[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 86 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6890-S6894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself and Mr. Specter):
  S. 1521. A bill to provide information, resources, recommendations, 
and funding to help State and local law enforcement enact crime 
prevention and intervention strategies supported by rigorous evidence; 
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. FEINGOLD: Mr. President, today I will introduce the PRECAUTION 
Act the Prevention Resources for Eliminating Criminal Activity Using 
Tailored Interventions in Our Neighborhoods Act. It is a long name, but 
it stands for an important principle that it is better to invest in 
precautionary measures now than it is to pay the costs of crime both in 
dollars and lives later on. I am very pleased that the Senator from 
Pennsyivania, Mr. Specter, will join me as a cosponsor of this 
legislation.
  As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, there is a particular urgency 
for this bill. Last year, Milwaukee suffered a devastating surge of 
violence over that holiday weekend. Just to take one example, a gunmand 
opened fire on a crowd of picnickers that included, according to news 
reports, almost 50 children. By the end of the weekend, nearly 30 
people were wounded in shootings around the city, many

[[Page S6891]]

of them fatal. Instead of spending their Memorial Day weekend 
remembering those who gave their lives in defense of this country, 
Milwaukee residents found themselves mourning the victims of a war-zone 
rising up in their own neighborhoods.
  Violence has continued to dominate the news in Milwaukee ever since. 
Brandon Sprewer, a Special Olympian, was waiting at a bus stop when he 
was shot and killed for his wallet. Wisconsin Department of Justice 
officer Jay Balchunas was shot and killed for no apparent reason, the 
victim of a random robbery that turned violent. Shaina Mersman was shot 
and killed at noon in the middle of a busy shopping area. She was 8 
months pregnant, and she died in the middle of the street. And just 
this very month, 4-year-old Jasmine Owens was shot and killed by a 
drive-by shooter. She had been skipping rope in her front yard. These 
are but a few of the senseless deaths in a list of names that is far 
too long.
  According to a report released by the Police Executive Research 
Forum, Milwaukee's homicide rates have increased by 17 percent, robbery 
rates by 39 percent, and aggravated assault by 85 percent in the past 2 
years. While Milwaukee has been one of those cities hardest hit, cities 
across America are struggling with rising crime rates. In fact, the 
2005 FBI Uniform Crime Report showed a startling increase in violent 
crime, reporting the largest single year percent increase in violent 
crime in 14 years. The FBI has also reported that crime increased 
another 3.7 percent in the first half of 2006 when compared with the 
same time frame in 2005.
  These statistics are shocking, and they show that this is not a 
localized problem. Yet David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime 
Prevention and Control at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 
reported in an August 2006 Washington Post article that, ``State and 
local officials feel abandoned by the Federal Government. The Federal 
Government must return to its role as a real partner in conquering 
crime by providing funding and crafting effective approaches to key 
problems.'' Something must be done at the Federal level to stem the 
tide of violence threatening our Nation. Put very simply, we, as 
representatives of our constituents, have an obligation to act.
  At the same time, we have an obligation to act responsibly. The 
Federal government must work in concert with state and local law 
enforcement, with the non profit criminal justice community, and with 
other branches of State and Federal government. While we have an 
obligation to provide leadership and support, we do not have the right 
to unilaterally take control from the state and local officials on the 
ground. We must also act wisely, investing our resources in crime-
fighting measures that we are confident will work and whose 
effectiveness has been demonstrated. Sometimes, small and careful 
advances are the ones that yield the most benefit.
  The PRECAUTION Act is based on the premise that the cornerstones of 
Federal participation in crime fighting are threefold. First, the 
Federal Government should develop and disseminate knowledge to State 
and local officials regarding the newest and most effective law 
enforcement techniques and strategies. Second, the Federal Government 
should provide financial support for innovations that our State and 
local partners cannot afford to fund on their own. With that funding, 
we also should provide the guidance, training, and technical assistance 
to implement those innovations. Third, the Federal Government needs to 
create and maintain effective partnerships among agencies at all levels 
