[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15507-15508]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 16, 2009

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I submit the following:
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: OJP-Byrne
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alabama District Attorneys 
Association
  Address of Requesting Entity: 515 South Perry Street, Montgomery, AL 
36104
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $900,000 for the 
Alabama Computer Forensics Laboratories (Personnel $575,000; Benefits 
$150,000; Travel $20,000; Equipment $50,000; Supplies $35,000; Other 
$70,000). Matching funds of $150,000 will be provided by the state and 
local sources. This appropriation request is for a continuation of the 
computer forensic lab program which created 3 regional computer labs to 
cover the entire state of Alabama. These labs were created to address 
all forms of computer crime such as; child pornography, fraud, and 
identity theft. The computer labs utilize working relationships with 
federal, state and local agencies across the nation and are the only 
law enforcement agency exclusively handling computer crime cases from 
investigation to prosecution. Monetary losses from computer-related 
crime exceed that of the illegal drug trade worldwide and it is 
estimated that computer crimes will double in the US in the next 2 
years. In 3 years, the program has assisted more than 75 outside law 
enforcement agencies and analyzed more than 2000 pieces of electronic 
evidence in approximately 851 criminal cases resulting in a multitude 
of convictions. Funding will create at least 2 jobs in the First 
District and will prevent victimization statewide.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: COPS LE tech
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Baldwin County Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 312 Courthouse Square, Suite 12, Bay 
Minette, AL 36507
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 to improve 
security at three courthouses in Baldwin County, AL. The funding will 
be used to install integrated digital cameras on the premises and 
access controls on the doors within the current judicial areas. The 
funding will be utilized in 4 technology segments as follows: [1] 
Acquisition of Central Infrastructure (the control center for the 
security network), [2] Bay Minette Courthouse Technology, [3] Fairhope 
Satellite Courthouse Technology and [4] Foley Satellite Courthouse 
Technology. For the acquisition of central infrastructure, 
approximately $134,000 will be used ($45,000 for servers, $78,000 for 
network and storage, and $11,000 for camera archiving software). Bay 
Minette Courthouse Technology will use $210,000 ($42,400 for network, 
$6,300 for viewing stations, $5,200 for viewing monitors, $6,100 for 
wiring, $150,000 for cameras). Fairhope and Foley Courthouses will both 
use $78,000 ($12,000 for network, $6,300 for viewing stations, $1,000 
for viewing monitors, $2,600 for wiring, $37,500 for cameras, and 
$18,600 for doors). Baldwin County is the 65th fastest growing county 
in the country (US Census Bureau). As such, the county has recently 
seen a significant increase in population and demand for public 
services. This is a one-year funding request, yielding long-term public 
safety benefits.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: NOAA-ORF
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Dauphin Island Sea Lab

[[Page 15508]]

