need to build
on the success of the last COPS bill where 225 school resource officers
were added to the schools in the State of Ohio. And they are excited
again about the opportunity to add new school resource officers in the
schools to make them safer for all of the students in our school system
and across the country.
So again I want to congratulate the sponsors of this legislation. And
I thank Mr. Forbes for yielding.
I rise today to speak in support of the COPS Improvement Act of 2007.
Mr. Speaker, when I meet with law enforcement officials across my
district, their biggest concern is that Washington keeps asking them to
do more with less, especially in the aftermath of 9-11. Each year, they
beg me to adequately fund the COPS program and to reinstate the hiring
portion.

[[Page H4990]]

In my State of Ohio, the COPS program has been a godsend:
It has funded nearly 3,800 additional cops and deputies.
It has infused about 640 departments across Ohio with more than $227
million in Federal help.
More than 225 school resource officers have been added to Ohio.
More than $55 million has gone to Ohio departments to improve crime-
fighting technologies.
In my district alone, in the Akron-Cleveland area, nearly $20 million
has gone to local departments and 285 officers have been added to
streets and schools in my district.
I met with about 50 police chiefs throughout my district early last
month to tout this bill, and share the news that it was coming. They
are thrilled with this legislation. Many departments in my district
were able to add officers thanks to the COPS program, and they have
kept them on their payrolls.
They have patiently waited for us to beef up the COPS program,
especially as violent crime experiences an uptick. They want and need
the Federal Government to help fund cops on the beat, new cops in
schools, and they are thrilled that $350 million will be available for
competitive grants to pay for laptop computers, radios, cameras, and
all the technological marvels our police departments must have and can
barely afford.
My police chiefs in Lake County recently found out that they have to
replace their entire radio system because the manufacturer will no
longer be able to repair or replace them.
My chiefs are thrilled that this bill recognizes the importance of
school officers. They spoke of the need to keep schools safe, and the
bond that develops with students so students can feel safe to confide
in them. These school officers serve as mentors, friends and
protectors--they are worth their weight in gold. It's a small
investment to make.
In the days following the shootings at Virginia Tech, I heard from
many school districts pleading that funding be made available for
school resource officers. This bill will allow law enforcement to
partner with the schools. I also heard from the Ohio School Resource
Officers Association in the aftermath of Virginia Tech. They say
passage of the COPS Improvement Act can't happen fast enough. The
Senate passed it in March, and I am proud that the House will today.
This is great legislation. It's a good value for taxpayers. We ask
our police to protect our homes, our businesses and our schools and for
too long we've asked them to do it on the cheap.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to yield 1 minute to the
chairman from Illinois, Rahm Emanuel.
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, in 1994, when we passed the Community
Policing Program that added 100,000 community police onto America's
streets and also followed through with the strategy of not only getting
cops on the beat, but getting gangs, guns and drugs off the street, we
saw the longest and largest decline of violent crime in America's
history.
After that program's success of adding 120,000 community police
officers to the streets across this country, when it was ended in 2002
we saw violent crime in America begin to inch up again. Community
police officers walking the beat, knowing the neighborhood and knowing
their community is the linchpin of a successful anti-crime strategy.

{time} 1215

I am so proud that we have a bill here representing, again, going
back to a very basic approach of community policing by putting more
cops on the beat, which is the success to reducing violent crime in
America. We saw that rise again because this COPS Program ended. Every
sheriff, police chief and mayor has asked for this program to be
renewed, and I am proud we have done that to successfully once again
get back to helping our communities reduce crime. In Chicago, we added
1,800 cops and we saw crime reduced in our neighborhood.
I thank the chairman from Michigan and also the gentleman from New
York for their leadership in getting this bill passed.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, to both sides, thanks for coming together
on this critical bill. Anthony, you have done a good job, and the
chairman as well.
There is nothing like the presence of a police officer. It is not
only a deterrent to crime, but it is at the very heart of homeland
security. That is why the British are way ahead of us. They have a
bottom-up philosophy of looking at what is going wrong in the
community. We cannot have a top-down.
So 117,000 police officers later, to our rear right now is going the
National Peace Officers Memorial Service, and we know who is there. But
we know who is here. This is critical. We pray for these police
officers on the streets every day. I agree with the gentleman from
Ohio, the technology is just as significant as the number of personnel
we put on the street.
This administration tried to cut the FIRE Program, and they tried
desperately to cut the COPS Program. It is a new day, and we started it
in the sunshine.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Price).
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
and I appreciate his leadership on this.
I would rise, Mr. Speaker, to say that all of us obviously support
police officers on the street. But there are some legitimate concerns
about this bill and others that are brought to the floor. One that I
would point out on this bill is that we attempt to find some objective
information about the programs that we put in place here at the Federal
level.
The Office of Management and Budget has a program called Program
Assessment Rating Tool which attempts to determine the effectiveness of
what we do here on the floor, and their grade for this COPS Program is
``Not performing, results not demonstrated'' in the latest review.
That is not to say that we don't support cops on the street, police
on the street, but it is important to appreciate that there are some
legitimate concerns about the program.
Another concern I have is that one of our House rules, XIII section
3(d)(1) says that all committee reports must contain a statement citing
the specific powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution to
enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution. In fact, in
this bill being brought to the floor, there is no such statement
available from the committee.
So I think there are legitimate concerns, Mr. Speaker, and I ask my
colleagues to review those.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy).
Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 1700 and the law enforcement officers that keep our neighborhoods
and communities safe.
The small cities of Connecticut's Fifth District may not rival the
size of those neighboring districts, but they still have the same need
for vigorous community-based law enforcement. Since the COPS Program
began in 1994, 265 police officers have been put on the beat in the
Fifth District. This bill could put an additional 113 police officers
out on the streets. One bill, this bill, could increase the law
enforcement personnel by the COPS Program by 50 percent.
For the last 6 years as I sat in the Connecticut State legislature, I
have watched the Federal Government walk away from its commitment to
partner with States and towns to provide funding necessary to keep our
communities safe. In Connecticut, our law enforcement community has
been asked to do more with less. They are the pride of our community,
but they have seen the cuts in action that have been imposed by this
Congress.
The numbers in this bill are meaningful, Mr. Speaker. I urge all
Members to support the bill. It is important for our law enforcement
officers and important for the safety of our communities.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, once again I want to emphasize my support of this
legislation and my support of additional police officers, but it is
important that we continue to make sure we are separating the facts
from some statements that are being made.
Testimony that we have received before the committee strikes a great
contrast between different areas in our