of government, partnerships that are crafted to address specific law 
enforcement challenges. And in its implementation, the PRECAUTION Act 
fulfills all three of these principles.
  The PRECAUTION Act creates a national commission to wade through the 
sea of information on crime prevention and intervention strategies 
currently available and identify those programs that are most ready for 
replication around the country. Over taxed law enforcement officials 
need a simple, accessible resource to turn to that recommends a few, 
top-tier crime prevention and intervention programs. They need a 
resource that will single out those existing programs that are truly 
``evidence-based,'' programs that are proven by scientifically reliable 
evidence to be effective. And the commission created by the PRECAUTION 
Act will provide just such a report, one written in plain language and 
focused on pragmatic implementation issues, approximately a year and a 
half after the bill is enacted.
  In the course of holding hearings and writing this first report, the 
commission will also identify some types of prevention and intervention 
strategies that are promising but need further research and development 
before they are ready for further implementation.
  The National Institute of Justice then will administer a grant 
program that will fund pilot projects in these identified areas. The 
commission will follow closely the progress of these pilot projects, 
and at the end of the three years of the grant program, the commission 
will publish a second report, providing a detailed discussion of each 
pilot project and its effectiveness. This second report will include 
detailed implementation information will discuss frankly both the 
successes and failures that arose over the course of the 3 years of the 
grant program.
  The PRECAUTION Act answers a call put out by police chiefs and mayors 
from more than 50 cities around the country during a national 
conference hosted by the Police Executive Research Forum. According to 
a report on the event from the Forum, these law enforcement leaders 
agreed that while there is a desperate need to focus on violent crime 
in the law enforcement community, ``other municipal agencies and social 
services organizations, including schools, mental health, public 
health, courts, corrections, and conflict management groups need to be 
brought together to partner toward the common goal of reducing violent 
crime.'' In the hearings held by the commission, these voices will all 
be heard. In the reports filed by the commission, these perspectives 
will be acknowledged. And in the pilot projects administered by the 
National Institute of Justice, these partnerships will be developed and 
fostered.
  The PRECAUTION Act, though modest in scope, is an important 
supplement to the essential financial support the Federal Government 
provides to our state and local law enforcement partners through 
programs such as the Byrne Justice Assistance grants and the COPS 
grants. When State and local law enforcement receive Federal support 
for policing, they have difficult decisions to make on how to spend 
those Federal dollars. We all know that prevention and intervention are 
integral components of any comprehensive law enforcement plan. The 
PRECAUTION Act not only highlights the importance of these components, 
but will also help to single out some of the best, most effective forms 
of prevention and intervention programs available. At the same time, it 
will help to develop additional, cutting-edge strategies that are 
supported by solid scientific evidence of their effectiveness. I am 
pleased that the bill has been endorsed by the National Sheriffs' 
Association, the Council for Excellence in Government, the American 
Society of Criminology, and the Consortium of Social Science 
Associations.
  It is my sincere hope that Milwaukee is able to enjoy a peaceful 
Memorial Day weekend this year, but I will not rest on hopes alone. As 
Ted Kamatchus, President of the National Sheriffs' Association, 
testified in a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, 
Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, this week, ``we need a coordinated 
national attack on crime, recognizing that there is no single `silver 
bullet' solution. Political rhetoric must not prevail over action.'' I 
urge my colleagues to listen to this advice and to join Senator Specter 
and me in working to get this important piece of legislation passed.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1521

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Prevention 
     Resources for Eliminating Criminal Activity Using Tailored 
     Interventions in Our Neighborhoods Act of 2007'' or the 
     ``PRECAUTION Act''.

[[Page S6892]]

       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. National Commission on Public Safety Through Crime Prevention.
Sec. 5. Innovative crime prevention and intervention strategy grants.
Sec. 6. Elimination of the Red Planet Capital Venture Capital Program.

     SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are to--
       (1) establish a commitment on the part of the Federal 
     Government to provide leadership on successful crime 
     prevention and intervention strategies;
       (2) further the integration of crime prevention and 
     intervention strategies into traditional law enforcement 
     practices of State and local law enforcement offices around 
     the country;
       (3) develop a plain-language, implementation-focused 
     assessment of those current crime and delinquency prevention 
     and intervention strategies that are supported by rigorous 
     evidence;
       (4) provide additional resources to the National Institute 
     of Justice to administer research and development grants for 
     promising crime prevention and intervention strategies;
       (5) develop recommendations for Federal priorities for 
     crime and delinquency prevention and intervention research, 
     development, and funding that may augment important Federal 
     grant programs, including the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice 
     Assistance Grant Program under subpart 1 of part E of title I 
     of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
     U.S.C. 3750 et seq.), grant programs administered by the 
     Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the 
     Department of Justice, grant programs administered by the 
     Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the Department of 
     Education, and other similar programs; and
       (6) reduce the costs that rising violent crime imposes on 
     interstate commerce.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
       (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the National 
     Commission on Public Safety Through Crime Prevention 
     established under section 4(a).
       (2) Rigorous evidence.--The term ``rigorous evidence'' 
     means evidence generated by scientifically valid forms of 
     outcome evaluation, particularly randomized trials (where 
     practicable).
       (3) Subcategory.--The term ``subcategory'' means 1 of the 
     following categories:
       (A) Family and community settings (including public health-
     based strategies).
       (B) Law enforcement settings (including probation-based 
     strategies).
       (C) School settings (including antigang and general 
     antiviolence strategies).
       (4) Top-tier.--The term ``top-tier'' means any strategy 
     supported by rigorous evidence of the sizable, sustained 
     benefits to participants in the strategy or to society.

     SEC. 4. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH CRIME 
                   PREVENTION.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be 
     known as the National Commission on Public Safety Through 
     Crime Prevention.
       (b) Members.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 9 
     members, of whom--
       (A) 3 shall be appointed by the President, 1 of whom shall 
     be the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice 
     Programs or a representative of such Assistant Attorney 
     General;
       (B) 2 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, unless the Speaker is of the same party as 
     the President, in which case 1 shall be appointed by the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and 1 shall be 
     appointed by the minority leader of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (C) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 
     House of Representatives (in addition to any appointment made 
     under subparagraph (B));
       (D) 2 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the 
     Senate, unless the majority leader is of the same party as 
     the President, in which case 1 shall be appointed by the 
     majority leader of the Senate and 1 shall be appointed by the 
     minority leader of the Senate; and
       (E) 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate 
     (in addition to any appointment made under subparagraph (D)).
       (2) Persons eligible.--
       (A) In general.--Each member of the Commission shall be an 
     individual who has knowledge or expertise in matters to be 
     studied by the Commission.
       (B) Required representatives.--At least--
       (i) 2 members of the Commission shall be respected social 
     scientists with experience implementing or interpreting 
     rigorous, outcome-based trials; and
       (ii) 2 members of the Commission shall be law enforcement 
     practitioners.
       (3) Consultation required.--The President, the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the 
     House of Representatives, and the majority leader and 
     minority leader of the Senate shall consult prior to the 
     appointment of the members of the Commission to achieve, to 
     the maximum extent possible, fair and equitable 
     representation of various points of view with respect to the 
     matters to be studied by the Commission.
       (4) Term.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of 
     the Commission.
       (5) Time for initial appointments.--The appointment of the 
     members shall be made not later than 60 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act.