  Address of Requesting Entity: 101 Bienville Blvd. Dauphin Island AL 
36528
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $750,000 to fund a 
joint initiative between the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a state-funded 
research and educational entity, and the University of South Alabama, a 
public institution, to research commercial fisheries critical to the 
state's economy and tourism. Recreational and commercial fisheries and 
tourism, as well as the businesses they support, are dependent on 
healthy stocks of fish which require effective science-based 
management. Management decisions which impact the region's economy need 
to be made on current research data--this study will provide data to 
the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA and the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council. This ecosystem-based fisheries management 
study on three species with a large economic importance in the Northern 
Central Gulf of Mexico--Spanish mackerel, adult red drum, and pompano--
will look at the species' coastal migratory patterns in shallow coastal 
waters. This study will include the biological aspects of these coastal 
pelagic fishes as well as the historical and current socioeconomic 
impacts these fisheries have on the local fishing communities. With the 
results of this study, fishery management decisions can be made from 
effective and science based data. The funds will support students, 
research technicians, and senior scientists at the Dauphin Island Sea 
Lab. Approximately $525,000 (70%) will go towards research personnel 
and day to day operations of the various vessels, equipment and 
supplies; and $225,000 (30%) will be for project management, overhead 
and administration.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: COPS LE Tech
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Foley, Alabama
  Address of Requesting Entity: City of Foley 407 East Laurel Avenue, 
Foley, Alabama 36535
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $400,000 for the 
purchase and installation of monitored security cameras at public parks 
and areas in the 65th fastest growing county in the country (US Census 
Bureau). Funds will be used at approximately the following levels: 
Purchase of Cameras and monitors--$225,000; Installation of Cameras--
$100,000; Wiring and Hardware--$50,000; Monitoring of cameras--
$25,000.The transient worker population of Baldwin County has doubled 
recently. The City of Foley has expanded public services to accommodate 
its changing population, but public spaces have seen an increase in 
underage drinking, sexual encounters, vandalism and violence. 
Installation of some security cameras has successfully diminished 
illegal activities in public spaces in this high tourist-traffic city 
adjacent to Alabama's beaches. While no match is required, Foley will 
provide for maintenance and monitoring in the out years of the project.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: NOAA-ORF
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mobile County Commission
  Address of Requesting Entity: 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36644
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $600,000 to replace and 
enhance existing tidal gauges with new gauges capable of collecting 
data for a 30 foot storm surge. Mobile County, AL, is a gulf-front 
county, prone to natural disasters. During Hurricane Katrina, all of 
the existing tidal gauges were rendered inoperable as they were not 
equipped to handle such a strong storm surge. Tidal gauges measure 
changes in sea level and help predict and document the severity of 
storms. Residents, businesses, and emergency management personnel rely 
on properly functioning tidal gauges so they can adequately respond to 
natural disasters and prepare warnings and evacuations accordingly. Six 
new gauges are required (costing $100,000 each). This is a one-year 
funding request that will have long-term coastal emergency management 
benefits for this coastal county and popular tourist destination.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: OJP-JJ
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Team Focus, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 6110 Grelot Road, Mobile, Alabama 36609
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for mentoring, 
education and leadership development programs of Team Focus, Inc. Team 
Focus is a faith-based non-profit organization that mentors fatherless 
young men year round in 7 camps across the country (AL, OH, TX, MI, CA, 
DC, TN). Funds would provide curriculum development, equipment, and 
supplies for year-round mentoring programs and summer camps at no cost 
to the young men. While boys without fathers are twice as likely to go 
to jail, Team Focus offers--for most of the young men--the only 
leadership training and male mentorship they have. Former First Lady 
Laura Bush has praised Team Focus for teaching fatherless boys what it 
means to acquire skills, find a job, support a family and be loyal to 
one. Approximately $120,000 (or 24%) for equipment to transport youth 
to program activities throughout the year; $150,000 (or 30%) for 
program related mileage and travel to/from camps; and $230,000 (or 46%) 
for supplies. Team Focus will match federal funds dollar for dollar.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: NOAA-ORF
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Town of Dauphin Island, AL
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1011 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin 
Island, AL 36528
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,500,000 to conduct a 
comprehensive engineering feasibility/design study to determine if 
construction of an engineered beach will stabilize this critical 
barrier island and maintain its purpose as a hurricane buffer for the 
Alabama coastline. The comprehensive study will include a review of the 
most probable technical approach, design engineering, sand source 
identification, dredging and habitat restoration ($1,100,000), and 
planning costs for permitting and environmental compliance ($400,000). 
As a barrier island, Dauphin Island protects Alabama's coastline from 
severe storm damage thereby saving more inland populated communities 
from more severe hurricane destruction. The island also fosters tourism 
and a significant commercial and recreational fishing industry 
supporting county and state revenue as well as thousands of jobs. This 
funding will complete the study. The Town of Dauphin Island will 
provide a matching cost share if necessary, but a match requirement is 
not anticipated, subject to program identification.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Jo Bonner
  Bill Number: H.R. 2847
  Account: OJP-JJ
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Mobile
  Address of Requesting Entity: 5735 College Parkway, Mobile, Alabama 
36613-2842
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $850,000 for funding of 
the University of Mobile's RamKids program. RamKids is a faith-based, 
mentor-oriented intervention program designed for at-risk youth, grades 
8 through college level, in the city of Prichard, Alabama. Funds will 
support college entrance preparation programs, career exploration 
trips, and an extended summer program on-campus at this faith-based 
non-profit institution. The city of Prichard suffers from economic 
decline, low-education levels and high crime rates. RamKids works to 
break that cycle. After the first year and a half of the program, 
RamKids participants exhibited considerable improvement in a variety of 
areas, including grade point average, social competence, and family 
functioning. Approximately $725,000 will be used to support educational 
opportunities, programs and activities for participants, support for 
mentors and curriculum development; approximately $78,000 will be used 
for expenses associated with student field trips and other necessary 
events; approximately $17,000 will be used for equipment and supplies; 
and approximately $30,000 will be used for insurance and other 
expenses.

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