[[Page H4991]]

country. Sending money alone, even putting cops on the streets alone,
will not solve our crime problem. As we mentioned earlier, in New
Orleans we had testimony that only 7 percent of the individuals
arrested, and this is pre-Katrina, only 7 percent of the individuals
arrested ever end up in jail, and the police officers themselves, the
police chief, testified how demoralizing that was to crime fighting and
police officers there.
That is why a comprehensive approach, looking at more police
officers, but also such things as abolishing parole, mandatory
sentencing and three-strikes legislation work to help cut down on the
crime that we have.
We have also heard testimony from both sides of the aisle about the
importance of technology. Many police departments are recognizing
across the country that it is not just the quantity of police officers,
but it is how they use them. New York came in and testified that what
they have done is actually decreased the number of police officers they
have, but they have used technology to do it in a smarter way, which
has reduced overall crime.
Mr. Speaker, we support this legislation, but let's make sure we are
not using the hyperbole, that we are using the facts. It is important
to have police. It is important to have them used in a smart, effective
and comprehensive manner if we are going to deal with the crime that
our communities are so concerned about.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on both sides?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Holden). The gentleman from Michigan has
5\1/4\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Virginia has 3 minutes
remaining.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield one-quarter of a minute to the
author of the bill, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner).
Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify some of the mistakes
made by the previous speaker, at least the misimpressions left.
One, technology grants cut under the previous Republican Congress;
two, alternatives to incarceration cut under the previous Republican
administration; three, police officers, I have already talked about,
cut.
Just about all of the elements of a comprehensive package were
eliminated under the leadership of your party. So if you care about
reducing crime, this is a better day than it was a year ago.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
Mr. COHEN. I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise in support of this bill. It is the bill
that I heard most about when I campaigned.
Crime is the number one issue in Memphis, Tennessee, and I think it
is the number one issue in most areas in this country. I spoke with the
Afro-American Police Association, and the issue they raised to me was
the COPS Program, that community policing works.
I spoke with people in the district and they knew that the COPS
Program had been successful, that it worked with community policing,
and they knew it had been cut by this Congress and they couldn't
understand why, and I couldn't tell them. I told them I was going to
come to Congress and do what I could to see that the COPS program was
reimplemented, that it was funded in a proper fashion, and that it
helped cut crime.
In this bill we have an opportunity to work together to bring our
troops home and to support our troops because veterans from Afghanistan
and Iraq will be given priorities when feasible to get these positions,
to come back and render their abilities and their experience for our
people rather than the people of Baghdad.
Support our troops, support the COPS Program and make our streets
safer.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the
gentlelady from Oakland, California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. I want to thank the gentleman for his stellar leadership as
Chair of the Judiciary Committee, and thank my colleague, Congressman
Weiner from New York, for your determination to make our country safer
by the introduction of this bill.
The reauthorization of the COPS Program really does come at a very
important time in our entire country. As an example, COPS has provided
since 1994 in my district alone $45.5 million in grants. These funds
have allowed law enforcement agencies in my district to hire 552
additional police officers and 45 new school resource officers. COPS
has also provided technology grants totaling $2.9 million in my
district.
If passed, this bill will allow COPS to hire more necessary officers.
The people of Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, the entire Ninth
Congressional District, could see 236 new officers, $13 million in
grants, 19 school resource officers and $2.8 million in technology
funding over the next 6 years.
Our communities throughout the country need the COPS Program. This is
about public safety and violence prevention. Community policing does
work.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
Mr. Speaker, what has happened here today is very important in terms
of developing a justice system that will operate at a very fundamental
and basic level, the police level. It doesn't correct the lack of
prosecution that has been raised by the gentleman from Virginia. It
doesn't correct many parts of the justice system that we on the
committee plan to go into. But I think there is a unanimity on both
sides of the aisle for restoring a very important community program
that has justified itself, and it is in that spirit that I want to
commend everyone on both sides of the aisle for their important work
that they have done in beginning to restore the program.
Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the author of the
bill, the gentleman from New York, Anthony Weiner, whose perseverance
has led us to the floor here today.
Mr. WEINER. And I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I think one of the many reasons that the American people
have turned the Congress over to Democrats is that we have said, like
so many Americans, that we don't want to hear just more talk and
rhetoric and posturing; that we want to start to actively solve the
problems that people face in communities around this country. And
whether it be a sheriff's department of two or three officers, or the
NYPD which has some 36,000 officers, after today's vote and after it
gets passed in the other body, God willing, and signed by the
President, we are going to start to do what we need to do to improve
homeland security, to reduce drug crime, to reduce the amount of the
day-to-day challenges that people face; to hire more officers to go
into schools, to get technology so officers can be out on the beat and
doing it more.
This is a program that, frankly, never should have died. It is a
program that I think too many of my friends on the other side just got
blood in their eyes over the idea that it was offered under President
Clinton, passed under President Clinton and single-handedly brought
down crime during those years. That is not a good enough reason. Let us
get past that kind of political haze and just realize that sometimes
things are successful, even though they are the ideas of someone else.
John Ashcroft dissented on several occasions. He said, ``I think the
COPS Program has been successful.'' Alberto Gonzales, someone whom I am
not prone to quote very often, has said, ``The COPS Program has been
beneficial.'' The Oneida County Executive, the former Mayor of Rome,
says, ``This program has made a difference,'' a tiny city. John
Ashcroft said when testifying before the House of Representatives, ``It
has been one of the most successful programs we have ever worked
with.''
This is a bipartisan success, because every once in a while around
here we get it right. We design a program with a goal in mind, and in
this case it was to get the Federal Government off the sidelines.
There are many in this body who hold this kind of old-fashioned
federalist notion that, you know what,