       (6) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
     in the manner in which the original appointment was made, and 
     shall be made not later than 60 days after the date on which 
     the vacancy occurred.
       (7) Ex officio members.--The Director of the National 
     Institute of Justice, the Director of the Office of Juvenile 
     Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Director of the 
     Community Capacity Development Office, the Director of the 
     Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Director of the Bureau of 
     Justice Assistance, and the Director of Community Oriented 
     Policing Services (or a representative of each such director) 
     shall each serve in an ex officio capacity on the Commission 
     to provide advice and information to the Commission.
       (c) Operation.--
       (1) Chairperson.--At the initial meeting of the Commission, 
     the members of the Commission shall elect a chairperson from 
     among its voting members, by a vote of \2/3\ of the members 
     of the Commission. The chairperson shall retain this position 
     for the life of the Commission. If the chairperson leaves the 
     Commission, a new chairperson shall be selected, by a vote of 
     \2/3\ of the members of the Commission.
       (2) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
     chairperson. The initial meeting of the Commission shall take 
     place not later than 30 days after the date on which all the 
     members of the Commission have been appointed.
       (3) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
     shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, and the 
     Commission may establish a lesser quorum for conducting 
     hearings scheduled by the Commission.
       (4) Rules.--The Commission may establish by majority vote 
     any other rules for the conduct of Commission business, if 
     such rules are not inconsistent with this Act or other 
     applicable law.
       (d) Public Hearings.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission shall hold public hearings. 
     The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such 
     times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
     evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out 
     its duties under this section.
       (2) Focus of hearings.--The Commission shall hold at least 
     3 separate public hearings, each of which shall focus on 1 of 
     the subcategories.
       (3) Witness expenses.--Witnesses requested to appear before 
     the Commission shall be paid the same fees as are paid to 
     witnesses under section 1821 of title 28, United States Code. 
     The per diem and mileage allowances for witnesses shall be 
     paid from funds appropriated to the Commission.
       (e) Comprehensive Study of Evidence-Based Crime Prevention 
     and Intervention Strategies.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission shall carry out a 
     comprehensive study of the effectiveness of crime and 
     delinquency prevention and intervention strategies, organized 
     around the 3 subcategories.
       (2) Matters included.--The study under paragraph (1) shall 
     include--
       (A) a review of research on the general effectiveness of 
     incorporating crime prevention and intervention strategies 
     into an overall law enforcement plan;
       (B) an evaluation of how to more effectively communicate 
     the wealth of social science research to practitioners;
       (C) a review of evidence regarding the effectiveness of 
     specific crime prevention and intervention strategies, 
     focusing on those strategies supported by rigorous evidence;
       (D) an identification of--
       (i) promising areas for further research and development; 
     and
       (ii) other areas representing gaps in the body of knowledge 
     that would benefit from additional research and development;
       (E) an assessment of the best practices for implementing 
     prevention and intervention strategies;
       (F) an assessment of the best practices for gathering 
     rigorous evidence regarding the implementation of 
     intervention and prevention strategies; and
       (G) an assessment of those top-tier strategies best suited 
     for duplication efforts in a range of settings across the 
     country.
       (3) Initial report on top-tier crime prevention and 
     intervention strategies.--
       (A) Distribution.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
     on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, 
     the Commission shall submit a public report on the study 
     carried out under this subsection to--
       (i) the President;
       (ii) Congress;
       (iii) the Attorney General;
       (iv) the chief federal public defender of each district;
       (v) the chief executive of each State;
       (vi) the Director of the Administrative Office of the 
     Courts of each State.
       (vii) the Director of the Administrative Office of the 
     United States Courts; and
       (viii) the attorney general of each State.
       (B) Contents.--The report under subparagraph (A) shall 
     include--
       (i) the findings and conclusions of the Commission;

