[Senate Report 114-66]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 120
114th Congress   }                                       {      Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session     }                                       {      114-66

======================================================================



 
DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE AND JUSTICE, AND SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                       APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2016

                                _______
                                

                 June 16, 2015.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

           Mr. Shelby, from the Committee on Appropriations, 
                        submitted the following

                                 REPORT

                        [To accompany H.R. 2578]

    The Committee on Appropriations, to which was referred the 
bill (H.R. 2578) making appropriations for the Departments of 
Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, 
reports the same to the Senate with an amendment, and 
recommends that the bill as amended do pass.



Total obligational authority, fiscal year 2016

Total of bill as reported to the Senate\1\.............. $62,267,000,000
Amount of 2015 appropriations...........................  61,073,092,000
Amount of 2016 budget estimate..........................  65,768,653,000
Amount of House allowance...............................  62,473,836,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
    2015 appropriations.................................  +1,193,908,000
    2016 budget estimate................................  -3,501,653,000
    House allowance.....................................    +206,836,000

\1\This level does not include -$10,880,000,000 in adjustments that the 
Congressional Budget Office [CBO] scores to the bill. With these 
scorekeeping adjustments, the bill totals $51,068,000,000 in 
discretionary budget authority.

















                                CONTENTS

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Purpose of the Bill..............................................     3
Summary of the Bill..............................................     3
Fighting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.................................     4
Reprogrammings, Reorganizations, and Relocations.................     6
Congressional Budget Justifications..............................     7
Reporting Requirements...........................................     8
Reductions-in-Force..............................................     8
Appropriations Liaisons..........................................     8
Title I: Department of Commerce..................................     9
Title II: Department of Justice..................................    50
Title III: Science...............................................    93
    Office of Science and Technology Policy......................    93
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration................    94
    National Science Foundation..................................   108
Title IV: Related Agencies.......................................   117
    Commission on Civil Rights...................................   117
    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission......................   118
    International Trade Commission...............................   119
    Legal Services Corporation...................................   119
    Marine Mammal Commission.....................................   120
    State Justice Institute......................................   121
Title V: General Provisions......................................   122
Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of 
  the 
  Senate.........................................................   125
Compliance With Paragraph 7(c) Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of 
  the Senate.....................................................   129
Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of 
  the Senate.....................................................   129
Budgetary Impact of Bill.........................................   131
Comparative Statement of Budget Authority........................   132

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The bill provides funding for: (1) the Department of 
Commerce [DOC]; (2) the Department of Justice [DOJ]; (3) 
several independent science agencies: the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy [OSTP], the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration [NASA], and the National Science Foundation 
[NSF]; and (4) several related commissions and agencies: the 
Commission on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission [EEOC], the International Trade Commission [ITC], 
the Legal Services Corporation [LSC], the Marine Mammal 
Commission, and the State Justice Institute [SJI].

                          Summary of the Bill

    The total amount of discretionary budget authority 
recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 2016 is 
$51,068,000,000, which is $965,000,000 above the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level, and $984,653,000 below the budget request. 
When adjusting for spending with comparable scorekeeping 
adjustments, the funding provided in this bill is actually 
$3,501,653,000 below the request level.
    The Committee's recommendation is consistent with the 
allocation for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related 
Agencies appropriations bill. The Committee has made difficult 
but necessary decisions to craft a bill that meets strict 
fiscal limitations. Within these boundaries, the Committee has 
achieved a careful balance between the competing priorities of 
law enforcement, national security, economic development, 
scientific research, and space exploration. As a result, this 
bill represents responsible spending at a time when America is 
living within a constrained budget.
    The Committee recognizes that the administration's budget 
requests for large programmatic increases, coupled with costly 
new initiatives, would continue to add financial pressure on 
existing core programs and operations throughout the bill. This 
is especially true for the Department of Commerce, which is 
responsible for a variety of activities critical to our 
Nation's economic and scientific well-being, and also manages 
expensive, high-risk activities, including the build-up to the 
2020 Decennial Census and efforts to launch the next generation 
of weather satellites. Strict oversight and fiscal 
responsibility are essential for the Department's success in 
fiscal year 2016.
    This Committee remains supportive of science and 
innovation, and has worked to maintain a healthy funding level 
for the National Science Foundation while preserving a balanced 
and productive space program within the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration [NASA]. Despite persistent concerns 
about the administration's fiscal priorities within the 
Nation's space program, the Committee sees great opportunity 
for NASA to advance scientific knowledge and to boldly expand 
human exploration. This bill makes it possible for NASA to 
achieve efficient and cost-effective operations for the 
agency's science and exploration missions, many of which will 
reach critical stages of development during fiscal year 2016.
    The constantly changing landscape of criminal activity at 
home and abroad tests the Department of Justice's ability to 
deal with emerging threats. The Committee believes that our 
Federal law enforcement agencies must work together--
particularly in tough budget environments--to focus limited 
resources in a manner that safeguards taxpayer dollars while 
preserving public safety.
    While funding for the Department of Justice is one of the 
Federal Government's highest priorities, the Committee is 
concerned that even in the midst of the current fiscal climate, 
the administration has proposed new grant programs and 
initiatives that would further stretch the Department's 
spending. The Committee believes that funding new initiatives 
will come at a cost to the Department of Justice's core 
functions, particularly when funding for existing and effective 
grant programs is already in jeopardy.
    This bill follows the Concurrent Budget Resolution for 
fiscal year 2016 by providing $2,602,000,000 through the Crime 
Victims Fund [CVF], which is $241,000,000 above the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level and $1,602,000,000 above the request. The 
Committee notes that this amount represents a 349-percent 
increase compared to the fiscal year 2014 level, and is 
$70,000,000 above the $2,532,000,000 3-year average of deposits 
in the CVF.
    Given the significant increase in CVF spending and the 
Committee's concern for fiscal oversight, this bill uses 
$379,000,000 from the CVF for victim-related discretionary 
grants in the Department of Justice's State and local accounts. 
The Committee has previously avoided requests to fund victim-
related discretionary grants out of this fund due to the low 
caps on CVF spending in prior fiscal years. However, current 
fiscal constraints, coupled with increased spending out of the 
CVF, makes supporting important victim programs with 
discretionary funding no longer tenable. As a result, overall 
funding for these entire grant programs, which are widely 
supported by many members of the Committee, remains close to 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted levels.

                    Fighting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

    The departments, agencies, boards, and commissions funded 
in this bill can and should continue to reduce operating 
expenses by placing greater scrutiny on overhead costs. Savings 
can and should be achieved by reducing non-essential travel, 
office supply, rent, and utility costs. The Committee also 
calls on departments, agencies, boards, and commissions funded 
in this bill to continue to achieve savings by lowering travel 
contractor costs related to air fares. The Committee continues 
longstanding restrictions on first class travel and includes 
provisions to improve travel reporting.
    The Committee has also reduced official reception and 
representation funds by 25 percent since fiscal year 2011. 
Modest representation funds are included for agency executives 
to provide necessary courtesies to our diplomatic partners and 
hold events to honor fallen officers, or to mark historic 
occasions such as space exploration missions or stunning 
discoveries. However, savings can and should be achieved by 
reducing the costs of executive meetings, receptions, 
ceremonies, and conferences, and purchasing fewer promotional 
items such as t-shirts, hats, mugs, key chains, and other 
similar items.
    The Committee is concerned about the millions of taxpayer 
dollars spent on wasteful printing practices each year and the 
lack of clear printing policies within each of the agencies. 
While progress has been made to better utilize the cloud and 
digitalize records, little progress has been made to reform in-
house printing practices. The Committee directs each agency to 
work with Office of Management and Budget to reduce printing 
and reproduction by 34 percent and report to the Committee 
within 60 days after enactment of this Act on what steps have 
been taken to reduce printing volume and costs. The report 
should specifically identify how much money each agency will be 
saving.
    The Committee is extremely concerned about the persistent 
pattern of cost overruns and schedule slippages on major 
projects and missions carried out by the agencies within this 
bill. In addition, reports have exposed a culture within many 
agencies that exhibits a lack of accountability and oversight 
of grant funding. Therefore, the Committee has continued six 
bill-wide provisions to ensure greater oversight and fiscal 
responsibility of taxpayer dollars.
    First, the bill requires each agency to notify the 
Committee immediately upon identification of program cost 
overruns greater than 10 percent.
    Second, the bill requires the Inspectors General of the 
Departments of Commerce and Justice, NASA, NSF, and the Legal 
Services Corporation to conduct reviews of grant and contract 
funds to ensure funds are being spent appropriately.
    Third, the bill requires each department, agency, board, 
and commission funded in this act to report spending on large 
conferences, with costs in excess of $100,000 each, to the 
Inspectors General for audit.
    Fourth, the bill prohibits each department, agency, board, 
and commission funded in this act from awarding grants and 
cooperative agreements to tax cheats and felons.
    Fifth, the bill requires all departments and agencies to 
link all contracts that provide award fees to successful 
acquisition outcomes, and prohibits funds to pay for award or 
incentive fees for contractors with below satisfactory 
performance.
    Finally, the Committee intends to continue to work with the 
Government Accountability Office [GAO] to review selected 
large-scale acquisition and construction projects. 
Specifically, the Committee directs ongoing GAO reviews of 
large NASA projects and separate reviews of the James Webb 
Space Telescope, with reports to the Committee on a biannual 
basis. Agencies shall provide access to all necessary data, as 
determined by the GAO, in order for the reviews to be completed 
and provided in a timely manner to the Committee. The Committee 
believes that these project status reports are valuable in 
identifying cost overrun and schedule slippage problems early 
so they can be addressed immediately.

            Reprogrammings, Reorganizations, and Relocations

    Section 505 contained in the ``General Provisions'' of 
title V provides procedures for the reprogramming of funds. To 
reprogram is to change the use of funds from the specific 
purposes provided for in the act and the accompanying report 
or, in the absence of direction from the Committee, from the 
specific purposes provided for in the administration's budget 
request. Each title of the bill has also traditionally included 
separate provisions that define permissible transfers of 
resources between appropriation accounts. These transfer 
authority provisions are also pursuant to section 505, and were 
initiated in the early 1990s to provide additional flexibility 
to the agencies under the subcommittee's jurisdiction.
    The Committee expects each department and agency to closely 
follow the reprogramming procedures listed in section 505. 
These procedures apply to funds provided under this act, or 
provided under previous appropriations acts that remain 
available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 2016, or 
provided from any accounts in the Treasury available to the 
agencies funded by this act. Section 505 requires that the 
Committee on Appropriations be notified by letter, at least 15 
days prior to reprogramming of funds, whether permanent or 
temporary, in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is 
less, between programs, projects or activities. This provision 
is also applicable in cases where several activities are 
involved with each receiving less than $500,000. In addition, 
the Committee is to be notified of reprogramming actions which 
are less than these amounts if such actions would have the 
effect of: committing the agency to significant funding 
requirements in future years; increasing funds or personnel by 
any means for any program, project, or activity for which funds 
have been previously denied or restricted by Congress; creating 
new programs, offices, agencies or commissions or substantially 
augmenting existing programs, offices, agencies or commissions; 
relocating offices or employees; or reorganizing offices, 
programs, or activities.
    The Committee also expects that any items that are subject 
to interpretation will be reported. The Committee is concerned 
that, in some instances, the departments or agencies funded 
within this appropriations act are not adhering to the 
Committee's reprogramming guidelines that are clearly set forth 
in this report and in section 505 of the accompanying bill. The 
Committee expects that each department and agency funded in the 
bill will follow these notification policies precisely and will 
not reallocate resources or reorganize activities prior to 
submitting the required notifications to the Committee.
    The reprogramming process is based on comity between the 
Appropriations Committee and the administration. The Commerce, 
Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill 
provides specific program guidance throughout this report and 
tables accompanying the bill. The process is intended to 
provide flexibility to meet changing circumstances and 
emergency requirements of agencies, if there is agreement 
between the executive branch and the Congress that such a 
change is warranted. Reprogramming procedures provide a means 
to agree on adjustments, if necessary, during a fiscal year, 
and to ensure that the Committee is kept apprised of instances 
where nonappropriated resources are used to meet program 
requirements, such as fee collections and unobligated balances 
that were not considered in the development of the 
appropriations legislation.
    In the absence of comity and respect for the prerogatives 
of the Appropriations Committees and Congress in general, the 
Committee will have no choice but to include specific program 
limitations and details legislatively. Under these 
circumstances, programs, projects, and activities become 
absolutes and the executive branch shall lose the ability to 
propose changes in the use of appropriated funds through the 
reprogramming process between programs, projects, and 
activities without seeking some form of legislative action.
    The Committee expects each executive branch department and 
agency to manage its programs, projects and activities within 
the levels appropriated. Reprogramming or transfer requests 
shall be submitted only in the case of an unforeseen emergency 
or situation that could not have been anticipated when 
formulating the budget request for the current fiscal year.

                  Congressional Budget Justifications

    The Committee directs that all departments and agencies 
funded within this bill shall submit all of their fiscal year 
2017 budget justifications concurrently with the official 
submission of the administration's budget to Congress. Further, 
all departments and agencies with classified programs funded 
within this act are directed to submit their classified budget 
justification documents to the Committee, through appropriate 
means, at the same time the unclassified budget justifications 
are transmitted.
    These justifications shall include a sufficient level of 
detailed data, exhibits, and explanatory statements to support 
the appropriations requests, including tables that outline each 
agency's programs, projects, and activities for fiscal years 
2016 and 2017. For example, when requesting an enhancement of 
resources, the justification should detail the existing program 
and what the new resources would buy. The Committee directs the 
chief financial officer of each department or agency funded in 
this act's jurisdiction to ensure that adequate justification 
is given to each increase, decrease, staffing and function 
change proposed in the fiscal year 2017 budget, particularly 
within the departmental operations and management accounts.
    The Committee is concerned that many of the budget 
submissions are inadequate and necessitate multiple requests 
for additional information. At times, conflicting information 
is provided in justifications and other budget briefing 
documents in particular related to cybersecurity. This process 
is inefficient and unnecessarily delays access to information 
that is fundamental to the work of the Committee. The Committee 
expects that the fiscal year 2017 submissions will include 
sufficient detail to justify all programs, projects, and 
activities contained in each department, agency, or commission 
budget request. Budget justifications are prepared not for the 
use of the agencies but are the primary tool of the Committee 
to evaluate the resource requirements and proposals requested 
by the administration.

                         Reporting Requirements

    The Committee is frustrated by the inability of departments 
and agencies funded in this bill to complete and submit 
congressionally mandated reports on time. Reports are 
frequently submitted late, incomplete, or not at all. The 
Committee directs the departments and agencies funded in this 
bill to submit reports by their deadlines or to provide advance 
notification if there is sufficient reason why deadlines cannot 
be met, along with the expected date of submission.
    The Committee also recognizes that some reporting 
requirements from previous Appropriations bills may no longer 
be necessary for Committee oversight purposes. In the interest 
of reducing government waste and expediting responses to 
current report mandates, each department or agency is invited 
to submit a list of reporting requirements that it considers 
outdated or no longer relevant for the review of the Committees 
on Appropriations. Any list submitted for review shall be 
limited to reports required under Appropriations bills, and 
shall cite the original authority as well as a justification 
for eliminating each reporting requirement.

                          Reductions-in-Force

    The Committee directs departments or agencies funded in the 
accompanying bill that are planning to conduct a reduction-in-
force [RIF] to notify the Committee in writing 30 days in 
advance of the date of the proposed personnel action.

                        Appropriations Liaisons

    The Committee prefers to channel the majority of its 
inquiries and requests for information and assistance through 
the budget offices or comptroller offices of the departments 
and agencies which it oversees, but reserves the right to call 
upon any individual or organization in any agency under its 
jurisdiction.