[[Page H4992]]

protecting citizenry is something that only localities do. Well, we
realize now in the post-9/11 world that has changed.
We are doing something about it, and I commend my colleagues of all
stripes for finally joining that bandwagon.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, as I rise to close, I just want to say that
I don't think the American people much care whether it is Republicans
in charge or Democrats in charge. I think what they really care about
is whether or not we are reaching across and trying to forge solutions
to the problems they face. That is why I want to compliment the
chairman for his bipartisan manner in which he has not only handled
working on this bill, but has handled this debate on the floor today.

{time} 1230

Mr. Speaker, this bill was never put on the sidelines. As I have
mentioned before, the facts show in 2005 we reauthorized it through
2009 for $1.047 billion.
The key was the DOJ Office of the Inspector General and GAO reports
note that thousands of hires funded by COPS never materialized as law
enforcement agencies used COPS funding to cover their own budget
shortfalls. In fact, they showed that $277 million were misspent funds.
Mr. Speaker, by working together in a bipartisan manner, I think we
have crafted a bill that will help in a comprehensive manner continue
to put police officers on the streets and continue to allow our local
and State enforcement agencies to be able to use technology and smart
policing to do what they want us to do, and that is to reach out to
form practical solutions of how they deal with crime and the crime that
is plaguing their communities.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this piece of
legislation.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce my
support for the COPS Improvements Act of 2007. Although the COPS Act
was originally introduced in 1994, its reauthorization is a clear
indication of this Congress' dedication to passing legislation with the
intent of securing our streets and providing for first responders, all
of whom are vital to securing our Nation. The COPS Improvements Act is
a post-9/11 legislation implementing a homeland security policy,
specifically in the areas of terrorism preparedness, intelligence
gathering, interoperability and other concerns we have in our
communities across America.
The Committee on Homeland Security supports the COPS Improvements Act
authorizing $600 million per year to hire officers to engage in their
communities across a variety of policing duties, including counter-
terrorism. The Amtrak Police Department, whose officers are on the
frontlines of transportation security, will be given the resources to
hire and train officers to perform intelligence, anti-terror, and other
homeland security duties protecting our railroads.
The COPS Improvements Act is also applauded by the Committee on
Homeland Security for authorizing $350 million per year for COPS
technology grants. Among the grants established, many were dedicated to
the development of interoperable communication technologies. The
improvement of interoperable communications is vital to homeland
security. It ensures there is communications connectivity between and
among civilian authorities, local first responders, and the National
Guard in the wake of a national emergency. This is a vital lesson we
have painfully learned in the aftermath of emergency responders facing
a lack of centralized coordination during a terrorist attack such as 9/
11.
The reauthorization of the COPS legislation is important to the
protection of our citizens and from domestic and foreign threats. I,
and the Committee on Homeland Security, promote the COPS Improvements
Act of 2007 as it is legislation that assists in protecting all
Americans. But, I want to be clear--the Committee on Homeland Security
should work with my colleagues in other committees to ensure these
grants are used for their intended purpose and do not somehow exceed
their legislative bounds. I look forward to discussing this issue
further with Chairman Conyers and others. Terrorism is an issue we at
the Committee take very seriously and believe the COPS Improvements Act
can serve a vital role in reducing and responding to a possible
terrorist event.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation commemorates National Police
Week this week and the 26th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial
Day today (May 15), let us honor the memory of those who have fallen in
the line of duty and thank those who carry on their legacy, serving in
communities across this Nation, keeping the peace, and protecting the
American people.
It is altogether fitting that today--with thousands of peace officers
in Washington to commemorate these events--the Members of this House
will consider this very important bipartisan legislation, the COPS
Improvements Act of 2007.
Mr. Speaker, when we pass this bill, the new Democratic Majority in
this House will again demonstrate its absolute commitment to taking
decisive action that protects our communities and combats crime.
In short, this legislation reauthorizes the highly successful
Community Oriented Policing Services Program, or COPS, which was
enacted in 1994 under the Clinton Administration and which helped local
law enforcement agencies hire 117,000 additional officers between 1995
and 2005--including 908 officers in Maryland's Fifth Congressional
District.
In fact, the COPS hiring program--with its emphasis on getting more
cops on the beat--is credited with reducing the crime rate.
The nonpartisan General Accountability Office, for example, concluded
in one study (and I quote): ``COPS-funded increases in sworn officers
per capita were associated with declines in rates of total index
crimes, violent crimes and property crime.''
Unfortunately, however, the former House Majority sharply reduced the
funding for the universal hiring program under COPS in recent years--
from more than $1 billion a year in the late 1990s, to $10 million in
2005, to the complete elimination of hiring grants in 2006.
Mr. Speaker, let's put these figures in perspective. One billion
dollars a years for COPS hiring grants is not an insubstantial sum. But
today, in Iraq, our Nation is spending approximately $10 billion a
month--or $2.5 billion a week.
House Democrats believe it is imperative to reinvigorate the
successful COPS program. And thus, this legislation calls for putting
50,000 additional police officers on the streets over the next 6 years
by authorizing $600 million a year for COPS hiring grants.
Furthermore, this bill authorizes $350 million a year for COPS
technology grants, and $200 million a year for hiring community
prosecutors.
Mr. Speaker, today, through this bipartisan legislation, this House
will demonstrate that it is committed to protecting and strengthening
America's communities.
We will demonstrate that the Federal Government is a committed
partner in protecting Americans not only from the threat posed by
international terrorism, but also from the dangers posed by domestic
crime.
I urge my colleagues: Support the COPS Improvements Act.
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives is doing
the right thing for our Nation's police and first responders by passing
the COPS Improvements Act. This bill will improve the safety of
communities across our Nation, and will help to reverse the damaging
budget cuts that our first responders have suffered in the past 7
years.
In 1994, President Clinton's COPS program changed the way law
enforcement in this country operates, by giving local departments the
resources to fight crime and put 100,000 new law enforcement officers
on the streets. The COPS program helped transform our major cities, and
gave rural police and sheriffs the resources needed to fight the
growing problems of drugs and violence.
As a former law enforcement officer, I know how important the COPS
program has been to local communities. Its federal-to-local structure
puts resources where they are needed: cops on the front lines.
As co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, I work with
law enforcement professionals from around the country, and they are
unanimous in their verdict: COPS is a program that works.
Unfortunately, the current administration disagrees with the approach
that was so successful in reducing crime during the Clinton years. The
administration has repeatedly attempted to cut and gut the program, in
spite of repeated endorsements from every major law enforcement
organization and the proven success of COPS in reducing crime. Under
the Republican Congress, COPS funding was reduced from its Clinton-era
high of $1.42 billion to less than $500 million in 2006, a cut of two-
thirds.
These cuts had a severe impact on local departments in my district
and in districts around the country. Attempts to keep officers on the
street, protect our schools, fight drugs and improve our homeland
security were all undermined. Republicans in Congress and the Bush
administration have been full of rhetoric about the heroism of local
first responders and the importance of fighting terrorism, but the
budget numbers tell a different story: for the Republican Congress,
local cops simply were not a priority.
Now we have a chance to set things right. The law enforcement
community has a tremendous need for this legislation to be enacted and
fully funded. Experts have said that it may cost as much as $18 billion
to fully upgrade our first responders to interoperable