[[Page S6893]]

       (ii) a summary of the top-tier strategies, including--

       (I) a review of the rigorous evidence supporting the 
     designation of each strategy as top-tier;
       (II) a brief outline of the keys to successful 
     implementation for each strategy; and
       (III) a list of references and other information on where 
     further information on each strategy can be found;

       (iii) recommended protocols for implementing crime and 
     delinquency prevention and intervention strategies generally;
       (iv) recommended protocols for evaluating the effectiveness 
     of crime and delinquency prevention and intervention 
     strategies; and
       (v) a summary of the materials relied upon by the 
     Commission in preparation of the report.
       (C) Consultation with outside authorities.--In developing 
     the recommended protocols for implementation and rigorous 
     evaluation of top-tier crime and delinquency prevention and 
     intervention strategies under this paragraph, the Commission 
     shall consult with the Committee on Law and Justice at the 
     National Academy of Science and with national associations 
     representing the law enforcement and social science 
     professions, including the National Sheriffs' Association, 
     the Police Executive Research Forum, the International 
     Association of Chiefs of Police, the Consortium of Social 
     Science Associations, and the American Society of 
     Criminology.
       (f) Recommendations Regarding Dissemination of the 
     Innovative Crime Prevention and Intervention Strategy 
     Grants.--
       (1) Submission.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the final hearing under subsection (d) relating to a 
     subcategory, the Commission shall provide the Director of the 
     National Institute of Justice with recommendations on 
     qualifying considerations relating to that subcategory for 
     selecting grant recipients under section 5.
       (B) Deadline.--Not later than 13 months after the date on 
     which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the 
     Commission shall provide all recommendations required under 
     this subsection.
       (2) Matters included.--The recommendations provided under 
     paragraph (1) shall include recommendations relating to--
       (A) the types of strategies for the applicable subcategory 
     that would best benefit from additional research and 
     development;
       (B) any geographic or demographic targets;
       (C) the types of partnerships with other public or private 
     entities that might be pertinent and prioritized; and
       (D) any classes of crime and delinquency prevention and 
     intervention strategies that should not be given priority 
     because of a pre-existing base of knowledge that would 
     benefit less from additional research and development.
       (g) Final Report on the Results of the Innovative Crime 
     Prevention and Intervention Strategy Grants.--
       (1) In general.--Following the close of the 3-year 
     implementation period for each grant recipient under section 
     5, the Commission shall collect the results of the study of 
     the effectiveness of that grant under section 5(b)(3) and 
     shall submit a public report to the President, the Attorney 
     General, Congress, the chief executive of each State, and the 
     attorney general of each State describing each strategy 
     funded under section 5 and its results. This report shall be 
     submitted not later than 5 years after the date of the 
     selection of the chairperson of the Commission.
       (2) Collection of information and evidence regarding grant 
     recipients.--The Commission's collection of information and 
     evidence regarding each grant recipient under section 5 shall 
     be carried out by--
       (A) ongoing communications with the grant administrator at 
     the National Institute of Justice;
       (B) visits by representatives of the Commission (including 
     at least 1 member of the Commission) to the site where the 
     grant recipient is carrying out the strategy with a grant 
     under section 5, at least once in the second and once in the 
     third year of that grant;
       (C) a review of the data generated by the study monitoring 
     the effectiveness of the strategy; and
       (D) other means as necessary.
       (3) Matters included.--The report submitted under paragraph 
     (1) shall include a review of each strategy carried out with 
     a grant under section 5, detailing--
       (A) the type of crime or delinquency prevention or 
     intervention strategy;
       (B) where the activities under the strategy were carried 
     out, including geographic and demographic targets;
       (C) any partnerships with public or private entities 
     through the course of the grant period;
       (D) the type and design of the effectiveness study 
     conducted under section 5(b)(3) for that strategy;
       (E) the results of the effectiveness study conducted under 
     section 5(b)(3) for that strategy;
       (F) lessons learned regarding implementation of that 
     strategy or of the effectiveness study conducted under 
     section 5(b)(3), including recommendations regarding which 
     types of environments might best be suited for successful 
     replication; and
       (G) recommendations regarding the need for further research 
     and development of the strategy.
       (h) Personnel Matters.--
       (1) Travel expenses.--The members of the Commission shall 
     be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
     subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
     under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
     Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 
     business in the performance of service for the Commission.
       (2) Compensation of members.--Members of the Commission 
     shall serve without compensation.
       (3) Staff.--
       (A) In general.--The chairperson of the Commission may, 
     without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 
     appoint and terminate an executive director and such other 
     additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
     Commission to perform its duties. The employment of an 
     executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the 
     Commission.
       (B) Compensation.--The chairperson of the Commission may 
     fix the compensation of the executive director and other 
     personnel without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and 
     subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, 
     relating to classification of positions and General Schedule 
     pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive 
     director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable 
     for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
     such title.
       (4) Detail of federal employees.--With the affirmative vote 
     of \2/3\ of the members of the Commission, any Federal 
     Government employee, with the approval of the head of the 
     appropriate Federal agency, may be detailed to the Commission 
     without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without 
     interruption or loss of civil service status, benefits, or 
     privileges.
       (i) Contracts for Research.--
       (1) National institute of justice.--With a \2/3\ 
     affirmative vote of the members of the Commission, the 
     Commission may select nongovernmental researchers and experts 
     to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under 
     this Act. The National Institute of Justice shall contract 
     with the researchers and experts selected by the Commission 
     to provide funding in exchange for their services.
       (2) Other organizations.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
     be construed to limit the ability of the Commission to enter 
     into contracts with other entities or organizations for 
     research necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission 
     under this section.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
       (k) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the 
     date that is 30 days after the date on which the Commission 
     submits the last report required by this section.
       (l) Exemption.--The Commission shall be exempt from the 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act.