                                TITLE I

                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

    The Committee recommends a total of $8,531,113,000 for the 
Department of Commerce [DOC]. The recommendation is $10,194,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $1,327,787,000 
below the budget request.
    The Department of Commerce is responsible for a variety of 
activities critical to our Nation's well-being, including 
economic development, intellectual property protection, 
standards and measurements, trade enforcement, weather 
forecasting, and fisheries management. Our Nation relies on the 
Department to maintain America's competitiveness within today's 
foreign markets while promoting and expanding international 
trade opportunities. The Department brings together a diverse 
set of bureaus, specialized experts, research laboratories, and 
applied technology programs to support and expand opportunities 
for growth in the private sector. Few departments have such 
potential to directly impact the strength and sustainability of 
our communities and local businesses.
    Strict oversight of the Department's activities is a top 
priority for the Committee, as reflected in this act. This 
includes managing costs for the 2020 Decennial Census; ensuring 
that flagship weather satellites stay on budget and on 
schedule; prioritizing high-impact research and development for 
our Nation's cybersecurity standards; and safeguarding 
protections for intellectual property to spur innovation and 
entrepreneurship.
    As head of the Department, the Secretary of Commerce 
oversees these important activities but is also responsible for 
managing the overall operations and addressing existing and 
emerging management challenges within DOC. The Committee views 
the Secretary as a partner in implementing the direction 
provided in this act and the accompanying report in order to 
provide strong and necessary oversight and hold the Department 
and its bureaus accountable for results.
    Spending Plans.--Under section 534 of this act, the 
Department is required to submit a spending plan within 45 days 
of the enactment of this act. That plan should describe the 
programs, projects, and activities of the Department so that 
the Committee receives detailed descriptions of how the 
Department intends to operationalize the funding provided in 
annual appropriations bills. The Committee expects a detailed 
accounting of each bureau's spending, including reimbursable, 
fee-funded, or Working Capital Fund spending, particularly with 
regard to specific programs, projects, and activities described 
in the bill and accompanying report. The Department shall 
continue to work with the Committees on Appropriations to 
ensure that its spending plans provide adequate information for 
continued oversight of the Department.

                   International Trade Administration


                     OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $472,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     506,750,000
House allowance.........................................     467,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     473,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $473,000,000 for 
the International Trade Administration [ITA]. The 
recommendation is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $33,750,000 below the budget request.
    Offsetting Fee Collections.--ITA shall identify and include 
an accurate assessment of expected fee collections and 
corresponding expenditures in the fiscal year 2016 spending 
plan and in the fiscal year 2017 budget request.
    Trade Enforcement.--The Committee provides up to 
$10,000,000 for the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center 
[ITEC]. Given the experience and depth of knowledge of ITA's 
Enforcement and Compliance business unit, the Committee 
believes ITEC should be directed from within ITA with USTR 
providing advisory assistance. In addition, not later than 60 
days following enactment of this act, the Department shall 
provide a report to Congress regarding ITEC that shall include: 
the type of trade violations pursued; available remedies for 
each violation; and the role each agency plays in the trade 
enforcement process through ITEC. The Department is further 
directed to provide a detailed funding profile for ITEC as part 
of its fiscal year 2016 spending plan.
    New Shipper Fraud Enforcement.--The Committee provides the 
full request for ITA's Enforcement and Compliance unit to 
combat fraudulent and evasive practices by dishonest new 
shippers seeking to avoid antidumping and countervailing duty 
[AD/CVD] rates.
    U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service.--The U.S. and Foreign 
Commercial Service [US&FCS] provides significant value to U.S. 
businesses looking to expand overseas export opportunities. 
Given the export potential of emerging and developing economies 
in Asia and other foreign markets, expanding market access and 
export opportunities is critical for economic growth in the 
United States. Therefore, the Committee directs ITA to fund 
US&FCS, and its core mission of export promotion, at the 
highest possible level in fiscal year 2016, and at no less than 
the amount provided in fiscal year 2015.
    Sub-Saharan Africa.--In addition to offering unique export 
opportunities for U.S. businesses, increased trade activities 
in developing markets can help promote stability, security, and 
economic growth overseas that benefit U.S. security interests. 
While the Committee supports trade promotion activities in 
emerging markets, these activities should not be prioritized 
over trade promotion in developing markets, particularly those 
in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Committee encourages ITA to 
maintain, and when feasible, expand Foreign Commercial Service 
officers and support staff in developing markets overseas.
    SelectUSA.--Up to $10,000,000 is provided for SelectUSA, 
except that none of the funds provided may be used to 
facilitate foreign direct investment in the United States 
unless a protocol to ensure that SelectUSA activities do not 
encourage such investments in the United States by state-owned 
entities is delivered to the Committee within 30 days of 
enactment of this act.
    China Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Activities.--The 
Committee provides no less than $16,400,000 for China AD/CVD 
enforcement and compliance activities.
    Duty Evasion and Circumvention.--The partnership between 
ITA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection is critical for AD/
CVD enforcement. The Committee encourages ITA, working through 
its U.S. Customs and Border Protection Liaison Unit, to 
increase efforts and advance methods to better investigate 
foreign imports suspected of evading or circumventing AD/CVD 
orders, including but not limited to lightweight thermal paper 
imports. In instances where an AD/CVD order exists, ITA shall 
share with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection information 
or product obtained under an Administrative Protective Order, 
as necessary, that relates to circumvention or evasion of AD/
CVD orders. If ITA believes there are statutory limitations to 
sharing this information or product with the U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, ITA shall report to the Committee within 90 
days after enactment of this act as to the specific 
impediments.
    Domestic Trade Coordination.--The Committee recognizes the 
important role that State and local governments play in 
promoting exports and urges ITA and the Trade Promotion 
Coordinating Committee [TPCC] to support the application of 
best practices between Federal, State, and local governments in 
promoting exports. In recent years, the Committee has 
encouraged the TPCC to collaborate with State resource partners 
to identify ways to reduce overlap and improve coordination 
between Federal and State agencies, which could include 
establishment of a working group including regionally equitable 
and diverse representatives of State international trade 
resource centers and Federal agencies involved in export 
promotion. The Committee directs the TPCC to update the 
Committee on its progress in improving coordination of Federal, 
State, and local government export promotion services not later 
than 90 days after enactment of this act.
    Survey of International Air Travelers.--Within funds 
provided, ITA is encouraged to increase the sample size for the 
Survey for International Air Travelers.

            Office of the United States Trade Representative


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $54,250,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      56,268,000
House allowance.........................................      54,250,000
Committee recommendation................................      54,250,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $54,250,000 for the 
Office of the United States Trade Representative [USTR]. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and is $2,018,000 below the budget request. USTR is responsible 
for developing and leading international negotiations for the 
United States on policies regarding international trade, direct 
investment, and commodities. Its areas of responsibility 
include all matters relating to the World Trade Organization; 
trade, commodity, and direct investment matters dealt with by 
certain international institutions; industrial, agricultural, 
and services trade policy; and trade-related protection of 
intellectual property and the environment.
    Increasing Efficiency.--The Committee notes that the 
Administration has again proposed to consolidate business and 
trade-related agencies, including USTR, with certain bureaus in 
the Department. To help advance these efforts and reduce 
fragmentation, the bill consolidates USTR into the Department. 
Not later than 180 days after enactment of this act, the 
Committee directs the Department to provide a plan to Congress 
that would allow the United States Trade Representative to 
continue functioning as the chief trade negotiator for the 
United States following USTR's consolidation into the 
Department.
    Healthcare Trade.--The Committee notes the growing 
importance of the broad healthcare industry to U.S. jobs, 
exports, and the economy. The Committee also recognizes the 
unique challenges facing this industry from foreign trade 
barriers and the challenges facing USTR in trying to expand 
access to life-saving U.S. products and services through trade 
agreements. The Committee supports the efforts of USTR to 
improve its management of these issues through the creation of 
a dedicated healthcare position at USTR to coordinate with its 
various functional and regional offices.
    Economy Act Transfers.--USTR is directed to continue 
isolating Economy Act payments as individual transfers, and to 
submit documentation of and justification for all Economy Act 
transfers, regardless of amount, to and from other Federal 
agencies, to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
not less than 15 days before such transfers of sums are made.
    Travel.--USTR is directed to provide monthly travel reports 
detailing all trips outside of the United States, including the 
purposes and costs of such trips. Additionally, USTR shall 
continue to provide the Committee with quarterly reports 
outlining the status of ongoing trade negotiations, enforcement 
activities, and objectives achieved for existing trade 
agreements.

                    Bureau of Industry and Security


                     OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $102,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     115,086,000
House allowance.........................................     110,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     106,500,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $106,500,000 for 
the Bureau of Industry and Security [BIS]. The recommendation 
is $4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$8,586,000 below the budget request.
    BIS is the principal agency involved in the development, 
implementation, and enforcement of export controls for 
commercial technologies and for many military technologies as a 
result of the President's export control reform initiative. The 
Export Enforcement Division detects, prevents, investigates, 
and assists in the sanctioning of illegal exports of such 
items.
    Export Control Reform.--The Committee supports BIS's work 
on export control reform and directs the Bureau to continue its 
exporter outreach program to educate companies of all sizes on 
the new regulatory requirements resulting from export control 
reform. In this effort, BIS should continue targeting small- 
and medium-sized businesses and working with State and local 
trade and export associations, in addition to working with 
national industry groups. BIS is further directed to keep the 
Committee apprised of these important outreach initiatives.

                  Economic Development Administration

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     273,028,000
House allowance.........................................     250,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     250,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $250,000,000 for 
the Economic Development Administration [EDA]. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $23,028,000 below the budget request.
    EDA provides grants to local governments and nonprofit 
agencies for public works, planning, and other projects 
designed to facilitate economic development. Funding amounts 
for the two appropriations accounts under this heading are 
displayed below.

                ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $213,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     227,500,000
House allowance.........................................     213,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     213,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $213,000,000 for 
Economic Development Assistance Programs. The recommendation is 
equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $14,500,000 
below the budget request. Funding amounts provided by the 
Committee strongly support EDA's core programs, particularly 
Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance. EDA is 
directed to focus on its core programs and mission to aid the 
most distressed communities across the country. The Committee 
expects EDA to use all available carryover and prior year 
recoveries to the maximum extent possible. EDA shall consider 
geographic equity in making all award decisions and shall 
ensure that rural projects are adequately represented among 
those selected for funding. Of the amounts provided, funds are 
to be distributed as follows. Any deviation of funds shall be 
subject to the procedures set forth in section 505 of this act:

                ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Works............................................         100,000
Economic Adjustment Assistance..........................          48,000
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms...................          12,500
Regional Innovation Program.............................          10,000
Partnership Planning....................................          30,000
Technical Assistance....................................          11,000
Research and Evaluation.................................           1,500
                                                         ---------------
      Total.............................................         213,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Economic Adjustment Assistance.--Within the amounts 
provided for Economic Adjustment Assistance, the Committee 
provides up to $10,000,000 for EDA to support activities to 
spur regional innovation through grants as authorized by the 
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 and provides 
up to $2,000,000 for innovative energy efficiency grants. 
Additionally, $3,000,000 shall be for grants made to States 
within the Appalachian Regional Commission (40 U.S.C. 14101 et 
seq.) and $3,000,000 shall be for grants made available to the 
Delta Regional Authority [DRA] (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.). The 
Committee supports EDA's past collaborations with the DRA and 
encourages EDA to seek further opportunities to leverage and 
partner with DRA to better assist distressed communities, 
create jobs, and improve lives in the eight-State Delta region.
    Regional Innovation Program.--The Committee provides 
$10,000,000 to EDA for grants under the Regional Innovation 
Program [RIP] as authorized under the Revitalize American 
Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-235). 
RIP awards competitive grants to regional entities in support 
of innovation and entrepreneurship. EDA shall continue to 
ensure that RIP awards go to multiple grantees in multiple and 
diverse geographic areas.
    In addition, the Committee directs EDA to invest in 
university-based, high-tech business incubators to encourage 
entrepreneurship and promote technology commercialization 
through business startups. EDA should prioritize funds for 
incubator projects where a State has made significant financial 
commitment to establishing an incubator program.
    Furthermore, within funds provided for RIP, $2,000,000 
shall be for cluster grants to support nonprofit, job-creating, 
revolving, equity-based seed capital funds.
    Job Losses From Nuclear Power Plant Closures.--The 
Committee notes that recent closures of nuclear power plants 
throughout the United States have had a negative impact on the 
economic foundations of surrounding communities, and there is 
potential for additional plant closures in coming years. 
Research shows that the long-term economic impacts and job 
losses from nuclear power plant closures are substantial and 
difficult to address. The Committee encourages EDA to help 
identify and develop best practices to assist communities 
affected by nuclear power plant closures, including the 
coordination of economic development efforts across multiple 
States or Economic Development Districts.
    Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership Program 
[IMCP].--The Committee notes that no funding has been requested 
and no funding is provided for the Investing in Manufacturing 
Communities Partnership Program [IMCP] for fiscal year 2016. 
The Committee remains concerned with the underlying premise of 
IMCP and the potential for negative impacts on communities not 
designated under the IMCP program. The Committee is still 
awaiting the report mandated in fiscal year 2015, in which the 
Department was directed to provide a plan to better utilize 
existing programs to assist various types of distressed 
communities across the country using a bottom-up, demand-driven 
approach to manufacturing investment. The Department is 
directed to deliver this report to the Committee without delay.

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $37,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      45,528,000
House allowance.........................................      37,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      37,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $37,000,000 for 
salaries and expenses. The recommendation is the same as the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $8,528,000 below the budget 
request.

                  Minority Business Development Agency


                     MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $30,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      30,016,000
House allowance.........................................      32,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      30,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $30,000,000 for the 
Minority Business Development Agency [MBDA]. The recommendation 
is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and is $16,000 
below the budget request. MBDA is the only Federal agency 
dedicated to promoting the growth of minority-owned firms and 
assists small, medium, and large minority business enterprises 
increase revenues and create jobs.

                   Economic and Statistical Analysis


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $100,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     113,849,000
House allowance.........................................     100,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     100,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $100,000,000 for 
Economic and Statistical Analysis [ESA]. The recommendation is 
the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $13,849,000 
below the budget request. ESA conducts research to provide a 
better understanding of the U.S. economy, which helps 
Government make more informed policy decisions. Within the 
amounts provided, the Committee directs the agency to complete 
the scheduled move of its headquarters in fiscal year 2016.

                          Bureau of the Census

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,088,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,499,974,000
House allowance.........................................     991,700,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,128,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,128,000,000 for 
the Census Bureau. The recommendation is $40,000,000 above the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $371,974,000 below the 
budget request.
    The Committee approves the proposed realignment of Census 
programs found within the fiscal year 2016 budget request. 
Beginning with fiscal year 2016, the account structure will 
consist of the Current Surveys and Programs account and the 
Periodic Censuses and Programs account.

                      CURRENT SURVEYS AND PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $248,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     277,873,000
House allowance.........................................     261,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     266,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $266,000,000 for 
current surveys and programs. The recommendation is $18,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $11,873,000 below 
the budget request. This account provides for the salaries and 
expenses associated with the statistical programs of the Bureau 
of the Census, including measurement of the Nation's economy 
and the demographic characteristics of the population.