[[Page H4993]]

communications; this bill will provide money for technology grants to
help close that gap. News reports show that the violent crime rate has
begun to rise again in our cities; this bill will help local
departments deploy more officers to fight violence and make our streets
safe.
The COPS Improvements Act represents our commitment to listen to our
local police departments and give them the resources they need to do
their job. I am proud to support this bill, and I urge the President to
sign it into law, so that our law enforcement officers can again
receive the support and assistance they deserve to keep us and America
safe.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1700, the COPS
Improvement Act. The COPS hiring program has been an unqualified
success. Since the program first began in 1994, we have seen crime
rates plummet throughout the country.
There are many factors one can point to for this drop in crime, but
the most obvious one is that the COPS hiring program has given our
local governments over $9 billion to hire over 117,000 police officers.
Law enforcement agencies in my district, New York's 17th, have
received $625,984,137 in COPS grants since 1994. This funding has
translated into 6,997 additional law enforcement officers in my
district. Unfortunately, Republicans ended the COPS hiring program last
year. A likely result of this, is that crime rates are inching upward.
It is essential that we stay vigilant in our fight against crime by
passing the COPS Improvement Act. When this bill passes, law
enforcement agencies across the country will be able to add over 50,000
police officers to our streets. In my district, we will gain
$190,978,211 in funding and 2,991 more police officers.
But the COPS program is not just about the number of police officers;
it is also about giving police officers the tools they need. Since
1994, $26,678,080 in COPS grants have been awarded to law enforcement
agencies in the 17th District of New York to purchase technology that
enables agencies to put more officers on the beat. This translates into
more bulletproof vests and mobile computers.
If the COPS Improvement Act of 2007 passes into law, an additional
$8,139,075 in technology grants will likely flow to the 17th District
of New York.
Mr. Speaker, I join the International Association of Chiefs of
Police, the National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of
Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S.
Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities in urging my
colleagues to pass the COPS Improvement Act of 2007.
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Law
Enforcement Caucus and proud cosponsor of H.R. 1700, the COPS
Improvement Act, I rise to urge my colleagues to support this important
legislation.
Since its creation in the 1994 Crime Bill, the COPS program has been
a key component of the Federal effort to keep our communities safe. The
program has been widely hailed as a success. It has supported the
hiring of over 100,000 officers and contributed to a nationwide
decrease in violent crime in the 1990s.
H.R. 1700 makes several improvements to the program to increase
public safety across the country. It reauthorizes the COPS hiring
program to help put 50,000 new police on the beat in our communities,
provides $350 million a year for State and local agencies to develop
new technologies for crime prevention and police training and provides
$200 million a year for community-based prosecution programs.
In my home state of Minnesota, I've seen, firsthand, the importance
of the COPS program to local police in reducing crime and improving
public safety.
The COPS program has been an invaluable resource to state and local
law enforcement agencies for hiring, technology and school safety
grants, and has been critical to providing personnel, equipment,
training and technical assistance in the war on drugs and homeland
security.
We must never forget our cops are on the front lines--in the war on
crime, fighting drug dealers and protecting our homeland.
As Chris Matthews of MSNBC said after the attacks of September 11:
``Before the attacks on our homeland, America's heroes were the rich
and famous. Since Sept. 11, America's heroes are the cops and
firefighters. And that's good for America.''
Today, America's heroes are counting on us. Congress owes it to these
brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day they put
on the badge. Our nation's law enforcement officers need all the tools
Congress can provide. It's time to honor the sacrifices made by our
Nation's law enforcement community and give our Nation's finest the
support they need.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a proud co-sponsor I rise
in strong support of H.R. 1700, the COPS Improvement Act of 2007,
introduced by my colleague Mr. Weiner. This act would amend the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, expanding the ability of
the Attorney General to make grants for the COPS ON THE BEAT program.
This important program provides for public safety and community
policing activities, and it very simply puts more cops on the streets.
This legislation would bring much needed relief to our brave and
overworked law enforcement officers, who are on the front line of the
war against crime. At a minimum, the passage of this legislation would
bring 374 additional police officers to reinforce the streets of the
18th congressional district of Texas, which I proudly represent. These
374 cops would be supported by a much needed funding increase of
$17,346,456, as well as an additional $2,753,784 in technology grants
to law enforcement agencies in my district. The 18th congressional
district is only one of hundreds of communities across the nation that
will enjoy greater security, safety, and stability as a result of this
important legislation.
During the 1990s, the crime rates for all categories of crime in the
United States fell dramatically and almost continuously, with homicide
rates plunging 43 percent to reach their lowest level in 35 years in
2001. Unfortunately, after this sustained drop across all geographic
areas and population groups, crime rates have once again begun to rise.
In particular, 2005 marked the greatest increase in violent crime in 14
years. This increase in crime, not coincidentally, corresponds with
cuts to the funding of the COPS program by the GOP-led Congress.