     SEC. 5. INNOVATIVE CRIME PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGY 
                   GRANTS.

       (a) Grants Authorized.--The Director of the National 
     Institute of Justice may make grants to public and private 
     entities to fund the implementation and evaluation of 
     innovative crime or delinquency prevention or intervention 
     strategies. The purpose of grants under this section shall be 
     to provide funds for all expenses related to the 
     implementation of such a strategy and to conduct a rigorous 
     study on the effectiveness of that strategy.
       (b) Grant Distribution.--
       (1) Period.--A grant under this section shall be made for a 
     period of not more than 3 years.
       (2) Amount.--The amount of each grant under this section--
       (A) shall be sufficient to ensure that rigorous evaluations 
     may be performed; and
       (B) shall not exceed $2,000,000.
       (3) Evaluation set-aside.--
       (A) In general.--A grantee shall use not less than $300,000 
     and not more than $700,000 of the funds from a grant under 
     this section for a rigorous study of the effectiveness of the 
     strategy during the 3-year period of the grant for that 
     strategy.
       (B) Methodology of study.--
       (i) In general.--Each study conducted under subparagraph 
     (A) shall use an evaluator and a study design approved by the 
     employee of the National Institute of Justice hired or 
     assigned under subsection (c).
       (ii) Criteria.--The employee of the National Institute of 
     Justice hired or assigned under subsection (c) shall 
     approve--

       (I) an evaluator that has successfully carried out multiple 
     studies producing rigorous evidence of effectiveness; and
       (II) a proposed study design that is likely to produce 
     rigorous evidence of the effectiveness of the strategy.

       (iii) Approval.--Before a grant is awarded under this 
     section, the evaluator and study design of a grantee shall be 
     approved by the employee of the National Institute of Justice 
     hired or assigned under subsection (c).
       (4) Date of award.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
     of receiving recommendations relating to a subcategory from 
     the Commission under section 4(f), the Director of the 
     National Institute of Justice shall award all grants under 
     this section relating to that subcategory.
       (5) Type of grants.--One-third of the grants made under 
     this section shall be made in each subcategory. In 
     distributing grants, the recommendations of the Commission 
     under section 4(f) shall be considered.
       (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated $18,000,000 to carry out this subsection.

[[Page S6894]]

       (c) Dedicated Staff.--
       (1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of 
     Justice shall hire or assign a full-time employee to oversee 
     the grants under this section.
       (2) Study oversight.--The employee of the National 
     Institute of Justice hired or assigned under paragraph (1) 
     shall be responsible for ensuring that grantees adhere to the 
     study design approved before the applicable grant was 
     awarded.
       (3) Liaison.--The employee of the National Institute of 
     Justice hired or assigned under paragraph (1) may be used as 
     a liaison between the Commission and the recipients of a 
     grant under this section. That employee shall be responsible 
     for ensuring timely cooperation with Commission requests.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
     through 2012 to carry out this subsection.
       (d) Applications.--A public or private entity desiring a 
     grant under this section shall submit an application at such 
     time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as 
     the Director of the National Institute of Justice may 
     reasonably require.
       (e) Cooperation With the Commission.--Grant recipients 
     shall cooperate with the Commission in providing them with 
     full information on the progress of the strategy being 
     carried out with a grant under this section, including--
       (1) hosting visits by the members of the Commission to the 
     site where the activities under the strategy are being 
     carried out;
       (2) providing pertinent information on the logistics of 
     establishing the strategy for which the grant under this 
     section was received, including details on partnerships, 
     selection of participants, and any efforts to publicize the 
     strategy; and
       (3) responding to any specific inquiries that may be made 
     by the Commission.

     SEC. 6. ELIMINATION OF THE RED PLANET CAPITAL VENTURE CAPITAL 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Reduction of NASA Budget.--Section 203 of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16632) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``$18,686,300,000'' and inserting ``$18,680,300,000''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$10,903,900,000'' and 
     inserting ``$10,897,900,000''.
       (b) Prohibition.--The Administrator of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration may not carry out the 
     Red Planet Capital Venture Capital Program established by the 
     Administrator during the period of fiscal years 2008 through 
     2012.
                                 ______