                     PERIODIC CENSUSES AND PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $840,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,222,101,000
House allowance.........................................     730,700,000
Committee recommendation................................     862,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $862,000,000 for 
periodic censuses and programs. The recommendation is 
$22,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$360,101,000 below the budget request.
    This account provides for the constitutionally mandated 
Decennial Census as well as other cyclical programs. 
Additionally, individual surveys are conducted for other 
Federal agencies on a reimbursable basis.
    Oversight of Periodic Census Programs.--The Committee's 
recommendation provides $1,551,000 for the Office of Inspector 
General [OIG] to continue oversight and audits of periodic 
censuses and to provide the Bureau and Congress with 
independent recommendations for improving operations, which 
will be useful for oversight of the 2020 Decennial Census. The 
Committee directs the Bureau to incorporate the OIG's 
recommendations as it transitions into the 2020 Decennial 
Census.
    Monthly Status Reports.--The Census Bureau is directed to 
continue its dashboard monthly status reports to the Committee 
as it transitions into preparations for the 2020 Decennial 
Census.
    2020 Decennial Census.--Controlling costs for the 2020 
Decennial Census remains a top oversight concern for the 
Committee. The Bureau shall continue to bring down the cost of 
the 2020 Decennial Census to a level less than the 2010 Census 
with the goal of spending less than the 2000 Census, not 
adjusting for inflation. The Committee notes that the amount of 
funding provided in this bill for the 2020 Census is 34 percent 
above the amount that was appropriated in fiscal year 2006 for 
the 2010 Census. Such a comparison does not take into 
consideration the Bureau's conscientious decision to conduct 
early planning and testing activities well ahead of the 2020 
Census compared to when such activities began for the 2010 
Census. However, the contrast illustrates how mindful the 
Committee is of the Bureau's budget profiles, and expects that 
the increased spending for testing early in this cycle result 
in significant cost savings over the entire course of the 2020 
Census. The Census Bureau is directed to prioritize spending 
for activities that have the greatest potential to reduce cost 
and risk for the 2020 Census.
    Administrative Records.--The Census Bureau plans to save 
money during the 2020 Decennial Census cycle by using existing 
records and data to reduce unnecessary and costly duplication 
and to conduct more efficient non-response follow up. The 
Bureau is directed to work with Federal, State, tribal, local, 
and other partners to obtain the necessary records. The Bureau 
shall report to the Committee and to the OIG within 90 days of 
enactment of this act on its current access and any additional 
administrative records necessary for the effective execution of 
the 2020 Census.
    Census Enterprise Data Collection and Processing.--The 
Committee recognizes the Bureau's need to develop a more 
efficient and secure data processing system well in advance of 
the 2020 Census through the Census Enterprise Data Collection 
and Processing [CEDCaP] initiative. This initiative will create 
a single enterprise data system that can be scaled up for the 
Decennial Census and scaled down during years that require less 
data processing capacity while lowering the cost of 
maintaining, operating, and securing current systems.
    The Committee directs the Census Bureau to ensure that cost 
estimates and implementation timelines are maintained and that 
the new system is fully secured against cyber attacks and 
intrusions before it becomes operational. The Bureau is 
directed to cooperate with the OIG on all oversight activities 
for this system and shall brief the Committee on the 
development and implementation schedule for CEDCaP not less 
than 60 days after enactment of this act.
    American Community Survey [ACS].--The Committee supports 
the ACS and directs the Bureau to continue using the ACS as a 
testbed for innovative survey and data processing techniques 
that will help to save money and reduce risk during the 2020 
Census cycle. The Committee also notes that ACS is often the 
primary or only source of data available to States, localities, 
and Federal agencies that need adequate information on a wide 
range of topics, including the needs of veterans, retirees, and 
families with school-age children in order to reliably serve 
those constituents. ACS is especially important to Americans 
who live in small towns and rural areas, as this survey 
provides the only reliable and consistent source of information 
about these communities. Additionally, the Committee directs 
the Census Bureau to again provide an updated report to the 
Committee not later than 120 days after enactment of this act 
on efforts to evaluate and, where possible, to reduce questions 
included in the ACS, and the steps being taken by the ombudsman 
or ``respondent advocate'' position established by the Census 
Bureau in fiscal year 2013 to ensure that the ACS is conducted 
as efficiently and unobtrusively as possible.

       National Telecommunications and Information Administration


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $38,200,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      49,232,000
House allowance.........................................      35,200,000
Committee recommendation................................      38,200,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $38,200,000 for the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
[NTIA] salaries and expenses. The recommendation is the same as 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $11,032,000 below the 
budget request.
    The Committee retains language from previous years allowing 
the Secretary of Commerce to collect reimbursements from other 
Federal agencies for a portion of the cost resulting from the 
coordination of spectrum management, analysis, and operations. 
NTIA shall submit a report to the Committee no later than June 
1, 2016, detailing the collection of reimbursements from other 
agencies.
    Broadband.--The Committee's recommendation does not include 
any funding to make new broadband grant awards. However, the 
Committee supports the continued monitoring of existing 
broadband grants for financial oversight and accountability 
purposes, and directs NTIA to ensure that funds are used 
appropriately by recipients.
    The Committee directs the NTIA to continue assisting States 
and localities that have received broadband grant awards, 
including those for which the performance period has ended but 
whose grants have not been cancelled, that improve public 
safety networks. The Committee notes that doing so would 
prevent undue burden on State and local governments working in 
good faith in the public interest and would maximize pervious 
Federal investments in public safety infrastructure. The 
Committee intends to continue to explore further legislative 
action to assist the Administration in achieving these worthy 
goals.
    Spectrum Management.--The Committee directs NTIA to 
continue to evaluate options for repurposing spectrum for 
broadband in support of the President's goal of making 500 MHz 
of spectrum available for wireless broadband use. NTIA shall 
also provide the Committee with quarterly updates on making 500 
MHz of spectrum available for commercial mobile use, including 
the strategy for freeing up additional spectrum from Federal 
agencies.
    Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 
[ICANN].--The Committee remains concerned that the Department 
of Commerce, through NTIA, has not been a strong advocate for 
American companies and consumers and urges greater 
participation and advocacy within the Governmental Advisory 
Committee [GAC] and any other mechanisms within ICANN in which 
NTIA is a participant. The Committee strongly encourages NTIA 
to be an active supporter of the interests of the Nation within 
ICANN and to ensure that the principles of accountability, 
transparency, security, and stability of the Internet are 
maintained for consumers, businesses, and Government.
    Internet Governance.--The Committee understands NTIA's 
plans to transition the agency's technical stewardship of the 
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority [IANA] and that NTIA is 
currently awaiting the delivery of a transition plan that it 
can evaluate. The current IANA contract expires at the end of 
September 2015, and at this time, NTIA is preparing to evaluate 
its option to extend that contract. This is being done with the 
expectation that a transition plan will not be put forward 
early enough to fully evaluate before the expiration of the 
current IANA contract. The Committee continues to be concerned 
about this process and supports the continued stewardship role 
of the United States over the domain name system in order to 
ensure the security of the .gov and .mil domains and to protect 
the freedom of speech and expression internationally. The 
Committee directs NTIA to continue quarterly reports to the 
Committee on all aspects of the transition process, and further 
directs NTIA to inform the Committee and the Senate Committee 
on Commerce, Science and Transportation, not less than 45 days 
in advance of any decision with respect to a successor 
contract.
    FirstNet.--The Committee is supportive of FirstNet's 
funding agreement with the Department of Commerce's Inspector 
General for the purposes of oversight and accountability of 
FirstNet through the end of fiscal year 2016. The Committee 
also continues to encourage FirstNet to consider using 
deployable technologies in locations and circumstances where 
they are more cost effective than alternative technologies.

    PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES, PLANNING, AND CONSTRUCTION

    The Committee provides bill language allowing the NTIA to 
continue oversight and administration of previously awarded 
grants. NTIA shall not use unobligated balances to award new 
grants.

               United States Patent and Trademark Office


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $3,458,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   3,272,000,000
House allowance.........................................   3,272,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   3,272,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $3,272,000,000 for 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office [USPTO], which is 
$186,000,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and equal 
to the budget request, to be derived from offsetting fee 
collections.
    USPTO examines patent applications, grants patent 
protection for qualified inventions, and disseminates 
technological information disclosed in patents. USPTO also 
examines trademark applications and provides Federal 
registration to owners of qualified trademarks.
    Patent Fee Collections.--The Committee is concerned that 
patent fee collections have fallen significantly below 
projected amounts in recent years, while spending at USPTO 
continues to increase. The Committee appreciates that USPTO has 
fee reserve and operating reserve accounts to accommodate 
increased spending in fiscal year 2016, and additionally 
appreciates that low collections may stem from efficiencies 
gained by reducing application appeals or from external factors 
beyond the agency's control. However, the Committee remains 
concerned that the agency has not articulated a long-term plan 
for significantly reducing its costs and expenditures if patent 
fee collections remain low. Therefore, USPTO is directed to 
include such a plan in its fiscal year 2017 budget request.
    Budget Execution.--The Committee continues to allow USPTO 
full access to patent and trademark fees and provides language 
allowing USPTO to retain any revenue in excess of appropriated 
levels.
    Transfer to Office of Inspector General.--The Committee 
provides $2,000,000 for the Office of Inspector General [OIG] 
to continue oversight and audits of USPTO operations and budget 
transparency, and USPTO is directed to work with the Department 
of Commerce to implement all OIG recommendations.
    Reprogramming and Spend Plan.--USPTO shall follow the 
reprogramming procedures outlined in section 505 of this act 
before using excess fee collections to forward fund expenses 
beyond fiscal year 2016. Any deviations from the funding 
distribution provided for, including carryover balances, are 
subject to the standard reprogramming procedures set forth in 
section 505 of this act. USPTO is directed to provide, as part 
of the spending plan required in section 534 of this act, all 
carryover balances from previous fiscal years, and a 
description of any changes to the patent or trademark fee 
structure. Any changes from the spending plan shall also be 
subject to section 505 of this act. USPTO is directed to submit 
all reprogramming requests, spending plans, and budget 
justifications to the Committee through the Department of 
Commerce.

             National Institute of Standards and Technology

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $863,900,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,119,661,000
House allowance.........................................     855,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     893,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $893,000,000 for 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]. The 
recommendation is $29,100,000 above the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and $226,661,000 below the budget request. Up to 
$9,000,000 may be transferred from the Scientific and Technical 
Research and Services account to the Working Capital Fund.
    NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial 
competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, 
and technology in ways that enhance economic security and 
improve our quality of life.
    A description of each NIST account and the corresponding 
Committee recommendation follows in the subsequent three 
headings.

             SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $675,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     754,661,000
House allowance.........................................     675,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     684,700,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $684,700,000 for 
NIST research and services. The recommendation is $9,200,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $69,961,000 below 
the budget request. The Committee requests a detailed spending 
plan for NIST's highest priority laboratory programs describing 
resources used for each program, project, or activity.
    Cybersecurity.--The Committee supports the administration's 
request for cybersecurity activities within NIST, which 
includes: $15,000,000 for the National Cybersecurity Center of 
Excellence [NCCoE]; $16,500,000 for the National Strategy for 
Trusted Identities in Cyberspace [NSTIC], including further 
pilots; and $4,400,000 for the National Initiative for 
Cybersecurity Education in order to address the need for a 
well-trained cybersecurity workforce. In addition, the 
Committee provides no less than $72,700,000 for cybersecurity 
research and development, an increase of $7,000,000 above the 
fiscal year 2015 level for cryptographic standards.
    National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.--The Committee 
is encouraged by the work conducted to date by the NCCoE and 
the growing partnerships it is developing with private 
industry. The NCCoE is quickly becoming a premiere partnership 
through which the Federal Government, industry, and academia 
collaborate to solve daunting cybersecurity challenges. The 
Committee recommends that NIST continue to work in concert with 
its public, State, and county partners to encourage co-location 
of companies involved in NCCoE activities, which will encourage 
further innovation by leveraging the development of new 
applications, business use cases, and technology transfer among 
all stakeholders.
    In addition, the Committee directs NIST to integrate the 
NSTIC program into the umbrella of the NCCoE. The Committee 
feels strongly that housing NSTIC under the NCCoE will allow 
NIST to leverage existing programmatic assets, ensuring that 
each program's objectives are accomplished.
    Retail Sector Cybersecurity.--The Committee commends the 
NCCoE's move to create a specific initiative on cybersecurity 
tools to protect the retail sector and its customers. The 
Nation's retail sector is increasingly vulnerable to and 
targeted by cyber attacks that seek both private customer data 
and valuable intellectual property. These intrusions threaten 
the growing e-commerce marketplace. Therefore, the Committee 
encourages the NCCoE to continue working to address this 
critical issue and expeditiously build use cases and tools in 
partnership with retailers and universities that have 
experience in this area.
    Cybersecurity Research and Grants.--The Committee 
encourages DOC to fund multidisciplinary programs of study and 
research that focus on tackling cybersecurity issues on a 
global scale. When establishing criteria for external grant 
funding, consideration should only be given to institutions of 
higher education, including community colleges, designated by 
the National Security Agency as Centers of Academic Excellence 
for Information Assurance Education and Centers for Academic 
Excellence for Information Assurance Research.
    Centers of Excellence.--The Committee encourages NIST to 
propose funding to create an appropriate number of new centers 
of excellence in future fiscal years, including in such fields 
as regenerative medicine and advanced photonics.
    Disaster Resilient Buildings.--The Committee provides the 
full requested amount for Disaster Resilient Buildings and 
Infrastructure, of which up to $5,000,000 shall be distributed 
through competitive external awards to academic institutions to 
support the evaluation of potential technologies and 
architectural design criteria to aid the overall effort for 
science-based building codes to improve disaster resilience.
    Sports Safety Standards.--The Committee encourages NIST to 
investigate the development of new and better standards for 
testing sports equipment that is supported through independent 
research, governance, and industrial independence. Testing 
should replicate on-field impacts to produce data for ``worst-
practical-impact'' conditions that can be incorporated into 
better standards. Such standards will lead to research and 
development of new safety equipment and state-of-the-art gear 
that significantly reduce athletic injuries.
    Urban Dome Program.--The Committee notes the value of 
NIST's Urban Dome program and the importance of accurate 
measurement science for environmental monitoring and human 
health, as more than half the world's population is living in 
urban areas, and this concentration is expected to intensify 
over the coming decades. The Committee has included an 
additional $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 amount for the 
Office of Special Programs to maintain and expand the number of 
urban dome locations in fiscal year 2016.
    In fiscal year 2015, the Committee directed NIST to submit 
a plan within 60 days of enactment on the Urban Dome program, 
including: anticipated outcomes, inclusion of additional U.S. 
cities, ways the United States can enlist the support of 
international partners for comparable efforts in other 
countries, and any plan for transitioning research to 
operations. NIST is directed to submit this report as 
expeditiously as possible.
    Management Fees.--The Committee is concerned by recent news 
reports suggesting that certain Federal grant and cooperative 
agreement recipients have used management fees inappropriately 
by spending federally awarded funds on, for example, lobbying, 
alcohol, and entertainment. NIST is directed to ensure that all 
funding recipients understand and are in compliance with Office 
of Management and Budget guidance on appropriate uses of such 
funds.