This is not acceptable. As part of the New Direction for America
ushered in by this Democratic Congress, we are committed to ensuring
that Americans can enjoy real security within our Nation's borders. We
are committed to guaranteeing that our country's communities, like my
own 18th district, have police forces that are adequately staffed,
equipped, and funded. We are committed to reinvigorating programs, like
COPS, that have proven highly successful in the past.
Mr. Speaker, an increase in crime mandates an increase in the number
of police. Since 1995, the COPS office has awarded over $11.4 billion
to over 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies
throughout the United States. These funds allow agencies to hire and
train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, to
purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and to develop and
test new and innovative policing strategies.
Despite the demonstrated success of the COPS program in reducing
crime rates, the current administration has targeted its funding. This
would jeopardize the marked headway this program has made into creating
and maintaining safe communities nationwide. H.R. 1700 provides an
opportunity to reverse this harmful process, and, as a result, enjoys
the support of numerous law enforcement organizations, including
Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations
and the National Sheriffs' Association.
This bill allows us to build upon a program that has already proven
successful by expanding the mission and increasing the prospects for
grants under the COPS program. It allows us to both protect America's
communities from increasing violent crime, and to provide adequate
resources for those whom we entrust with guarding our safety.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation because I believe
the work of our State, local, and tribal law enforcement officials to
be crucial to the security of our communities and our Nation. I believe
that the program's record is clear, and the evidence shows that more
cops equals less crime. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in
support this legislation.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1700,
the COPS Improvement Act of 2007. I would like to thank the chief
sponsors of this legislation, Congressmen Weiner and Keller, for their
efforts in bringing this bipartisan bill to the floor today.
Congress created the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
program as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of
1994 (Public Law 103-322). Administered by the U.S. Department of
Justice, the COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies to hire and train community policing personnel,
implement new technologies to combat crime, and develop new policing
techniques.
Since its establishment, the COPS program has been widely hailed as a
success. It most notably has supported the hiring of over 120,000
additional police officers and helped contribute to a nationwide
decrease in the rate of violent crime. In Hawaii alone, COPS grants
have helped to hire 522 additional police officers and sheriffs and
placed 18 new resource

[[Page H4994]]

officers in primary and secondary schools throughout the islands.
Yet funding for this successful program has become a yearly
Congressional battle. President Bush's latest FY 2008 budget request
seeks to cut funding for the COPS program by 50 percent, which is
actually an improvement from previous years in which program funding
was simply zeroed out.
In justifying the COPS program funding cut, the administration has
often cited the need to refocus our energies on homeland security
issues. However, our State and local law enforcement agencies play an
increasingly significant role in homeland security through their
already established roles in local crime prevention and investigation.
It is not unreasonable to suggest that State and local law enforcement
entities are among our first lines of defense in keeping our homeland
secure. To that end, it is the responsibility of this Congress to
continue to support and strengthen the COPS program.
H.R. 1700 is an affirmative step in this direction, as it would
authorize $1.15 billion each year in years 2008 through 2013 for the
COPS program. This is a 10 percent or $103 million increase from the
amounts authorized in current law. Of that amount, $600 million would
be allocated each year for the hiring of additional law enforcement
officers. It is estimated that this amount will translate into at least
50,000 new police officers on our streets. H.R. 1700 would also allow
for up to $350 million annually for grant programs that improve crime-
fighting technologies and up to $200 million each year to assist
district attorneys in hiring prosecutors.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of
H.R. 1700, as it supports the work of law enforcement officers across
our Nation. I would also like to extend a heartfelt mahalo (thank you)
to our State and local law enforcement officers who serve our Nation
with distinction and aloha.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1700,
COPS Improvement Act of 2007. Since 1994 the COPS program has allowed
local law enforcement agencies to hire an additional 117,000 officers.
It is unconscionable that over the past several years, the Republican-
led Congress has repeatedly cut the COPS program and eventually
eliminated all funding in the 2006 budget.
I'm proud that my district has benefited significantly from the COPS
program. In fact, in 1996 President Clinton came to the City of
Salinas, CA, to commend Mayor Caballero and Salinas law enforcement
officials on a successful community policing program. In addition,
Salinas was awarded one of a handful of COPS grants for tracking
weapons. These tools enabled the City of Salinas to reduce gang
