[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 185 (Thursday, October 21, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7156-S7158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. SHAHEEN:
  S. 3042. A bill making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce 
and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2022, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the fiscal 
year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, CJS, 
Appropriations Act. As chair of the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, I 
developed this bill in partnership with my vice chairman, the Senator 
from Kansas, Jerry Moran. In order to draft this bill, the CJS 
Subcommittee held substantive hearings, considered 2,084 individual and 
group requests from 88 Senators, and worked in a bipartisan way to meet 
the needs of the Nation and our individual States.
  The end result is legislation that provides $79.7 billion to invest 
in important priorities for New Hampshire and the Nation, including 
funding for key Federal programs that respond to the substance use 
disorder crisis, help domestic and sexual violence survivors, invest in 
law enforcement programs, and assist Granite Staters in recovering from 
the far-reaching consequences of the pandemic.
  I am particularly pleased that the bill delivers the greatest funding 
ever

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to Violence Against Women Act programs, as well as substantial funding 
to help communities and first responders address substance misuse and 
the climate crisis. But we can't limit our action to the immediate 
problems of today; we also need an eye towards the future. That is why 
this bill also invests in American competitiveness on the global 
stage--ensuring our workforce is poised to lead in scientific 
innovation and space exploration in the years to come. These priorities 
are all essential to the success of families and communities across New 
Hampshire and our Nation, and I look forward to working with my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the administration to see 
this bill signed into law.
  I would like to highlight a few specific items included in this 
legislation.
  Highest, funding level ever for Violence Against Women Act Programs. 
Once again, this subcommittee has provided increases to law enforcement 
and grant programs that fight gun violence and violent crime. For the 
fifth year in a row during my tenure on this subcommittee, the CJS bill 
provides the highest funding level ever for Violence Against Women Act 
programs, totaling $760 million for the Office on Violence Against 
Women, OVW. This is a 48-percent increase from last year's funding 
level and will support training officials to improve services for 
victims, rape prevention programs, college campus violence prevention 
programs, domestic violence hotlines and women's shelters, and 
transitional housing support services. Funding is provided for several 
new initiatives, including a restorative justice program, a National 
Deaf Services Line, and special assistant U.S. attorneys to address 
violence against women in Indian Country.
  Critical funding for Department of Justice anti-opioid grants. To 
combat the substance use disorder epidemic, the bill provides $615 
million to help communities and first responders respond to substance 
crises, including opioid addiction and drug trafficking. This is $73.5 
million higher than the fiscal year 2021 funding level and includes 
$447 million for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, CARA, 
grants. These grants support programs like drug, mental health and 
veteran treatment courts and substance use disorder treatment programs 
administered by State and local correctional facilities.
  Bolstered funding to support victims of violent crimes and bolstered 
legal services. This year, we have heard from Crime Victims Fund, CVF, 
State administrators and victim service providers about the impacts of 
lower CVF funding. That is why we provided $2.65 billion of spending 
from the fund this year--$635 million more than last year. This fund 
provides direct assistance and programs to survivors of domestic 
violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other 
violent crimes. But I remain concerned that receipts into the fund will 
not be able to sustain this needed level of spending. That is why the 
passage of the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act earlier 
this year was so important.
  The bill also provides $515 million for the Legal Services 
Corporation, which is the largest funder of civil legal aid in the 
country with counsel on family law, domestic violence, housing and 
financial fraud.
  Support for law enforcement and to enhance police-community 
relations. Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are funded in 
the bill $23.8 billion--$1.1 billion more than last year. This 
increased funding will allow the hiring of additional agents, deputy 
marshals, intelligence analysts, and other personnel to help keep our 
communities safe. There is also $640 million for the Byrne-JAG Program, 
which helps law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire and across the 
country, strengthens the criminal justice system, and bolsters services 
for victims of crime. Within Byrne-JAG, $416 million will go to support 
State and local criminal justice systems, an increase of $56 million 
more than last year. Additionally, $248 million is allocated for 
community oriented policing services, COPS, hiring, an increase of $11 
million from the fiscal year 2021 level. This program supports State, 
local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies' ability to hire, preserve, 
and/or rehire law enforcement officers and increases community policing 
efforts.
  The bill provides $283 million for State and local law enforcement 
assistance and COPS Office grant programs to support programs that 
improve police-community relations. This is an 84-percent increase from 
last year's funding levels and will support programs on deescalation, 
implicit bias, crisis intervention, and training to respond to 
situations where individuals are mentally ill or disabled.