                     INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $138,100,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     306,000,000
House allowance.........................................     130,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     145,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $145,000,000 for 
Industrial Technology Services. The recommendation is 
$6,900,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$161,000,000 below the budget request. Supporting the Nation's 
manufacturers, especially small businesses, is critical to 
keeping America innovative in a global marketplace. The 
Committee's recommendation provides $130,000,000 for the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program and 
$15,000,000 for the Advanced Manufacturing Consortia [AMTech].
    Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program 
[MEP].--The Committee recommends $130,000,000 for MEP. The 
Committee supports MEP's focus on strengthening the existing 
network of MEP centers and providing additional support to 
centers based on the documented performance of the center's 
activities and the manufacturing capacity of the area served by 
the center.
    MEP Cost Share.--The Committee is aware of concerns 
regarding the MEP's current cost-share structure. This matter 
is currently being considered by the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation. Not later than 45 days after 
enactment of this act, NIST is directed to provide a report to 
the Committee and to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation, detailing quantifiable metrics on total MEP 
center funding, including a breakdown of the type of 
contribution source across centers that have transitioned from 
the 50 percent Federal, 50 percent non-Federal cost-share to a 
lower cost-share held by the Federal Government.
    Metals-Based Additive Manufacturing.--Within funding 
amounts provided for AMTech, the Committee provides up to 
$5,000,000 for competitive external grants for academic 
institutions to support research, development, and workforce 
training to overcome barriers to high-volume additive 
manufacturing of metals. While the Committee is aware of recent 
breakthroughs in metals-based additive manufacturing, major 
technical barriers still exist to dramatically improving build 
rates that would enable commercial markets to benefit from 
high-volume, metals-based additive manufacturing.
    In addition, NIST is encouraged to support partnerships and 
research opportunities with academic institutions in the 
advanced manufacturing of plastics and polymers and to explore 
ways to further reduce inefficiencies in the polymer 
manufacturing and extrusion process.
    National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.--The 
Committee provides up to $5,000,000 within AMTech to fund 
NIST's coordination role for existing NNMI institutes, as 
authorized by the Revitalize American Manufacturing and 
Innovation Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-235), including those 
led by the Department of Defense and Department of Energy. 
However, no funds are provided for the Department to establish 
any NIST-led NNMI institutes in fiscal year 2016.

                  CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $50,300,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      59,000,000
House allowance.........................................      50,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      63,300,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $63,300,000 for 
construction of research facilities. The recommendation is 
$13,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$4,300,000 above the budget request.
    Building 245.--The Committee is disappointed that despite 
clear need and consistent urging from the Committee, no funding 
was requested to begin renovating Building 245, a 53-year-old 
radiation physics research laboratory that does not currently 
meet NIST's research needs or safety requirements. NIST shall 
spend no less than $13,000,000 to begin design and renovation 
of Building 245 in fiscal year 2016. NIST shall use a design/
build contract to ensure the fastest possible start to the 
project, and is also directed to request sufficient 
construction funds for Building 245 in the fiscal year 2017 
budget request.

            National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $5,440,973,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   5,974,689,000
House allowance.........................................   5,169,261,000
Committee recommendation................................   5,381,567,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $5,381,567,000 for 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]. The 
recommendation is $59,406,000 below the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and $593,122,000 below the budget request.

                  OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $3,202,398,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   3,413,360,000
House allowance.........................................   3,149,877,000
Committee recommendation................................   3,242,723,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $3,242,723,000 for 
NOAA's operations, research, and facilities. The recommendation 
is $40,325,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$170,637,000 below the budget request.

                      NOAA NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE

    The Committee's recommendation provides $497,370,000 for 
the National Ocean Service [NOS]. NOS programs provide 
scientific, technical, and management expertise to promote safe 
navigation; assess the health of coastal and marine resources; 
respond to natural and human-induced threats; and preserve 
coastal and ocean environments.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

       NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Navigation, Observations and Positioning:
    Navigation, Observations and Positioning...........          149,000
    Hydrographic Survey Priorities/Contracts...........           25,000
    Integrated Ocean Observing System--Regional                   29,500
     Observations......................................
                                                        ----------------
      Total, Navigation, Observations and Positioning..          203,500
                                                        ================
Coastal Science and Assessment:
    Coastal Science, Assessment, Response and                     72,600
     Restoration.......................................
    Competitive External Research......................            9,000
                                                        ----------------
      Total, Coastal Science and Assessment............           81,600
                                                        ================
Ocean and Coastal Management and Services:
    Coastal Zone Management and Services...............           39,570
    Coastal Management Grants..........................           75,000
    Coral Reef Program.................................           26,000
    National Estuarine Research Reserve System.........           23,000
    National Marine Sanctuaries........................           48,700
                                                        ----------------
      Total, Ocean and Coastal Management and Services.          212,270
                                                        ================
      GRAND TOTAL NOS..................................          497,370
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Navigation, Observations and Positioning.--The Committee 
supports the administration's request for activities under 
Navigation, Observations and Positioning, including the full 
operational funding for NOAA's Navigation Response Teams. In 
addition, not more than 5 percent of the funds available for 
the Hydrographic Surveys and Contracts program may be used for 
administrative expenses within NOAA.
    Not later than 270 days after enactment of this act, NOAA 
shall provide a report to the Committee containing full cost 
estimates for accomplishing the hydrographic, shoreline, 
geodetic, and tidal surveys in the territories of the United 
States that are located in the Arctic Ocean, as described in 
the February 15, 2013, edition of NOAA's Arctic Nautical 
Charting Plan. Such a report shall include corresponding 
timelines for completing all initial surveys and a recommended 
long-term schedule for conducting periodic survey updates. NOAA 
is further directed to report within 45 days of enactment of 
this act on hydrographic activities planned for fiscal year 
2016, including: vessels to be utilized, areas to be surveyed, 
and remaining gaps in the arctic region.
    The Committee provides $6,000,000 within Navigation, 
Observations and Positioning to continue the competitive 
Geospatial Modeling Grants Program of which all funding shall 
be distributed externally.
    The Committee provides $5,500,000 for the Physical 
Oceanographic Real-Time System [PORTS]. The Committee believes 
these operations, which exist as a partnership between NOAA and 
local port authorities, provide valuable information for safe 
vessel navigation and data for weather and coastal monitoring. 
The Committee encourages NOAA to request funding that reflects 
the program's full costs, including operations and maintenance 
as authorized by Hydrographic Services Improvement Act (Public 
Law 110-386) in future budget submissions.
    The Committee supports the requested level and intended use 
of funds for Hydrographic Research and Technology Development. 
The Committee provides an additional $2,000,000 for NOAA to 
designate joint ocean and coastal mapping centers in other 
areas of the country to be co-located with an institution of 
higher education as authorized by the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11). The Committee 
emphasizes that additional funding is provided for the 
designation of other joint ocean and coastal mapping centers 
and therefore should not affect current operations of any 
existing center.
    Integrated Ocean Observing System [IOOS].--The Committee 
supports NOAA's request for the Integrated Ocean Observing 
System [IOOS] and for IOOS Regional Observations. Furthermore, 
the Committee encourages NOS to work more collaboratively with 
the National Weather Service [NWS] to prioritize buoy 
management, observations, and repair.
    For fiscal year 2016, the Committee supports NOAA's 
Alliance for Coastal Technologies [ACT] given the program's 
valuable expertise in marine sensor technology development. The 
Committee directs NOAA to maintain full funding for ACT within 
the National Ocean Service.
    Coastal Science, Assessment, Response and Restoration.--
Within the funds provided for Coastal Science, Assessment, 
Response and Restoration, $2,000,000 shall be for operations 
and staffing of the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center 
[DRC]. The DRC shall continue to serve as the Gulf Coast hub 
for NOAA's emergency preparedness, response, and recovery 
operations.
    Marine Debris.--The Committee supports the requested level 
for NOAA's Marine Debris Program. In addition to the ongoing 
efforts to fully address marine debris created by the 2011 
Japanese tsunami in the Pacific, consideration should be given 
to marine debris projects in urban communities that include the 
removal of abandoned vessels and pilings that harm the 
ecosystem and hinder recreational fishing.
    Coastal Management Grants.--The Committee provides a total 
of $75,000,000 for Coastal Management Grants. This includes 
$70,000,000 for Coastal Zone Management Grants and $5,000,000 
for Regional Coastal Resilience Grants [RCRG]. Within funding 
for RCRG, NOAA is encouraged to prioritize projects that are 
coordinated with resilience efforts of State, Federal, tribal 
partners, non-governmental organizations, and academia. 
However, NOAA may only award these funds to coastal State 
projects that have the expressed written support of the State's 
Governor.
    Resource Management in the Pacific.--The Committee notes 
recent executive actions to expand the Federal role in Pacific 
resource management, including the expansion of the Pacific 
Remote Island Marine National Monument and the designation of a 
new National Estuarine Research Reserve System [NERRS] site in 
Hawai'i. However, to advance U.S. interests in the Pacific 
meaningfully, these administrative actions should be balanced 
with available funding and resources. Within 120 days of 
enactment of this act, NOAA is directed to provide a report 
detailing enforcement, research, and management requirements--
along with estimated costs--for these new and proposed 
expansions to Federal jurisdiction, so that the Committee may 
properly assess their costs and benefits.
    National Estuarine Research Reserve System.--The Committee 
provides $23,000,000 for the National Estuarine Research 
Reserve System [NERRS], which is $1,700,000 above the 
President's request and the same as the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level. NERRS sites provide mixed-use areas that are 
protected for long-term research, monitoring, education, and 
coastal stewardship. The program is a positive example of State 
and Federal partnership. However, the Committee is concerned 
that with an additional site being added to the system, NOAA 
has failed to request the funding needed to sufficiently 
maintain the program. The Committee directs NOAA to work with 
NERRS sites and with State and local partners to develop a 
strategic plan for NERRS and its resource needs. The plan 
should also describe how NERRS fits into NOAA's science and 
resilience mission.

                 NOAA NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

    The Committee's recommendation provides $830,572,000 for 
the National Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS]. NMFS programs 
provide for the management and conservation of the Nation's 
living marine resources and their environment, including fish 
stocks, marine mammals, and endangered species. The Committee 
adopts the revised budget structure proposed in the budget 
request, except that the Committee rejects NMFS's proposal to 
consolidate Atlantic Salmon and Pacific Salmon into a single 
Project, Program, or Activity line.
    Committee recommendations are displayed in the following 
table:

 NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protected Resources Science and Management:
    Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, and Other Species....           110,246
    Species Recovery Grants...........................             6,000
    Atlantic Salmon...................................             6,163
    Pacific Salmon....................................            60,000
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Protected Resources Science and                     182,409
       Management.....................................
                                                       =================
Fisheries Science and Management:
    Fisheries and Ecosystem Science Programs and                 134,489
     Services.........................................
    Fisheries Data Collections, Surveys and                      163,271
     Assessments......................................
    Observers and Training............................            43,655
    Fisheries Management Programs and Services........           114,545
    Aquaculture.......................................             7,000
    Salmon Management Activities......................            30,200
    Regional Councils and Fisheries Commissions.......            33,470
    Interjurisdictional Fisheries Grants..............             3,000
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Fisheries Science and Management.........           529,630
                                                       =================
Enforcement:
    Enforcement.......................................            67,049
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Enforcement..............................            67,049
                                                       =================
Habitat Conservation and Restoration:
    Habitat Management and Restoration................            51,484
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Habitat Conservation and Restoration.....            51,484
                                                       =================
      GRAND TOTAL NMFS................................           830,572
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Marine Mammal Protection.--The Committee supports NMFS's 
mission under this activity to monitor, protect, and recover 
at-risk marine mammal species who were listed under the 
Endangered Species Act in 2005, but whose populations continue 
to decline. The Committee encourages NMFS to utilize funding 
for the protection and recovery of marine mammal species at 
risk due to factors such as limited prey species, water-borne 
toxin accumulation, and vessel and sound impacts.
    Species Recovery Grants.--The Committee provides $6,000,000 
for species recovery grants. NOAA is encouraged to seek 
efficiencies by aligning the program with the applicable Take 
Reduction Plans, as it currently does with the Community Based 
Restoration Program and Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, 
with the objective of meeting management needs and measuring 
efficacy of regulatory actions taken to achieve species 
recovery.
    Prescott Grants.--The Committee rejects the 
administration's proposal to reduce funding for the John H. 
Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program and 
provides funding equal to the 2015 enacted amount for Prescott 
grants within the Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, and Other 
Species account.
    Atlantic Salmon.--NOAA has identified major threats to 
Atlantic salmon, including interrelated effects of freshwater 
salmon habitat loss, lost prey buffering, and marine derived 
nutrients from declines of co-evolved diadromous species. 
Within the funds provided, the Committee directs NOAA to enable 
a broader use of funds for restoration of diadromous species 
and habitats that support salmon recovery by providing 
ecological functions critical to the Atlantic salmon life 
cycle. The Committee further directs NOAA to ensure that 
adequate resources continue to be provided for State agencies 
to effectively implement the recovery strategy.
    Pacific Salmon.--The Committee is concerned that NMFS is 
not allocating sufficient resources to the West Coast Region to 
fulfill the agency's full range of Pacific salmon recovery and 
management requirements in a timely manner. The requirements 
affect not only the well-being of the species but also 
important natural resource management decisions in the region 
such as water allocations. The Committee directs NOAA to 
provide the funding necessary to support Pacific salmon 
research and management activities carried out by the West 
Coast Region, including, but not limited to: Endangered Species 
Act compliance, reviews and permitting; operational decision 
support; revisions of Pacific salmon biological opinions; 
drought mitigation; drought barriers; real-time monitoring; 
adaptive management programs; and passive integrated 
transponder tagging programs.
    Promote and Develop Fisheries Products and Research Funding 
Transfer.--The bill maintains the provision restricting the use 
of the Promote and Develop Fisheries Products and Research 
funds transferred from the Department of Agriculture to NOAA in 
a way that better meets the intended purpose of the transfer 
mandated by the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act. None of the funds may 
be used for internal NOAA or Department of Commerce management 
but rather funds may only be used for activities that directly 
help U.S. fisheries and fishery communities. Specifically, 
these funds may only be used for: cooperative research; annual 
stock assessments; efforts to improve data collection, 
including catch monitoring and reporting for commercial, 
charter, and recreational fisheries; interjurisdictional 
fisheries grants; and Fisheries Information Networks.
    As part of the fiscal year 2016 spending plan, NOAA shall 
include a clear accounting of how the Promote and Develop 
transfer funds will be allocated based on the funding criteria 
described in this bill.
    The Committee further directs that not less than 10 percent 
of the total amount of the transferred funds shall be provided 
for the competitive Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant program. NOAA 
shall consult with each Regional Fishery Management Council and 
the Marine Fisheries Commissions to identify regional funding 
priorities. Prior to the expenditure of any of these funds, 
NOAA shall provide the Committee with a detailed spending plan 
describing which fisheries activities will be funded in each of 
the regions and how the plan incorporates regional priorities.
    Red Snapper Stock Assessments.--Within the amount provided 
for Fisheries Data Collections, Surveys, and Assessments, the 
Committee provides an increase of $5,000,000 for the 
development and implementation of agency-independent and 
alternative approaches to research and stock assessments of 
reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. The Committee is disappointed 
that NOAA has failed to implement procedures to adequately 
measure red snapper stocks in the northern Gulf--particularly 
in areas with physical structures such as offshore oil rigs and 
artificial reefs. NOAA is directed to begin incorporating 
fishery data collected on artificial reefs, offshore oil 
platforms, and any other offshore fixed energy exploration 
infrastructure directly into the agency's stock assessments for 
reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, not later than 60 
days following enactment of this act, NOAA shall provide a 
report to the Committee detailing how new technologies and 
alternative approaches will be used to accurately assess fish 
populations surrounding such structures and how these data will 
be used for fishery management decisions in fiscal year 2016.
    In addition, if an increase is made to the acceptable 
biological catch for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico as a 
result of the direction provided in this report for stock 
assessments, the Committee urges NOAA to consider allocating 
not less than 80 percent of any total above the historical high 
of 10 million pounds of quota to the recreational sector. While 
all sectors have faced challenges in the gulf red snapper 
fishery, the private boat recreational sector has been 
especially impacted.
    Ecosystem Imbalance.--NOAA shall take into consideration 
any imbalance in the ecosystem that may be occurring between 
larger red snapper and other fish species before accepting 
amendments to existing regulations or implementing new 
regulations that directly affect red snapper quotas in the Gulf 
of Mexico.
    Epipelagic Apex Predators.--The Committee acknowledges 
growing evidence that yellowfin tuna and other epipelagic apex 
predators are aggregating at offshore oil platforms in a 
similar manner to their more traditional aggregation points. 
These offshore platforms may alter yellowfin or other 
epipelagic apex predator movements, diet, diseases, growth, age 
at maturity, and spawning. However, NOAA lacks fundamental data 
on how this new association may impact these important species. 
Within funding provided, NOAA shall examine the impact of 
offshore oil platforms on the biology of highly migratory 
species such as yellowfin tuna.
    Marine Recreational Information Program.--The Committee 
remains concerned about the accuracy, reliability, and 
timeliness of recreational fisheries data collected and 
analyzed by NOAA's fisheries science centers. The Committee 
notes that, on one side of the recreational fishing management 
equation, NMFS is taking steps to more accurately estimate the 
amount of fish caught through improvements to the Marine 
Recreational Information Program [MRIP]. However, this raises 
serious concerns for the Committee regarding the second half of 
the equation: if NMFS moves forward to improve estimations of 
total recreational catch without also significantly improving 
methods to estimate fish populations, including reef fish in 
the Gulf of Mexico, the results will be skewed--leading to even 
more harmful management decisions. Therefore, no funding is 
provided to implement the May 5, 2015, MRIP report titled 
``Transition Plan for the Fishing Effort Survey'' until NMFS 
stock assessments are sufficiently advanced, including fully 
accounting for Gulf of Mexico reef fish inhabiting areas of 
artificial reefs and fixed offshore energy infrastructure. NMFS 
shall continue the development process and public outreach 
regarding MRIP's transition plan.
    Salmon Management Activities.--Within the amount provided 
for Salmon Management activities, the Committee recommends 
$10,900,000 to enable States and tribal communities to 
implement necessary Pacific Salmon Treaty agreements. The 
Committee fully supports all other aspects of the budget 
request for Salmon Management activities that are essential to 
meeting these treaty obligations. The Committee also provides 
additional funding above the request to be used for the 
operation and maintenance of Mitchell Act hatcheries. The 
Committee also encourages NOAA to consider funding for 
activities to modernize and expand salmonid research, testing, 
and monitoring through use of genetic stock identification 
management techniques that improve the protection of federally 
protected and managed salmonids, including the use of near 
real-time data to minimize closures of commercial fisheries.
    Baseline Data for Gulf of Mexico.--The Committee directs 
NOAA to continue supporting baseline research for fisheries 
health in the Gulf of Mexico, including studies of pelagic 
species. NOAA is encouraged to increase and continue 
collaborations in the gulf to establish an integrated and 
comprehensive ecosystem-level fisheries monitoring enterprise 
and sentinel species program.
    Charter Vessels.--To help improve the quality and abundance 
of fishery data used for stock assessments, the Committee 
continues to encourage NOAA to expand the agency's activities 
in chartering commercial fishing vessels to serve as research 
and fishery survey vessels. Increasing these charter 
opportunities will enlarge the geographically diverse data 
collection for broad fish populations and enhance numerous 
ocean research programs. Other parts of NOAA, including the 
National Ocean Service and the Office of Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research line offices, are encouraged to charter 
commercial fishing vessels, when applicable, to augment ongoing 
survey and research activities.
    American Lobster.--The southern New England stock of 
American lobster continues to decline and is under increasing 
stress. Although the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission 
exercises primary regulatory responsibility for this fishery, 
portions of six out of seven management areas are in Federal 
waters. NMFS implements complementary regulations for the 
fishery in these areas, but a lack of data about the condition 
of this fishery still exists. To improve coordination and 
consistency, the Committee again directs NMFS to engage the 
industry in conducting surveys and research that complement 
activities undertaken by the States. NOAA has not yet submitted 
the progress report on this issue as directed by this Committee 
in fiscal year 2015, and is therefore directed to submit this 
report within 45 days of enactment of this act.
    Bycatch Reduction.--The development and implementation of 
practical bycatch solutions is a priority for U.S. and 
international fisheries management and protected species 
conservation. The Committee supports the requested amount for 
Reducing Bycatch, of which NMFS is directed to make $2,500,000 
available for competitive grants to non-Federal researchers 
working with U.S. fishermen on the development of improved 
fishing practices and innovative gear technologies.
    At-Sea Monitoring.--The Committee recognizes NMFS's 
responsibility to satisfy the observer coverage standards of 
the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology [SBRM], but is 
very concerned by the impacts of NMFS's decision to fund such 
activities by decreasing funding for at-sea monitoring in 
fiscal year 2015. NMFS's decision came as a surprise to 
fishermen and communities and will negatively disrupt the 
Northeast groundfish fishery in the middle of the season. 
Therefore, NMFS shall work with the New England Fishery 
Management Council to find a resolution to the disruption 
caused by this funding decision. The Committee reminds NMFS 
that future direction from this Committee and Congress should 
be treated as a priority and followed accordingly.
    Observers and Training.--Since fiscal year 2012, the 
Committee has directed NMFS to provide adequate funding for at-
sea and dockside monitoring for all fisheries with approved 
catch share management plans, including those catch share 
management plans that impose observer coverage for new or 
expanded fishing opportunities. The Committee is aware that 
implementation of some management programs continues to present 
substantial financial challenges to the participants as well as 
to the economic sustainability of fisheries and fishing 
communities. Given these ongoing problems, the Committee 
encourages NMFS to continue working with regional fishery 
programs to identify adequate support for at-sea and dockside 
monitoring for fisheries with approved catch share management 
plans. Recognizing the financial challenges facing 
participants, including those in the Northeast Multispecies 
fishery sector management program, the Committee also directs 
NMFS to work with the regional fishery programs on a transition 
plan to an at-sea and dockside monitoring program that is more 
cost effective, accurate, and commensurate with the ex-vessel 
value, including through the implementation of newer and more 
feasible monitoring regimens such as electronic monitoring 
capabilities.
    Electronic Monitoring and Reporting.--Within Fisheries 
Ecosystem Science Programs and Services, the Committee provides 
NMFS's full request for Electronic Monitoring and Electronic 
Reporting [EM/ER] to support the development, testing, and 
installation of EM/ER technologies across the country. The 
Committee recognizes that advancements in EM/ER have the 
potential to cut costs and improve data collection for most 
U.S. fisheries. Within the funds provided for these activities, 
not less than $3,000,000 shall be available, in accordance with 
16 U.S.C. 3701, for collaborative partnerships that include 
non-Federal matching funds to implement cost-shared EM/ER 
programs that support fisheries conservation and management. 
During the development and implementation of electronic 
reporting and monitoring programs, NOAA shall consult directly 
with industry and work through the Fishery Management Councils 
(established under sections 1851 and 1852 of title 16) to 
develop appropriate cost-sharing arrangements that are 
commensurate with the ex-vessel value of the fishery.
    Furthermore, NMFS shall continue to work in fiscal year 
2016 with the charter for-hire recreational fishery in the Gulf 
of Mexico; the Northeast Multispecies/groundfish fishery fleet, 
including small vessels within that fleet; and any regional 
fishery fleet interested in implementing EM/ER technologies to 
better track information that is currently collected through 
the use of human observers. The Committee is aware that the New 
England Fishery Management Council has been working with NMFS 
to begin the transition to electronic monitoring systems. NMFS 
is directed to begin implementing these systems not later than 
May 1, 2016, which marks the start of the next fishing year.
    With respect to the ongoing evaluation of EM/ER technology 
on small fixed-gear boats, NMFS is directed to prioritize 
activities in fiscal year 2016 that utilize currently available 
technologies that contribute in the near term to improved 
fisheries management, including but not limited to catch or 
discard data.
    Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated [IUU] Fishing.--The 
Committee provides the requested increase of $3,000,000 under 
Enforcement and Surveillance to combat IUU fishing. NOAA is 
encouraged to continue strengthening its efforts to detect and 
deter illegally harvested and improperly-documented seafood, 
including working with other U.S., international, and foreign 
agencies to ensure fair competition for our country's domestic 
fishermen and safety for American consumers.
    Marine Aquaculture.--In accordance with NOAA's goal of 
prioritizing aquaculture research in an effort to bolster the 
United States aquaculture industry, increase seafood supply and 
security, and avoid the risk of losing U.S. investors to 
countries that have recognized aquaculture's critical 
contributions, NOAA is encouraged to ensure that its 
aquaculture-focused resources, including those at Fisheries 
Science Centers, have the directive and ability to prioritize 
aquaculture research and related activities that promote a 
strong and viable aquaculture industry.
    Oyster Aquaculture.--Within the increased funds provided 
for NMFS Aquaculture, the Committee provides not less than 
$1,000,000 to support ongoing research in off-bottom oyster 
production in coastal areas, particularly those new to this 
method of production, including the Gulf of Mexico, and 
encourages NMFS to dedicate resources for further research in 
oyster genetics, disease, and economic modeling.
    Oyster Reef Restoration.--The Committee continues to 
encourage NOAA to work with its State and non-Federal partners 
to consider supporting oyster shell recycling programs as part 
of the agency's competitive external funding opportunities for 
habitat restoration projects.
    Cooperative Research.--At a time when fishing opportunities 
are constrained by uncertainty in stock assessment and 
increased access to healthy stocks depends on better data, the 
Committee believes that maintenance of ongoing monitoring 
programs and surveys is critical. The Committee encourages NMFS 
to continue to prioritize long-time series surveys that are 
conducted cooperatively with industry and States. Furthermore, 
NOAA is encouraged to continue funding to support cooperative 
fisheries datasets, particularly in regions with inadequate 
coverage or those that complement and augment data provided by 
existing NOAA surveys. In particular, priority should be 
established for time series data that: incorporate cooperative 
research with commercial fishermen; are developed by Sea Grant 
universities; or are produced in cooperation with State and 
local management agencies. In addition, the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center is directed to work collaboratively with the 
fishing industry to update the Northeast Cooperative Research 
Strategic Plan, including: the identification of science 
priorities; a process for greater involvement of fishermen in 
data collection; and better communication of how the results of 
cooperative fisheries research are used.
    Horseshoe Crab Survey.--The Committee is concerned that 
horseshoe crab surveys along the Atlantic Coast have not been 
adequately conducted in recent years due to lack of funding. 
Horseshoe crabs are critical to the ecology and economy of the 
Mid-Atlantic coastal region. They are a significant commercial 
bait fishery, provide a vital food source for migratory shore 
birds, and their unique blood (hemolymph) is used by the 
biomedical industry to test for bacterial contamination. The 
Committee encourages NMFS to use funding within the amount 
provided for expanding annual stock assessments to help restore 
this important survey for the Mid-Atlantic horseshoe crab 
population.
    Seafood Reporting.--The United States leads the world in 
responsibly managed fisheries and aquaculture, and the 
Committee supports NOAA's activities to inform consumers about 
our Nation's sustainable fisheries through the agency's 
FishWatch program. However, the Committee is concerned that the 
exclusive use or recognition of third-party certifications for 
seafood sustainability by the Department could have unintended 
consequences for various domestic fisheries. The Committee 
acknowledges that some U.S. fisheries voluntarily utilize 
third-party seafood sustainability certification schemes, but 
believes it is not the Department's role to adopt such 
certification schemes when doing so could result in the 
Department arbitrarily influencing the U.S. domestic seafood 
market. The Committee believes support for third-party 
certifications is best presented in non-governmental forums. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Department not to adopt, 
use, or promote any third-party certification scheme for 
seafood sustainability, but to instead continue providing 
consumers with independent and accountable information 
generated from within the Department.
    Habitat Conservation and Restoration.--Within the amount 
provided, NOAA is encouraged to include funding for the multi-
year Habitat Blueprint Focus Area partnership agreements 
developed under the Habitat Blueprint initiative. The Committee 
encourages NOAA to include a broader, ecosystem-based 
management philosophy; expand criteria to include recreational 
species, managed commercial species, and forage species; and 
prioritize proposals that engage local communities. NOAA shall 
also continue to emphasize the value of partnerships when 
evaluating grant applications, and shall seek to maximize 
external funding for public-private partnerships, including 
those that prioritize direct community involvement and 
stewardship of local projects that support a range of benefits 
to coastal watershed communities. Furthermore, NOAA is 
encouraged to explore the establishment of a dedicated research 
and infrastructure program tasked with tackling urban coastal 
sustainability issues in communities with recent historical 
changes in coastal and offshore ecosystems.
    NOAA is encouraged to give priority to habitat restoration 
grants for river basins that are critical to the restoration of 
priority fisheries, especially restoration projects that 
support multistakeholder agreements, including settlements of 
litigation and conflict over water management, and particularly 
involving the settlement of tribal water rights. Furthermore, 
NOAA is encouraged to work with local communities and tribal 
governments so they can engage in collaborative management and 
restoration of fisheries.

                 NOAA OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH

    The Committee's recommendation provides $436,042,000 for 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research [OAR]. OAR programs provide 
the environmental research and technology needed to improve 
NOAA weather services, forecasts, climate predictions, and 
marine services. To accomplish these goals, OAR supports a 
network of scientists in its Federal research laboratories, 
universities, and joint institutes and partnership programs.
    Committee recommendations are displayed in the following 
table:

  OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH OPERATIONS, RESEARCH AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Climate Research:
    Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes..........            60,000
    Regional Climate Data and Information............            38,000
    Climate Competitive Research.....................            55,000
                                                      ------------------
      Total, Climate Research........................           153,000
                                                      ==================
Weather and Air Chemistry Research Programs:
    Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes..........            70,000
    U.S. Weather Research Program....................             8,000
    Tornado Severe Storm Research/Phased Array Radar.            13,158
                                                      ------------------
      Total, Weather and Air Chemistry Research......            91,158
                                                      ==================
Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research:
    Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes..........            32,000
    National Sea Grant College Program...............            62,800
    Marine Aquaculture Research......................            10,000
    Sustained Ocean Observations and Monitoring......            41,596
    Integrated Ocean Acidification...................            11,000
    Ocean Exploration................................            22,344
                                                      ------------------
      Total, Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research.           179,740
                                                      ==================
High Performance Computing Initiatives...............            12,144
                                                      ==================
      GRAND TOTAL OAR................................           436,042
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes.--The Committee 
recognizes the significant roles Laboratories and Cooperative 
Institutes play in fulfilling the mission requirements of NOAA. 
In order to strengthen the state of science within NOAA's 
mission scope and create advantages in new scientific 
knowledge, NOAA must continue to support new technologies and 
improved services for coastal communities and the Nation. 
Therefore, the Committee provides $2,000,000 above the budget 
request for research activities involving watershed impacts on 
marine ecosystems, remote sensing, and long-term monitoring of 
oil spill impacts on marine ecosystem health, including in the 
northern Gulf of Mexico. The Committee also encourages NOAA to 
consider how additional cooperative institutes could strengthen 
NOAA's ability to improve coastal sustainability and resilience 
and better prepare coastal communities to make smart land-use 
decisions.
    Climate Research.--The Committee provides the requested 
level for supporting and expanding the National Integrated 
Drought Information System, including the Regional Drought 
Early Warning Information System.
    Multi-Function Phased Array Radar.--The Committee provides 
OAR's full request for the Multi-Function Phased Array Radar 
[MPAR] and recognizes the importance of the program in 
developing and implementing the next generation weather and 
aircraft radar surveillance network. The Committee believes 
that consolidation of planning, research, and development 
strategies is necessary for the future success of the MPAR 
program and remains concerned with the uncertainty pertaining 
to cost sharing between the FAA and NOAA. The Committee directs 
NOAA to maintain its leadership role for MPAR research and 
development and to establish an interagency committee, 
including the FAA and other stakeholders, to formulate key 
requirements for a comprehensive development and acquisition 
strategy. Not later than 45 days after enactment of this act, 
NOAA shall provide a plan detailing how such key requirements 
would be achieved.
    Vortex-Southeast [Vortex-SE].--The southeastern United 
States commonly experiences devastating tornadoes under 
variables and conditions that differ considerably from the 
Midwest where conditions for tornado research have historically 
been focused. Within funds provided for Weather and Air 
Chemistry Research Programs, up to $5,000,000 is provided for 
OAR to collaborate with the National Science Foundation's 
Vortex-SE initiative to better understand how environmental 
factors that are characteristic of the southeast United States 
affect the formation, intensity, and storm path of tornadoes 
for this region.
    Infrasonic Weather Monitoring Research.--Within funds 
provided for the U.S. Weather Research Program, the Committee 
provides up to $500,000 to support external research 
opportunities with academic institutions in infrasonic 
monitoring methods of violent weather. The Committee believes 
that advanced infrasound signal processing methodologies and 
studies, deployed through a network of infrasound arrays to 
detect tornadoes and hurricanes, have the potential to improve 
forecast accuracy.
    National Sea Grant College Program.--The Committee rejects 
NOAA's requested decrease to the National Sea Grant Program 
base and elimination of STEM-related education activities 
within the program. Within funds provided, NOAA is encouraged 
to leverage resources and pursue partnerships with Sea Grant 
universities and other Federal agencies to carry out aquatic 
animal health monitoring and research. This effort contributes 
to Sea Grant's and NOAA's broader mission of providing services 
to enhance coastal community resilience. Further, NOAA is 
directed to continue its partnership with academic programs 
that provide legal expertise related to the missions of the 
program and NOAA.
    Fisheries-Related Research.--The Committee remains 
concerned about the negative impacts of the short recreational 
fishing season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico. Additional 
data sources and assessment approaches would be beneficial and 
should be pursued by entities other than NOAA's regulating line 
office, NMFS. Therefore, the Committee provides up to 
$5,000,000 within Sea Grant to research and develop alternative 
approaches to data collection and analysis, including a tagging 
pilot program focused on the recreational fishing sector. 
Reward tagging studies are commonly used to estimate fishing 
mortality of exploited stocks, are based in sound peer-reviewed 
science, and are straight-forward and easily understood by the 
general public. Furthermore, the Committee believes the tagging 
data will provide valuable independent estimates of 
recreational fishing mortality for comparison with NMFS stock 
assessments.
    Aquaculture Research.--The Committee provides $10,000,000 
for marine aquaculture research. NOAA is directed to support 
marine aquaculture research and development in partnership with 
universities. Similar research efforts have led to beneficial 
outcomes such as the development and commercialization of new 
technologies to meet the domestic demand for warm water marine 
seafood, including finfish, shrimp, and oysters.
    Ocean Exploration.--The Committee directs NOAA to use a 
portion of the funding provided for Ocean Exploration to make 
competitive external awards to institutions that have partnered 
with OAR's Ocean Exploration program in the past. This includes 
those institutions with ocean-going assets, such as Autonomous 
Underwater Vehicles, to support new exploration missions, 
expeditions, and deep-sea research in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Furthermore, NOAA is encouraged to continue fundamental ocean 
exploration in which open source data are collected for the 
oceanographic community and private industries in real-time 
through telepresence technology. Another primary focus should 
be the continued exploration of the U.S. Exclusive Economic 
Zones. As in the past, the program shall use ships and other 
ocean-going assets operated by academic and non-governmental 
institutions, provided that any data acquired are open-sourced.

                     NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

    The Committee's recommendation provides $977,032,000 for 
the National Weather Service [NWS]. NWS programs provide timely 
and accurate meteorologic, hydrologic, and oceanographic 
warnings and forecasts to ensure the safety of the population, 
mitigate property losses, and improve the economic productivity 
of the Nation. NWS is also responsible for issuing operational 
climate forecasts for the United States. The Committee has made 
saving lives and livelihoods though accurate weather 
forecasting a priority.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

      NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observations..........................................           206,376
Central Processing....................................            92,871
Analyze, Forecast, and Support........................           495,845
Dissemination.........................................            46,743
Science and Technology Integration....................           135,197
                                                       -----------------
      GRAND TOTAL NWS.................................           977,032
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Information Technology Officers.--While the Committee 
supports cost-savings and steps to improve efficiency, NWS's 
proposal to consolidate Information Technology Officer 
positions at the agency's regional weather forecast offices 
comes before a comprehensive review of NWS operations has been 
completed, and any move to consolidate these positions at this 
time would be premature. The Committee is pleased that NWS has 
awarded a contract for a comprehensive, third-party review of 
its long-term operations and workforce needs, and looks forward 
to the results of this assessment. If such a proposal is made 
in any future reprogramming or budget submission, NWS is 
directed to detail how such a consolidation would streamline 
system configurations, shore up existing cybersecurity 
vulnerabilities, contribute to the expedited rollout of the 
Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, and achieve 
cost savings while resulting in no degradation of service to 
NWS or its State, local, and Federal partners.
    National Data Buoy Center [NDBC].--The Committee provides 
sufficient funding to maintain, at a minimum, NDBC operations 
at 80 percent data availability. The Committee encourages NOAA 
to provide adequate funding to support maintenance and service 
of the Tropical Atmosphere/Ocean Array [TAO] and Deep Ocean 
Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis [DART] array across the 
equatorial Pacific. In addition, not later than 180 days after 
enactment of this act, NOAA shall provide a report to the 
Committee detailing the resources necessary to properly 
maintain and operate the coastal weather buoy system in areas 
off Alaska and in the Arctic Ocean. The report shall include 
the identification of gaps in Arctic weather and sea ice 
observing networks in U.S. territories of the Arctic Ocean. The 
Committee directs NOAA to include a schedule to restore 
existing data buoy operability and its strategy to minimize 
outages in the future as part of the agency's spending plan.
    National Water Center.--The Committee provides no less than 
$14,500,000 for operations and staffing of the newly opened 
National Water Center [NWC]. The NWC will serve as the first 
ever clearinghouse for research and operational forecasting of 
all water-related issues facing our Nation, including: severe 
floods, storm surge, drought, and water quality, among others. 
Given the importance of the NWC to better protect lives and 
property of our Nation's citizens, NOAA is directed to expedite 
staffing and operations at the Center to achieve full operating 
capability as soon as possible. The Committee directs NOAA to 
provide a report no less than 45 days after enactment of this 
act with a staffing plan that includes an update on commitments 
from partner agencies and a timeline for accomplishing 
operational readiness in the first quarter of fiscal year 2016.
    National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program [NTHMP].--The 
Committee rejects NOAA's proposal to terminate funding for 
tsunami preparedness within the NTHMP, and instead instructs 
the Agency to maintain funding at the fiscal year 2015 level 
and to strengthen the NTHMP in accordance with the 2011 
evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences.
    Report on Accuracy of Weather and Water Forecasts for 
Alaska.--Not later than 270 days after enactment of this act, 
NWS shall report to the Committee on the accuracy of weather 
and water forecasts for Alaska and U.S. territories in the 
Arctic region. The report shall include a comparison of the 
accuracy of weather and water forecasts for Alaska and the U.S. 
Arctic with the accuracy of weather and water forecasts for the 
contiguous 48 States of the United States, the root cause for 
any disparity, and what resources would be required to reduce 
such disparity. In addition, the report shall describe current 
limitations in delivering forecasts and information to support 
safe marine transportation and operations in the Arctic Ocean.
    COASTAL Act Implementation.--Within funding provided for 
Science and Technology Integration, the Committee provides no 
less than $5,000,000 for the continued development and 
implementation of the COASTAL Act (Public Law 112-141), which 
was included in the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization 
Act of 2012. The Committee supports NOAA's work to assist 
homeowners impacted by destructive winds and storm surges 
associated with hurricanes and super-storms. The Committee 
directs NOAA to continue to leverage existing Federal assets, 
expertise, and partnerships in carrying out COASTAL Act 
activities. Furthermore, NOAA is directed to provide the 
Committee updates every 6 months on progress made and 
challenges related to implementation as well as any proposed 
solutions.
    National Mesonet Program.--The Committee provides 
$16,000,000 for the continuation and expansion of the National 
Mesonet Program and is encouraged by the Administration's 
request to fund the program. Funds should be made available 
through a competitive weather data procurement that sustains 
coverage of areas currently included within the national 
mesonet, as well as an expansion of coverage in high risk 
areas. NOAA is also encouraged to add new observations such as 
coastal observations, boundary layer data, and total lightning 
data. NOAA should require that awardees provide mesonet data in 
formats that can be integrated by NWS for use in forecasts and 
severe weather alerts. NOAA should also encourage efforts to 
demonstrate the validity of mesonet observation data in 
increasing severe weather warning times and to demonstrate the 
economic benefit of Mesonet observations for various key 
sectors, such as commercial aviation and electric grid 
management. Of the funds provided, up to $500,000 may be used 
for Meterological Assimilation Data Ingest System [MADIS] 
activities, including transitioning MADIS from research to 
operations and enabling the distribution of Mesonet data 
through the Advanced Weather Interaction Processing System 
[AWIPS]. Up to $500,000 may be used for costs associated with 
the National Mesonet Program Office. The Committee views the 
national mesonet as an important component of any effort to 
effectively develop a ``Weather-Ready Nation'' and expects that 
future NOAA budget requests will continue to reflect it as a 
priority.
    NWS Office Relocations.--The Committee encourages NWS to 
co-locate its local or regional facilities with universities, 
including land-grant research universities, particularly in 
States with emergency management offices that have forecast 
capabilities for atmospheric events and that place priority on 
developing more accurate and timely warnings and forecasts of 
high impact weather events. NWS should utilize funding provided 
for planning, design, and long-term co-location lease 
agreements wherever it is feasible. Furthermore, priority shall 
be given to areas most impacted by recent extreme weather 
events where current leases may be expiring.

  NOAA NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE

    The Committee's recommendation provides $189,086,000 for 
National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service 
[NESDIS] operations. NESDIS programs operate environmental 
polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites and collect and 
archive global environmental data and information for 
distribution to users in commerce, industry, agriculture, 
science and engineering, the general public, and Federal, 
State, and local agencies.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

     NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE
                  OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmental Satellite Observing Systems:
    Office of Satellite and Product Operations........           102,000
    Product Development, Readiness & Application......            26,000
    Commercial Remote Sensing Licensing & Enforcement.             1,000
    Office of Space Commercialization.................               600
    Group on Earth Observations [GEO].................               500
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Environmental Satellite Observing Systems           130,100
                                                       =================
National Environmental Information Office.............            58,986
                                                       -----------------
      GRAND TOTAL NESDIS..............................           189,086
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    National Environmental Information Office.--The Committee 
recommends $58,986,000 for the National Environmental 
Information Office [NEIO], which is a new office that 
consolidates several programs that were previously funded 
separately. While the Committee supports the updated budget 
structure for NESDIS, it is essential to ensure that key 
programs continue to receive adequate funding. Specifically, 
the Committee provides not less than the fiscal year 2015 
enacted levels of $6,000,000 for the Regional Climate Services, 
$3,650,000 for Regional Climate Centers, and $4,567,000 for 
Coastal Data Development. Within NEIO, the Committee encourages 
NOAA to fully support critical international partnerships, 
including the Global Climate Observing System.

                       NOAA-WIDE PROGRAM SUPPORT

    The Committee's recommendation provides $460,285,000 for 
NOAA-wide program support. These programs provide for overall 
NOAA management, including staffing of the Under Secretary's 
office and services to NOAA and DOC field offices through the 
regional Administrative Support Centers. These programs also 
support NOAA's Education Office consistent with the 
recommendations of the Joint Ocean Commission. The facilities 
subactivity provides for repair and maintenance to existing 
facilities, facilities planning and design, and environmental 
compliance. The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations 
provides aircraft and marine data acquisition, repair, and 
maintenance of the existing fleet; planning of future 
modernization; and technical and management support for NOAA-
wide activities through the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps.
    Committee recommendations are displayed in the following 
table:

          PROGRAM SUPPORT OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate Services:
    Under Secretary and Associate Offices Base........            27,000
    Facilities........................................            23,000
    NOAA Wide Corporate Services and Agency Management           115,000
    DOC Accounting System.............................             6,223
    IT Security.......................................             8,300
    DOC Working Capital Fund..........................            43,000
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Corporate Services.......................           222,523
                                                       =================
NOAA Education Program................................            26,631
                                                       =================
Marine and Aircraft Operations........................           211,131
                                                       =================
      GRAND TOTAL, PROGRAM SUPPORT....................           460,285
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Corporate Services.--Within the increased funds provided 
for Corporate Services, NOAA is directed to focus on restoring 
the functionality of its Workforce Management Office and 
Acquisition and Grant Services.
    Education.--Within the funds provided for NOAA's Education 
Program, $5,000,000 is for competitive educational grants, 
which includes continued support for Environmental Literacy 
Grants and for improving geographic literacy; $14,431,000 is 
for the Educational Partnership Program with minority-serving 
institutions; and $7,200,000 is for Bay-Watershed Education and 
Training regional programs, which was touted by the Department 
of Education as a model program for how Federal and State 
agencies should collaborate on STEM education. Within funding 
for competitive educational grants, NOAA is encouraged to 
support not-for-profit facilities that promote educational, 
career, and private-sector opportunities in the field of ocean 
sciences.
    A full description of the Committee's assessment and 
direction regarding the administration's Co-STEM consolidation 
proposal is found in the Office of Science Technology and 
Policy portion of this report. For NOAA's part, the Committee 
continues to encourage efforts to streamline STEM education 
programs across NOAA line offices that make sense and supports 
the internal consolidation of NOAA education programs. However, 
the Committee does not support the elimination of NOAA's 
Teacher at Sea program or the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship 
Program.
    Outstanding Loan Balances.--The Committee encourages NOAA 
and its respective line offices to work with communities and 
businesses, on a case-by-case basis, to resolve outstanding 
balances in a manner that considers the borrower's current 
financial ability but remains fair to American taxpayers.
    Management Fees.--The Committee is concerned by recent news 
reports suggesting that certain Federal grant and cooperative 
agreement recipients have used management fees inappropriately 
by spending federally awarded funds on, for example, lobbying, 
alcohol, and entertainment. NOAA is directed to ensure that all 
funding recipients understand and are in compliance with Office 
of Management and Budget guidance on appropriate uses of such 
funds.
    Budget Justification Overhaul.--The Committee has included 
language directing NOAA to improve its Congressional Budget 
Submission for the past 5 years to no avail. The product 
remains difficult to use, and it is clear that there has been 
no concerted effort to make improvements. The amount and 
quality of information provided on programs and activities 
varies widely from one Line Office section to another with 
rigid adherence to an arbitrary format at the cost of common 
sense. Therefore, the Committee directs NOAA to undertake a 
thorough review and overhaul of its budget justification 
documents to ensure that the information provided to the 
Committee is comprehensive, succinct, and consistent. Not later 
than 90 days after enactment of this act, NOAA shall report to 
the Committee on the status of the justification review and 
overhaul so that the Committee may provide feedback.
    Marine and Aviation Operations.--Any decisions related to 
laying up any vessels, grounding any aircraft, or 
decommissioning any capital asset are subject to the standard 
reprogramming procedures set forth in section 505 of this act. 
Any changes from the spending plan shall also be subject to 
section 505 of this act. NOAA shall continue to provide the 
Committee with a monthly operational status of the fleet and 
aircraft. NOAA is further directed to provide the Committee 
with updated long-term management and acquisition plans for the 
fleet and aircraft within 60 days of enactment of this act.