violence. As funding for the COPS program dried up, gang violence in
Salinas spiked and in 2005 there were 24 homicides. This time, on its
own dime, the City of Salinas and the County of Monterey have busted
their budgets to implement a community policing gang task force.
Reauthorization of the COPS program, with full funding, will enable
Salinas and other communities all across the country to again implement
effective community policing programs to combat crime.
Reauthorization of the COPS program should not be a partisan issue.
After all, all crime is local. Community policing is effective because
it addresses crime at the local level. H.R. 1700 will allow for the
hiring of up to 50,000 new cops on the beat over the next 6 years. In
addition, the bill authorizes $600 million a year for COPS hiring
grants, $350 million a year for COPS technology grants, and $200
million a year for hiring community prosecutors.
I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 1700.
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, later today we will consider reauthorizing the
COPS program for another 6 years. It is fitting that the House will
take up this bill during National Police Week. I hope our law
enforcement community regards this bill and this week as recognition of
our thanks for keeping us safe and protected. We appreciate their work
and sacrifices immensely. Reauthorizing the COPS program is very
important to our State and local law enforcement, as the program
provides grants directly to them. My district has received nearly $11
million in COPS grants over the past decade and a half, and it is
extremely important that this program continues. This money has helped
and will help keep Hoosiers in the Ninth District safe by ensuring a
greater law enforcement presence on our streets back home and combating
violent crime such as meth trafficking and usage. I fully support
reauthorizing COPS and thank our law enforcement for all the sacrifices
they make day in and day out.
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. I am deeply disappointed that the
Democratic leadership has chosen to bring up H.R. 1700, the COPS
Improvement Act of 2007, under suspension. While the Committee on
Judiciary reported the bill out without objection, I am concerned that
the hundreds of Members not on the committee will not have any
opportunity to offer any improvements to the bill.
Had I been allowed the opportunity, I would have introduced an
amendment to more fairly allot grants by State. According to last
year's funding statistics, small States received a disproportionate
amount of funds. In fact, in some cases small States have received more
funds than States more than five times their population. For instance,
Alabama gets more assistance than California.
My home State, New Jersey, a densely populated State nestled between
the major metropolitan centers of New York City and Philadelphia and
also home to a heavily trafficked drug corridor and its own inner-
cities, receives less than 2 percent of all grants.
As if this imbalance weren't bad enough, the Office Management and
Budget's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) graded COPS as ``not
performing: results not demonstrated.'' The bill authorizes $1.15
billion for this program next fiscal year and another $4.6 billion over
the next 4 years. With so much taxpayer money at stake, and so few
positive results demonstrated, why is the House missing this
opportunity to fully consider how we might improve a program that is
failing despite its good intentions?
The people of New Jersey watch a disproportionate share of their
Federal taxes go to Washington to carry out this unproven program in
other States. And for these reasons, I regret that I simply could not
support this bill on the floor today.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support
H.R. 1700, the COPS Improvements Act.
This program, begun under President Clinton, has invested over $12
billion to add officers to the Nation's streets and schools, enhance
crime-fighting technology, support crime prevention initiatives,
provide training and technical assistance, administer grant programs,
and advance community policing. Since President Bush has taken office,
he has done everything he could to cut or eliminate funding for this
worthwhile program.
In the Third District of Florida alone, over $89,420,196 in COPS
grants were awarded to law enforcement agencies: COPS grants have
funded 1,192 additional police officers and sheriffs deputies to engage
in community policing activities, including crime prevention, in the
3rd District; 24 local and State law enforcement agencies in the 3rd
District have directly benefited from funding made available through
the COPS Office; $6,187,466 has been awarded to add 52 school resources
officers to improve safety for students, teachers, and administrators
in primary and secondary schools throughout the 3rd District; and
$10,780,628 has been awarded for crime-fighting technologies. This
funding has allowed officers to spend more time on the streets of the
3rd District of Florida fighting and preventing crime through
timesaving technology, information-sharing systems, and improved
communications equipment.
My district is not alone. The COPS program has helped districts
across the Nation by reducing crime and making communities safer for
residents to live their lives.
Earlier this session, I introduced a resolution urging increased
funding for both the COPS program and the Weed and Seed program, which
is an innovative, comprehensive, multiagency approach to law
enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. Both these
programs go together--community policing and community revitalization.
I am submitting for the record a letter from the city of Orlando in
support of this bill.
I urge support for the COPS program, safer communities and this bill.

