[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 152 (Friday, December 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

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                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 11, 2014

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 83, 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, and to 
set forth my views on certain matters concerning or relating to the 
jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary. While the bill does 
fund many agencies and programs within the Judiciary Committee's 
jurisdiction at the 2014 enacted level or higher through September 
2015, H.R. 83 funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) only 
through February 27, 2015 because of the Republican Leadership's 
opposition to the President's actions on immigration. By restricting 
funding to DHS to a highly limited duration, this measure is not only 
short-sighted and irresponsible, but potentially harmful to all 
Americans.
  H.R. 83, by providing short-term funding to DHS, makes it nearly 
impossible for the agency to pursue long-term strategies to ensure the 
safety and security of our Nation. The bill jeopardizes many critical 
functions of DHS, including developing technologies to prevent future 
terrorism attacks and securing the Internet to fight various cyber 
crimes such as identity theft and financial fraud. It also undermines 
the agency's Disaster Relief Fund that FEMA uses to fund response and 
recovery efforts associated with major disasters. Other affected DHS 
components include the Secret Service, which protects the President and 
the White House from attack, and the U.S. Coast Guard, which provides 
essential operations, training, and equipment to those who guard our 
Nation's waters.
  Essentially, the Majority has bundled with must-pass year-end 
appropriations legislation a short-sighted measure intended to lash 
back at the President's humanitarian efforts to deal with a major 
immigration crisis. As a result, H.R. 83 now puts at risk the ability 
of the DHS and its thousands of dedicated employees to protect all 
Americans from terrorism, disaster, and crime.
  With respect to other agencies and programs that fall within the 
Judiciary Committee's authorization jurisdiction, H.R. 83 appropriates 
funding in most instances above 2014 enacted levels. Nevertheless, I am 
disappointed that the bill reduces funding for the COPS Program--a very 
effective initiative to reduce crime by putting more police on the 
streets and promoting community policing--by $6 million.
  The bill also extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act till October 1, 
2015, which is a moratorium on state and local taxation of Internet 
access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce, 
and which includes grandfather protections.
  In addition, the bill includes various riders, some of which are 
harmful. Fortunately, the final version of H.R. 83 does not include 
numerous House-proposed riders that would have impeded the 
Environmental Protection Agency's regulatory authority to ensure the 
safety of our Nation's air and water.
  Further, H.R. 83 attempts to prevent the implementation of an 
initiative legalizing recreational use of marijuana in the District of 
Columbia by prohibiting the use of any funds to ``enact any law, rule, 
or regulation'' for such purpose. It is my understanding, however, that 
as this initiative has already been enacted, no further funds are 
needed for it to go into effect. Thus, the bill's restriction has no 
legal effect on the initiative.
  The following summarizes the bill's principal provisions pertaining 
to the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction:


                               Judiciary

  Funding: $6.7 billion for the Judiciary, which is $182 million more 
than the 2014 enacted level; the $182 million increase is $1 million 
less than the Judiciary's request.
  Riders: 10 temporary district judgeships were extended for 1 year; no 
funding for new courthouse construction until the General Services 
Administration completes a feasibility study.


                    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  Funding: $3.5 billion for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 
(USPTO), which is equal to CBO's projection of USPTO's FY 2015 fee 
revenue collections, and $434 million above the 2014 enacted level.


                         Department of Justice

  Funding:
  --$8.44 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is 
$93.3 million more than the 2014 enacted level.
  --$2.03 billion for the Drug Enforcement Agency, which is $15.3 
million more than the 2014 enacted level.
  --$1.2 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives, which is $22 million more than the 2014 enacted level.
  --$6.82 billion for the Bureau of Prisons, Salaries and Expenses 
account, which is $46 million more than the 2014 enacted level.
  --$376 million for Byrne-JAG grants, which is the same as the 2014 
enacted level.
  --$208 million for the COPS program, which is $6 million less than 
the 2014 enacted level.
  --$430 million for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution 
Programs, which is $13 million above the 2014 enacted level.
  --$125 million for the ongoing DNA Initiative program which funds the 
testing of sexual assault kits, which is the same as the FY 2014 
enacted level and $25 million above the request. In addition, $41 
million is included for the new Community Sexual Assault Kit Backlog 
Reduction program.
  --$73 million for the National Instant Criminal Background Check 
System (NICS), which is $14.5 million more than the 2014 enacted level 
and $18 million more than the request.
  Riders:
  --The agreement rejects House policy riders to: 1) block reporting 
requirements on multiple sales of rifles/shotguns to the same person, 
and 2) make permanent two annual riders related to firearms.
  --The agreement rejects a House rider to defund grants to state or 
local law enforcement on the basis of local immigration policy.
  --The agreement rejects a House rider prohibiting the Department of 
Justice from enforcing certain parts of the Fair Housing Act.


                       Legal Services Corporation

  Funding: $375 million, which is $10 million above the enacted 2014 
level.


                        Federal Trade Commission

  Funding: $293 million, which is $5 million below the 2014 enacted 
level but reflects one-time moving expenses for 2014.


             Administrative Conference of the United States

  Funding: $3.1 million, which is $.1 million above the 2014 enacted 
level.


                             Other Matters

  Abortion
  --The agreement does not include a House rider prohibiting funds to 
subsidize abortion services in connection with a multi-state plan 
offered under the Affordable Care Act exchanges negotiated by OPM.


                              Surveillance

  --The agreement does not include significant House-passed reforms on 
government surveillance activities conducted by the National Security 
Agency, but instead retains current law.


              Health and Environmental Regulatory Concerns

  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting 
EPA's Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule.
  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting 
EPA's rule clarifying which waters are protected by the Clean Water 
Act.
  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting EPA 
from changing the way discharge of fill material is regulated.
  --The agreement includes a House policy rider prohibiting regulation 
of lead in ammunition.
  --The agreement includes a House policy rider prohibiting the 
issuance of final and proposed rules related to Sage Grouse under the 
Endangered Species Act.
  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting EPA 
from ensuring mining companies are financially capable of cleaning up 
pollution rather than taxpayers, but includes report language on the 
matter.
  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting EPA 
from enforcing a rule on safe removal and renovation of lead paint, but 
includes report language on the matter.
  --The agreement does not include a House policy rider prohibiting 
funding for the development or revisions of regulations regarding 
imported ivory.

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