            NOAA PROCUREMENT, ACQUISITION, AND CONSTRUCTION

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $2,179,225,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   2,498,679,000
House allowance.........................................   1,960,034,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,079,494,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $2,079,494,000 for 
NOAA's procurement, acquisition, and construction. The 
recommendation is $99,731,000 below the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and $419,185,000 below the budget request.
    Committee recommendations are displayed in the following 
table:

                PROCUREMENT, ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                         recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Ocean Service:
    National Estuarine Research Reserve Construction..             1,700
    Marine Sanctuaries Construction/Acquisition.......             2,000
                                                       -----------------
      Total National Ocean Service--PAC...............             3,700
                                                       =================
Ocean and Atmospheric Research:
    Research Super Computing..........................            20,079
                                                       =================
National Weather Service:
    Observations......................................            16,720
    Central Processing................................            64,261
    Dissemination.....................................            45,684
    WFO Construction..................................             8,650
                                                       -----------------
      Total, National Weather Service--PAC............           135,315
                                                       =================
National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information
 Services:
    Geostationary Systems [GOES-R]....................           871,791
    Joint Polar Satellite System [JPSS]...............           808,966
    Polar Follow-on...................................           135,000
    SIDAR.............................................               500
    DSCOVR............................................             3,200
    Jason-3...........................................             7,458
    COSMIC-2..........................................            10,100
    Satellite Ground Services.........................            50,000
    System Architecture and Advanced Planning.........             3,929
    Projects, Planning, and Analysis..................            25,228
    Satellite CDA Facility............................             2,228
                                                       -----------------
      Total, NESDIS--PAC..............................         1,918,400
                                                       =================
Program Support:
    Construction......................................             1,000
    Vessel Equip. and Tech Refresh....................            11,700
                                                       -----------------
    New Vessel Construction...........................             2,300
                                                       -----------------
      Total, Program Support--PAC.....................            15,000
                                                       =================
Unobligated balances from prior years.................            13,000
                                                       -----------------
      GRAND TOTAL, PAC................................         2,079,494
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    National Estuarine Research Reserve Construction.--The 
Committee remains concerned about the increased costs and lack 
of transparency associated with certain third-party green 
building rating systems. The use of certain green building 
standards can arbitrarily discriminate against domestic 
building materials such as wood that could be locally sourced, 
thereby increasing costs to taxpayers without significant 
benefits in energy and water savings. The Committee again 
directs NOAA to use funding provided for National Estuarine 
Research Reserve Construction subject only to green building 
rating systems or standards that are voluntary consensus 
standards; have achieved American National Standard Institute 
[ANSI] Designation; or were developed by an ANSI Audited 
Designator, and take into consideration the environmental and 
economic benefits of building materials through lifecycle 
analysis. Not later than 90 days after enactment of this act, 
NOAA shall notify the Committee on any new, existing, or 
planned construction projects at NERRS sites that receive 
accreditation for energy savings from a third-party green 
building rating system.
    Weather Satellites.--The Committee provides full funding 
for the continued procurement and acquisition of the Joint 
Polar Satellite System [JPSS] and the Geostationary Operational 
Environmental Satellite R-series [GOES-R], NOAA's flagship 
weather satellite programs. NOAA is directed to prioritize 
satellite programs directly related to weather forecasting and 
that result in the greatest reduction of risk to lives and 
property. Keeping JPSS and GOES-R programs on-budget and on-
schedule is critical, as is maintaining their respective cost 
controls, particularly when NOAA's satellite missions continue 
to dominate the agency's annual budget requirements. The 
Committee reiterates its previous direction to NOAA to find 
savings from operating expenses and to reduce duplicative 
Government overhead shared with the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration [NASA].
    Polar Follow-On.--The Committee provides $135,000,000 for 
the newly proposed Polar Follow-On mission. Ensuring a risk-
averse and robust continuation of polar orbiting weather 
satellites is essential to avoid gaps in the data that is 
required for accurate weather forecasting. The Committee 
directs NOAA to have an Independent Cost Estimate [ICE] 
conducted for the Polar Follow-on program. Not later than 180 
days following enactment of this act, NOAA shall provide 
detailed results from the ICE analysis to the Committee, 
including a comparison to the agency's internal estimate of the 
program's life-cycle cost.
    COSMIC-2.--The Committee provides $10,100,000 for the 
Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and 
Climate 2 [COSMIC-2] program, an increase of $3,300,000 over 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level, for the ground reception 
and processing of Global Navigation Satellite System Radio 
Occultation [GNSS RO] satellite data, which will augment 
current data used for global weather forecasts and studies. 
However, no funding is provided for the procurement of a second 
set of radio occultation [RO] sensors that NOAA proposes to 
launch into polar orbit in 2019. The Committee notes that the 
U.S. Air Force--NOAA's partner on COSMIC-2--has not committed 
to providing launch services for a polar constellation of RO 
sensors. Furthermore, NOAA has not yet identified any other 
launch provider for this proposed polar constellation. The 
Committee encourages NOAA to explore all options for obtaining 
polar GNSS RO data, including through commercial data 
purchases.
    Space Weather Follow-On.--The Committee acknowledges the 
need to continue collecting space weather data in order to 
forecast and mitigate damage from solar geomagnetic storms. A 
coherent space weather architecture is necessary to predict and 
mitigate damage from threats to communications and electrical 
infrastructure. The Committee notes that the Administration's 
request designates NOAA as the agency responsible for procuring 
and issuing alerts based on such data. While NASA's 
heliophysics program has historically provided data in this 
domain, NASA's program is designed for research rather than 
operational requirements and has limited ability to forecast 
space weather events. Therefore, not later than 120 days after 
enactment of this act, NOAA is directed to submit a report to 
the Committee detailing: space weather data needs for 
operational forecasting, various options for attaining such 
data, cost estimates for those options, and corresponding 
timelines. The report shall also analyze the potential impact 
of a space weather data gap after 2019.
    NOAA Satellite Reporting.--The Committee directs NOAA to 
provide quarterly programmatic and procurement status reports 
of all satellites actively flying and under development unless 
any reprogramming, system failure, or other extraordinary 
circumstance warrants an immediate update. As part of the 
agency's quarterly satellite briefing, NOAA shall include 
updates on preparations and enhancements neccessary to 
accommodate an increased volume of satellite data and shall 
compare initial cost estimates to actual expenditures.
    New Vessel Construction.--The Committee notes that despite 
repeated requests, the administration has failed to deliver a 
fleet recapitalization plan for NOAA showing a strategic 
timeline of when current ships should be retired and new vessel 
construction is needed. While the Committee supports an effort 
to modernize NOAA's aging fleet, the Committee does not fully 
fund the agency's fiscal year 2016 request to construct a new 
ocean-going survey vessel at this time. Instead, the Committee 
provides $2,300,000 to: support the NOAA and U.S. Navy program 
management team, fund the work necessary for preliminary design 
contracts, and maintain the project management support that is 
needed for a construction award for an ocean-going survey 
vessel. The Committee urges the administration to provide the 
Congress with an updated fleet management plan immediately. 
Furthermore, NOAA is directed to work with the U.S. Navy to 
explore options for new vessel construction in future fiscal 
years, including a schedule for meeting the requirements of the 
forthcoming fleet management plan and investigating more 
flexible financing mechanisms that will allow NOAA to 
distribute the costs of vessel construction across multiple 
years.

                  PACIFIC COASTAL SALMON RECOVERY FUND

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $65,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      58,000,000
House allowance.........................................      65,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      65,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $65,000,000 for the 
Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. The recommendation is the 
same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $7,000,000 above 
the budget estimate. Funds are for conservation and restoration 
of Pacific salmon populations. State and local recipients of 
this funding will provide matching contributions of at least 33 
percent of Federal funds. In addition, funds will be available 
to tribes without a matching requirement.

                      FISHERMEN'S CONTINGENCY FUND

Appropriations, 2015....................................        $350,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................         350,000
House allowance.........................................         350,000
Committee recommendation................................         350,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $350,000 for the 
Fishermen's Contingency Fund. The recommendation is the same as 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and the President's request.

                   FISHERIES FINANCE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Appropriations, 2015....................................     -$6,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      -6,000,000
House allowance.........................................      -6,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      -6,000,000

    The Committee recommends that direct loans administered 
through this account for individual fishing quotas may not 
exceed $24,000,000. Traditional direct loans may not exceed 
$100,000,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and budget request.

                                 OTHER


                        Departmental Management


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $56,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      71,095,000
House allowance.........................................      50,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      56,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $56,000,000 for 
Departmental Management Salaries and Expenses. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $15,095,000 below the budget request.
    Within Departmental Management, the Salaries and Expenses 
account provides funding for the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, 
and support staff. Responsibilities involve policy development 
and implementation affecting U.S. and international activities, 
as well as establishing internal goals for operations of the 
Department.
    Not less than 90 days after enactment of this act, the 
Department shall submit to the Committee a report detailing 
actions taken to cut costs and a detailed account of funds 
saved by such actions across the Department's bureaus.
    BusinessUSA.--The Committee provides funding up to the 
amount provided in fiscal year 2015 for BusinessUSA. However, 
the Committee clarifies that BusinessUSA is an online tool and 
shared inter-agency call center designed to facilitate 
information sharing, improve services to the public, and reduce 
interagency redundancies. Funds provided shall not be used to 
expand staffing or open any offices.
    Business Application Solutions.--The Committee was 
supportive of previous funding requests for the Business 
Application Solutions [BAS] modernization project to 
consolidate and upgrade the systems used to manage finances, 
acquisitions, properties, and reporting requirements for the 
Department of Commerce. However, the Committee was disappointed 
to learn that two attempts to pilot a new system within the 
Department failed to move forward--particularly since the 
Department required an emergency reprogramming in fiscal year 
2014 to allow NOAA to implement the new BAS system. Within 45 
days of enactment of this act, the Committee directs the 
Department to provide a report detailing how previously 
appropriated funds for BAS were spent, including reprogrammed 
funds, in addition to specific steps the Department and the 
Office of Management and Budget are taking to expeditiously 
transition to a new system. Furthermore, the Department will 
keep the Committee apprised of any progress or setbacks as they 
occur until the new system is fully operational.
    Small Business Innovation Research.--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of the Small Business Innovation 
Research [SBIR] program and its previous success in 
facilitating commercial successes from federally funded 
research and development projects. The SBIR program encourages 
small domestic businesses to engage in Federal research and 
development and creates jobs in the smallest firms. The 
Committee therefore directs the Department of Commerce to place 
an increased focus on awarding SBIR grants to firms with fewer 
than 50 people.
    Unobligated Balances.--The Committee remains concerned 
about the amount of unobligated funding within the Department 
of Commerce. The Department is directed to report all 
unobligated balances to the Committee on a quarterly basis 
following enactment of this act. Furthermore, the Department 
shall inform the Committee in writing of the specific steps 
taken to address the Inspector General's report of June 2013 
regarding poor oversight and accounting of unobligated 
balances.

                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $30,596,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      35,190,000
House allowance.........................................      32,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      30,596,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $30,596,000 for the 
Office of Inspector General [OIG]. The recommendation is equal 
to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $4,594,000 below the 
budget request.
    In addition to funds provided under this heading, the 
Committee has recommended transfers to the OIG: $2,000,000 from 
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; $1,302,000 from the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and $1,551,000 
from the Census Bureau for oversight and audits of those 
activities. The Committee directs the OIG to continue strict 
oversight activities for satellite procurements, cybersecurity, 
and the decennial census.
    Working Capital Fund Audits.--The Committee continues to 
direct the OIG to audit all of the working capital funds within 
the Department to evaluate the Department's budgetary controls 
over all funds. The OIG shall assess: the controls in place to 
develop reimbursement formulas; the relationship of 
reimbursements to client services; the appropriateness of the 
level of fund balances; and compliance with appropriations law 
and direction. As part of this assessment, the Inspector 
General shall pay particular attention to the increasing 
amounts of funding needed to support the Department's Office of 
General Counsel, including the justification and metrics for 
how such funding is being levied against each agency and, 
reciprocally, how the agencies account for the services they 
receive from the Office of General Counsel.
    Audits and Investigations.--The OIG serves a critical 
oversight role at the Department. The Committee believes that 
robust investigations and audits are essential to routing out 
waste, fraud and abuse, but that limiting inquiries only to 
individuals in the Department does not necessarily lead to 
comprehensive findings and recommendations. The Committee 
directs the OIG to modify its policies and procedures to ensure 
that investigations or reports include interviews with all 
parties to the project or program in question, including, but 
not limited to, contractors responsible for projects under 
review. The Committee cautions the OIG against issuing 
preliminary findings prior to interviewing a majority of the 
entities involved with the program or project under 
investigation, unless the OIG believes the findings are time 
sensitive or additional interviews are immaterial.

               General Provisions--Department of Commerce

    Section 101 makes Commerce Department funds available for 
advanced payments only upon certification of officials 
designated by the Secretary that such payments are considered 
to be in the public interest.
    Section 102 makes appropriations for salaries and expenses 
available for the hire of passenger motor vehicles, and for 
services, uniforms, and allowances as authorized by law.
    Section 103 provides the authority to transfer funds 
between Department of Commerce accounts. The provision makes 
transfers subject to the Committee's standard reprogramming 
procedures.
    Section 104 extends congressional notification requirements 
for the NOAA satellite programs.
    Section 105 provides authority for the Secretary of 
Commerce to furnish certain services within the Herbert C. 
Hoover Building.
    Section 106 clarifies that grant recipients under the 
Department of Commerce may continue to deter child pornography, 
copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over 
their networks.
    Section 107 provides NOAA the authority to share resources 
with entities outside the agency.
    Section 108 specifies that none of the funds made available 
by this act, or any other appropriations act, can be used by 
the Department of Commerce to enforce or carry out activities 
under the Foreign Trade Zone regulation for uniform treatment 
(15 CFR 400.43).
    Section 109 specifies that no funds made available by this 
act, or any other appropriations act, may be used by the 
Secretary of Commerce to manage fisheries in the Gulf of 
Mexico, unless such management activities are in accordance 
with the State seaward boundaries set by this act for the 
purposes of fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico.
    Section 110 requires that, before charging for 
congressional reports, the National Technical Information 
Service [NTIS] advise the public of free ways to receive or 
access these reports. For those reports that cannot be found 
free of charge or when a customer requires a mailed, hard copy, 
NTIS may only charge a de minimus copying and mailing fee. The 
Committee is concerned about outrageous fees the National 
Technical Information Service charges the public for hard 
copies of congressional reports and documents available for 
free online.
    Section 111 allows NOAA to be reimbursed by Federal and 
non-Federal entities for performing certain activities.
    The Committee remains concerned that agreements for 
offsetting collections provided for under this section could 
result in a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a 
conflict of interest, for the Department. The Department is 
directed to exercise caution and consider any unintended 
consequences that could result from such agreements, including, 
but not limited to, augmentation of appropriations, initiation 
of new programs not authorized by this act or any other act of 
Congress, and liabilities extending beyond the period of any 
such agreement. The Department shall provide to the Committee 
monthly updates on all offsetting fee collections, including 
each entity participating in the agreement, as well as the 
terms of and specific activities funded by the agreement. 
Additionally, estimates of anticipated fee collections shall be 
included in the Department's annual spend plans. To further 
ensure the Committee maintains sufficient oversight for 
activities carried out under this section, language is included 
specifying that any offsetting collection would require the 
consent of each party subject to the agreement and all 
offsetting collections shall be subject to procedures set forth 
by section 505 of this act.
    Section 112 allows the Secretary of Commerce to waive the 
bond requirement for research vessel repair and construction 
contracts that would align Commerce's authorities with those of 
other Federal agencies and address difficulties NOAA has 
experienced in obtaining competitive bids for ship repairs.
    Prior to exercising waiver authority under section 112 of 
this act, the Secretary of Commerce shall promulgate 
regulations specifying criteria under which waiver authority 
may be used, including the types of contracts eligible for 
consideration, surety alternatives, and acceptable risk 
profiles in order to protect the taxpayer and ensure that NOAA 
maximizes cost-savings. The Department is directed to notify 
the Committee not less than 15 days prior to any waiver issued 
under this section. In addition, the Department shall, not 
later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this act, 
prepare a report including the actual costs of repairing, 
rehabilitating, and replacing vessels in fiscal years 2012, 
2013, 2014, 2015, and annually thereafter, including an 
indication of those vessels for which NOAA waived the Miller 
Act.
    Section 113 provides authority for the programs of the 
Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census to enter into 
cooperative agreements in order to assist in improving 
statistical methodology and research.