City of Orlando,

Orlando, FL, May 15, 2007.
Hon. Corrine Brown,
U.S. Representative,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Brown: I am writing on behalf of the
City of Orlando to advise you of our strong support for H.R.
1700, the ``COPS Improvements Act of 2007''.
In 1994, Congress established the Office for Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and, in the decade that
followed, our nation experienced a significant drop in crime
rates. A large part of this success was the nation's
commitment to community oriented policing, particularly it's
hiring component, which helped get more officers on the beat.
This approach was validated by a Government Accountability
Office (GAO) study of the COPS program, which stated that:
``COPS-funded increases in sworn officers per capita were
associated with declines in the rates of total index crimes,
violent crimes, and property crime.''
Now, after years of historically low crime rates, we are
seeing a disturbing new trend--a jump in violent crimes in
our City as well as in many of our nation's large and medium-
sized cities. Just as the decrease in crime was directly
related to an increased focus on hiring law enforcement
officers at the state and local level, the more recent
increase in certain crimes can be directly related to the
loss of Federal funds supporting state and local law
enforcement. This legislation will reinstitute the COPS
program--a program we all know to be effective--and is needed
now more than ever.

[[Page H4995]]

Specifically, this bill will establish the Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services as a distinct entity
within the U. S. Department of Justice and will reauthorize
hiring programs for three specific purposes--community
policing officers, local counterterrorism officers, and
school resource officers. The bill also reauthorizes funds
for technology grants and community prosecutors. The COPS
program and the community policing approach are, and should
continue to be, an important part of our national crime-
fighting strategy.
Your commitment to reducing crime and your recognition of
the important role local law enforcement plays throughout the
nation is commendable. Be assured that the City of Orlando
will do our part in the fight against crime and, given the
proper resources, we can keep Orlando one of the safest
cities in the nation.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer,
Mayor.

Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to show my
support for H.R. 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act of 2007.
The original COPS bill, passed in 1994, enabled local law enforcement
agencies to hire 117,000 additional police officers across the Nation.
H.R. 1700 will establish the Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services as a distinct entity within the U.S. Department of Justice and
will reauthorize hiring programs for three specific purposes: community
policing officers, local counterterrorism officers, and school resource
officers.
School resource officers are especially important to keep schools
safe and to keep children in school. About 13.7 million or 22 percent
of children and youth were physically bullied in the last year and 15.7
million were teased or emotionally bullied. Bullying behavior has been
linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as vandalism,
shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, and the use
of drugs and alcohol. Having school resource officers on campuses will
help combat this growing problem.
School resource officers are also needed to combat the national gang
epidemic. In Los Angeles alone during the last 5 years, there were over
23,000 verified gang related violent crimes. These include 784
homicides, nearly 12,000 felony assaults, approximately 10,000
robberies and just under 500 rapes. It is imperative to reauthorize the
COPS program and get more officers on the street to stop this trend.
I am proud to support this bill and encourage all of my colleagues to
vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1700, COPS Reauthorization Act of 2007.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of H.R. 1700 the COPS Improvements Act of 2007.
Unfortunately, over the past several years funding for the hiring of
additional police officers has been drastically reduced and the COPS
program was basically eliminated.
The Community Oriented Policing Services Improvements Act revives the
grant hiring program. These grants will allow local police departments
to hire 50,000 additional police officers over the next 6 years.
I know in Houston after Hurricane Katrina we saw a significant rise
in violent crime. This program will allow our local communities to hire
additional police officers to protect their citizens.
This bill will also provide critical funding for technology grants
and hiring community prosecutors. These are tools that our communities
need to reduce our crime rates.
When the COPS program was eliminated our nation experienced a drastic
increase in crime rates. By providing our law enforcement community
with adequate funding and technology we will give them the ability to
reduce crime rates.
I have strongly supported this program since it was first introduced
during the 1990's. Today I urge my colleagues to support this critical
piece of legislation today.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, in my remarks in support of H.R. 1700, the
``COPS Improvements Act of 2007,'' I refer to amended language in the
bill that would have required COPS grant recipients participating in
the ``Troops-to-Cops'' program to give special hiring preference to
former members of the Armed Forces who served in Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I first introduced this provision
in an amendment during the Judiciary Committee markup of H.R. 1700. I
withdrew that amendment with the understanding that, after working with
Ranking Member Lamar Smith upon the committee's urging to craft
mutually agreeable language, this provision was to be included in the
final version of H.R. 1700.
Through what I believe to have been an inadvertent omission, the
hiring preference for veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom was not included in the final version of H.R.
1700 that has been presented to the full House of Representatives. It
is my understanding that the language will be added either in the
Senate bill or at conference and, therefore, will be contained in the
bill sent to the President for his signature.
Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong
support of HR 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act. I am proud to be a
cosponsor of this important legislation that will reauthorize the
Community Oriented Policing Services grant programs.
Over the first 10 years of its existence, from 1994 to 2005, the COPS
hiring grant programs have helped local law enforcement agencies hire
117,000 additional police officers. As a result there have been
significant drops in the crime rates across our Nation. Unfortunately
the previous Congress drastically reduced and then eliminated funding
for the COPS hiring grants in the 2005 and 2006 funding cycles.
H.R. 1700 will reinvigorate the COPS program by authorizing $600
million a year for hiring grants. This level of funding will help put
an additional 50,000 police officers in our communities over the next 6
years. I am proud that this Congress is acting to restore funding for
these hiring grants that are so critical to local law enforcement
agencies across the country.
In addition, this legislation will authorize $350 million for COPS
technology grants. These grants will help local law enforcement
agencies buy critical technology like computers for patrol cars and
crime mapping software. I have seen this type of crime mapping software
at work in the city of Santa Ana, California, in my district. This
technology acts as a force multiplier, allowing each officer to be more
effective in fighting crime and keeping our communities safe.
H.R. 1700 also authorizes $200 million for programs that focus on
hiring the community prosecutors that play a critical role in following
up on police work and convicting criminals.
All of these COPS grant programs will provide critical resources to
local law enforcement agencies across the country that are facing a
variety of challenges including emerging and ongoing gang activity. In
previous years, a COPS grant provided funding to the Santa Ana Police
Department for Firearms Identification technology that can read the
unique fingerprints that connect bullets and guns. The Santa Ana Police
Department has been able to solve many gang-related shootings and other
violent crimes by using this ballistics technology. I hope that the
passage of this legislation will help ensure that law enforcement
agencies across the nation benefit from the valuable COPS grant
programs.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 1700.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1700,
the Community Oriented Policing Services Reauthorization Act, which has
provided greater numbers of police officers to protect our citizens in
every State in the union. My district in Oregon has benefited
significantly from this program through the addition of 279 police
officers and a total of over $24 million secured for local law
enforcement agencies since 1994.
I find it perplexing that the administration continually attempts to
reduce funding for COPS when independent studies confirm that the
grants significantly contributed to the crime reduction in the late
1990s. Nationally, the strain on law enforcement has never been
greater, as resources are stretched to combat the recent rise in crime
while also addressing homeland security responsibilities. For this
reason, I support the revitalization of this program to protect our
families and give law enforcement the support they need.
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1700, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.

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