  Increased funding for the Economic Development Administration and 
trade. The bill provides $10.7 billion for the Department of Commerce, 
of which $395 million is for the Economic Development Administration, 
EDA, which awards infrastructure and planning grants to communities 
around the country. This level is an increase of $49 million above the 
prior year. It is estimated this funding will generate $3.5 billion in 
local and private investment and support more than 30,000 American jobs 
this year. EDA has recently awarded grants to Granite State communities 
for a wide variety of projects ranging from flood control 
infrastructure in Plymouth to economic development projects in the 
Monadnock region. The EDA funding also includes $5 million to assist 
communities recovering from biomass plant closures.
  The bill includes $1.5 million for the Bureau of Economic Analysis to 
continue the annual assessment of the economic value of the outdoor 
recreation industry--a key sector supporting local economies across New 
Hampshire. This report, which was created as a result of the enactment 
of my bipartisan legislation, the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic 
Impact Act, provides a comprehensive assessment of the role that 
outdoor recreation plays in supporting jobs and economic growth, 
allowing policymakers to craft legislation to further support the 
sector. The bill also provides $584 million for the International Trade 
Administration, ITA, which promotes American exports, supports small 
and medium-sized businesses, and ensures fair trade practices on the 
global stage. This marks a $43 million increase above fiscal year 2021.
  Investments in science and to advance U.S. space exploration, The 
National Science Foundation, NSF, is funded at $9.49 billion--$1 
billion higher than last year's level. This funding will support U.S. 
competitiveness in key areas like quantum computing, artificial 
intelligence, and climate science, as well as help build an innovative 
workforce fueled by a diverse pipeline of scientists and engineers. The 
bill supports the creation of a new technology directorate, similar to 
what the Senate endorsed in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, to 
ensure that research is translated into the technologies and products 
that will drive economic growth for the next several decades. There is 
also $1.49 billion for the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, NIST, to invest in STEM programs that improve the 
competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and strengthen domestic supply 
chains, which is a 35-percent increase above fiscal year 2021.
  The bill also provides $3 million for NIST to continue research into 
the prevalence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, n 
firefighter personal protective equipment--marking a $1 million 
increase from last year's funding. This research is a key component of 
my legislation, the Guaranteeing Equipment Safety for Firefighters Act, 
which was signed into law last year and will help to address concerns 
regarding firefighters' occupational exposure to PFAS chemicals.
  To support America's continued leadership in space, NASA is funded at 
$24.8 billion. This is $1.5 billion higher than the fiscal year 2021 
level and will support climate research, space missions, and the launch 
of the powerful James Webb Space Telescope. The bill also includes 
funding to support the International Space Station and returning humans 
to the Moon. Additionally, within the $7.9 billion for NASA Science, 
$825.7 million is for NASA Heliophysics, an increase of $74.7 million 
above the fiscal year 2021 level. The University of New Hampshire is a 
leading heliophysics research institution, with instruments on 16 of 22 
operating heliophysics missions.
  Support for ocean research and conservation efforts and weather 
satellites. The bill provides $730 million to

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support National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, 
research, including critical research to combat the climate crisis, 
marking a 19-percent increase from 2021. This funding will help coastal 
communities in New Hampshire and across the Nation bolster their 
resilience to changing climate, as well as support ocean health and 
research. In addition, the bill invests in successful job-creating 
programs, sustainable economic development, and environmental 
restoration. The bill provides full funding to cover the full cost of 
at-sea monitoring in the New England groundfish fishery and an increase 
of $14 million for research and conservation efforts to protect the 
endangered North Atlantic right whale, including $10 million to help 
defray costs paid by the lobster fishing industry to protect right 
whales. The bill includes $6.5 million specifically targeted for 
research related to key New England seafood species, including to study 
the effects of climate change.
  Finally, there is $405 million to continue construction of polar 
weather satellites, which help forecast weather to protect property and 
economic security for families in New Hampshire and across Nation. One-
third of U.S. GDP is affected by climate and weather--from farmers in 
the North Country trying to protect livestock and crops to climate 
disasters costing billions of dollars of damage.
  Mr. President, these are just a few of the highlights of the fiscal 
year 2022 CJS bill. While I wish we could consider this bill under 
regular order, have a conference with the House, and enact it into law, 
I know the reality is that to finish the work on all 12 appropriations 
bills by the time the continuing resolution runs out, we will likely be 
negotiating an omnibus. I urge my colleagues across the aisle to come 
to agreement with us soon on how to allocate funding among the bills so 
the Appropriations Committee can get to work. I look forward to working 
with Senator Moran and our House colleagues to craft a final CJS bill 
that will assist crime victims, invest in scientific research, and spur 
innovation in our communities--critical needs that we all support.
                                 ______