                                TITLE II

                         DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

    The Committee recommends a total of $27,827,770,000 for the 
Department of Justice [DOJ]. The recommendation is $797,612,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 funding level and $1,412,710,000 
below the budget request. The Committee's recommendation 
emphasizes key priorities regarding funding for the 
Department's critical ongoing missions and activities to 
protect the safety, security, and rights of our citizens.
    Human Trafficking.--The combat against human and sex 
trafficking, including the apprehension of perpetrators who use 
online classified Web sites to facilitate the sexual 
exploitation of children, crosses many jurisdictions within the 
Department. The Committee's recommendation provides no less 
than the fiscal year 2015 enacted level for the Human 
Trafficking Prosecution Unit [HTPU] in the Civil Rights 
Division to fight human trafficking and slavery. The Committee 
encourages the HTPU and the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Teams 
to continue working with victim service providers and non-
governmental organizations to ensure victim needs are 
prioritized as part of the overall strategy to combat human 
trafficking, forced labor, and slavery in the United States.
    The HTPU is directed to report to the Committee not later 
than 120 days following enactment of this act on: (1) the total 
number of human trafficking cases it pursued within the last 3 
years for prosecution, disaggregated by type of trafficking, 
and including instances in which an online classified Web site 
is determined to be the conduit for exploiting trafficked 
persons, especially minors, and the actions being taken to shut 
down these sites; (2) the number of Assistant U.S. Attorneys 
who received training on human trafficking within the last 3 
years; and (3) the number of Assistant U.S. Attorneys who 
received training on restitution for human trafficking victims 
within the last 3 years.
    The Committee directs the Executive Office for U.S. 
Attorneys [EOUSA], in consultation with the U.S. Attorneys, to 
designate a point of contact in each U.S. Attorney's office who 
shall serve as the coordinator for all activities within that 
office concerning human trafficking and slavery matters covered 
by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Designating a point 
of contact improves communication and coordination within each 
jurisdiction, including with victim service organizations, in 
order to better serve the victims of human trafficking, forced 
labor, and slavery. The Committee also directs the EOUSA, in 
consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, to 
develop a process to enable survivors with T-visas to obtain an 
expedited letter of support from the Department of Justice when 
their criminal case is closed.
    The FBI also plays a critical role in investigating 
criminal organizations trafficking individuals within the 
United States. The Committee encourages the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation [FBI] to work with appropriate non-governmental 
organizations and victim service providers to improve the 
training of FBI agents in the field to assist in the 
identification of human trafficking victims and provide 
appropriate referrals to victim service organizations. The 
Committee also encourages the FBI to seek: (1) Continued 
Presence [CP] for potential trafficking victims as soon as 
possible to assist in the prosecution of traffickers and aid in 
victim recovery, and (2) assistance for local and State law 
enforcement to understand the requirements of CP and promptly 
respond to any State or local requests by law enforcement for 
CP for potential victims of human trafficking.
    Intellectual Property Rights [IPR] Enforcement.--The 
Committee expects IPR enforcement to remain a priority for both 
the Criminal Division [CRM] and FBI. The international theft of 
intellectual property is responsible for the loss of hundreds 
of billions of dollars annually and reduces the incentive for 
innovation and creativity within the U.S. economy. The 
Committee directs the CRM and FBI to maintain dedicated 
positions to combat intellectual property crimes and fund IPR 
efforts at no less than fiscal year 2015 enacted levels. In 
addition, the FBI shall provide quarterly updates to the 
Committee detailing the activities of its dedicated agents 
investigating IPR cases.
    Heroin Working Group.--The problem of heroin use and 
overdoses in the United States shows no signs of abating 
anytime soon. According to the Drug Enforcement 
Administration's May 2015 National Heroin Threat Assessment, 
heroin seizures in the United States rose 81 percent from 2010 
to 2014, from 6,032 pounds to 11,054 pounds, with the average 
size of a heroin seizure more than doubling, from 1.8 pounds to 
3.8 pounds during this same time period.
    As part of the explanatory statement accompanying Public 
Law 113-235, the Committee directed the Department of Justice 
to convene a multi-agency working group to develop a 
coordinated response to help our communities grappling with the 
growing scourge of heroin. While the Committee was disappointed 
to learn that this group had yet to convene prior to the 
subcommittee's hearing on the Department's law enforcement 
agencies' budgets on March 12, 2015, it was pleased to hear 
that this working group held a kick-off meeting on April 28, 
2015. The Committee directs the Department to submit the 
complete and final recommendations of the multi-disciplinary 
working group not later than 45 days after enactment of this 
act.
    Bakken Oil Region.--The Committee directs the Department of 
Justice to report within 90 days of enactment of this act on 
the Department's continued presence and ongoing resource 
requirements in the Bakken oil region, including both law 
enforcement and prosecutorial components. The Department shall 
also include an updated analysis of crime trends in the region 
in its report.
    Sole Sourcing of Equipment and Scientific Instruments.--The 
Committee urges the Department to employ full and open 
competition in any effort to procure or upgrade law enforcement 
equipment to include scientific instruments and specialized 
communication equipment, including radios. Requests for 
proposals should not include technical specifications or 
requirements for proprietary designs or features that restrict 
competition and may not meet the latest technological advances 
available. The Committee believes that multiple vendors ensure 
the best environment for competition that will ultimately best 
serve the needs of the Department's law enforcement agencies.
    Cybersecurity.--Over the past year, the United States has 
witnessed serious data breaches in the private sector, 
including cyber intrusions at some of the Nation's largest 
companies and financial institutions. These breaches have 
exposed personal data and financial information of millions of 
Americans, leaving individuals and businesses alike feeling 
vulnerable and violated. Other attacks, like the recent effort 
in April 2015 by Russia to hack White House emails, pose 
serious national security threats. The Department has several 
offices with cybersecurity responsibilities, including those 
within the FBI, the National Security Division, the Criminal 
Division, and U.S. Attorneys Offices [USAO]. At a minimum, the 
Committee directs the Department to maintain its cybersecurity 
posture at no less than the fiscal year 2015 level to defend 
and respond to current and emerging attacks that threaten its 
own infrastructure and activities. In other cases, such as with 
the USAO and the FBI, the Committee has specific direction to 
increase cyber-related investigations and to prosecute more 
cybercrimes. Throughout this title, the Committee's 
recommendation for cybersecurity-related activities for the 
department totals $754,881,000 for fiscal year 2016, which is 
an increase of $72,155,000, or 11 percent, above the fiscal 
year 2015 level.
    Strengthening Police-Community Relations.--Recent events in 
communities across the Nation have illustrated the important 
need for lasting collaborative relationships between local 
police and the public. To assist with strengthening this 
relationship, the Committee has dedicated resources totaling 
$98,254,370 across a variety of program areas. Strong 
partnerships between the police and the communities they 
protect reduce crime, ensure that citizens' civil rights are 
protected, and improve officer safety.
    The Committee has provided set-asides within the Byrne-JAG 
program of $20,000,000 for body-worn cameras for police 
officers with the expectation that funding will go to 
jurisdictions whose officers have been trained in using this 
technology and have privacy and data retention policies already 
in place; $5,000,000 within the Smart Policing program to study 
the effectiveness of body cameras; and $15,000,000 for Byrne 
Criminal Justice Innovation, a community-oriented program that 
uses research and collaboration to reduce crime and restore 
vitality in troubled neighborhoods. A funding level of 
$22,000,000 is provided for the Justice Reinvestment 
Initiative, a data-driven approach to improving public safety 
in communities.
    Within the COPS Office, the Committee is setting aside 
$10,000,000 for the continuation of the Collaborative Reform 
Model, which assists local law enforcement agencies to identify 
problems and develop solutions to some of the most critical 
issues facing law enforcement today, such as use of force, fair 
and impartial policing, and improved accountability.
    Another $10,000,000 is set aside for Community Policing 
Development [CPD] within the COPS Office. CPD funds are used to 
advance community policing in law enforcement agencies through 
training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, 
development of innovative policing strategies, and best 
practices that are national in scope. The Committee further 
directs that CPD provide up to $5,000,000 within this program 
for diversity and inclusion training to organizations with 
experience in training law enforcement personnel. The goal of 
this training is to improve community policing and create 
partnerships between police officers and the citizens they 
protect.
    The Committee is providing funding for departmental 
agencies that assist with training State and local law 
enforcement officers and help with mediating conflicts in 
communities. The Community Relations Service is fully funded by 
the Committee at their request level of $14,446,000, which will 
allow for the hiring of 10 Conciliation Specialists to deploy 
to areas across the United States to mediate, train and 
facilitate discussion between police departments and 
communities where tensions exist. The Committee is fully 
funding the FBI's request of $1,808,370 for the National 
Academy, a professional development course for State, local and 
international law enforcement leaders that serves to improve 
the administration of justice and raise law enforcement 
standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide. This funding 
will allow approximately 900 police officers to attend the 
National Academy to receive world class training on leadership 
and specific courses on use of force and factors which lead to 
racial bias.
    Federal Water Usage Violations.--The Committee is aware 
that the Department of Justice receives notifications from the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE] regarding violations of 
Federal water contracts involving the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa 
[ACT] river basin. How the Department responds to these 
notifications and subsequently enforces the law remains 
unclear. The Committee directs the Department to provide a 
report within 60 days of enactment of this act that includes: 
an audit of the contract violation notifications DOJ has 
received from USACE regarding the ACT river basin for the past 
10 years; a record of how DOJ has handled these notifications 
in the past; and a comprehensive plan for how DOJ intends to 
enforce the law and respond to these contract violations now 
and in the future.
    Gang Violence.--The Committee recognizes the challenges 
posed by the increasing number of gang members and the violent 
crimes they commit in urban, suburban, and rural communities. 
The Committee understands that combating these gangs, continued 
and increased cooperation between Federal, State, and local law 
enforcement is required as well as support, coordination, and 
expertise from the Federal level. The Committee acknowledges 
the work currently being undertaken to fight gangs by the FBI 
Violent Safe Streets Task Forces, the Drug Enforcement 
Administration [DEA], the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement 
and Coordination Center [GangTECC], the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF], the U.S. Marshals 
Service [USMS], Bureau of Prisons [BOP], the U.S. Attorneys 
Offices [USAO], and other Federal agencies. The Committee urges 
these agencies to intensify current efforts, including 
supporting and prosecuting cases under the Racketeer Influenced 
and Corrupt Organizations Act [RICO], while enhancing 
coordination across the Federal Government and with State and 
local law enforcement in order to maximize the impact of 
limited personnel resources. The Committee's recommendation 
includes $5,000,000 for the USMS for gang enforcement efforts 
within the Regional Fugitive Task Forces and $8,500,000 for the 
Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program within the Office 
of Justice Programs aimed at reducing gang violence.
    Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Reform.--The Committee 
maintains support for the Department's reform to the Mutual 
Legal Assistance Treaty [MLAT] process. The Department is 
directed to submit a detailed spending plan to the Committee 
including personnel hires and technology upgrades to improve 
the MLAT process within 45 days of enactment of this act.
    Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence.--The 
Committee maintains its direction that the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology [NIST] and the Department of 
Justice continue to collaborate on a Scientific Working Group 
[SWG] for digital evidence under the new NIST-run Organization 
for Scientific Area Committees. The Committee expects that 
members and expertise developed by the Justice-led digital 
evidence SWG continue to transition to the NIST-supported SWG 
and that NIST will continue to operate all SWGs in a consensus-
driven manner that places value on input from a wide range of 
practitioners.
    Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act.--The Committee 
fully supports the goals of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil 
Rights Crime Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-344) to investigate 
and prosecute previously unresolved civil rights era ``cold 
case'' murders suspected of having been racially motivated, 
through a partnership among the Civil Rights Division [CRT], 
the FBI, and the Community Relations Service [CRS], as well as 
with State and local grant resources. To continue supporting 
Emmett Till activities, the Committee urges the Department to: 
use such sums as may be necessary from within the budget base 
for the CRT's Cold Case Initiative; for the FBI to pursue 
Emmett Till Act cold cases; and for the CRS to partner with law 
enforcement agencies and communities to help resolve conflicts 
resulting from the investigation of unsolved civil rights era 
cases. Additionally, the Committee directs the National 
Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the 
Office for Victims of Crime to continue providing grants for 
cold case DNA investigations to aid State and local law 
enforcement agencies in their investigation and prosecution of 
unsolved civil rights cold cases.
    Working Capital Fund [WCF].--The Committee expects the 
Department to execute funding to the fullest extent possible 
without any carryover balances. The Committee directs DOJ to 
continue to use the WCF only as a repository for reimbursable 
funds from components and to obligate and execute that funding 
expeditiously. The DOJ shall provide a report to the Committee 
within 45 days after enactment of this act regarding balances 
in the WCF including carryover funds, the intended uses of 
those funds, and a spending plan. The spending plan shall 
include collections and obligations for both reimbursable and 
appropriated funding. The Department is further directed to 
provide quarterly updates on the WCF to the Committee.
    Spending Plan.--In compliance with section 534 of this act, 
the Committee directs the Department of Justice to submit a 
spending plan, signed by the Attorney General, within 45 days 
of enactment of this act.

                         General Administration


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $111,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     119,437,000
House allowance.........................................      95,540,000
Committee recommendation................................     109,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $109,000,000 for 
General Administration salaries and expenses. The 
recommendation is $2,500,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $10,437,000 below the budget request.
    The General Administration account provides funding for 
senior policy officials responsible for departmental management 
and policy development. The specific offices funded by this 
account include: the immediate Office of the Attorney General; 
the immediate Office of the Deputy Attorney General; the 
immediate Office of the Associate Attorney General; Office of 
Legal Policy; Office of Public Affairs; Office of Legislative 
Affairs; Office of Professional Responsibility; Office of 
Intergovernmental and Public Liaison; and the Justice 
Management Division.
    Wildlife Trafficking.--The Committee notes the increase in 
the illegal trade in rhinoceros horns, elephant ivory, and 
illegally harvested timber, along with the large sums of money 
that these products command on the black market. There are 
indisputable linkages between these activities and the 
financing of armed insurgencies and groups that threaten the 
stability and development of African countries and pose a 
threat to U.S. security interests. The Committee directs the 
Attorney General to report on the specific steps being taken by 
the Department to further address wildlife trafficking and the 
illegal natural resources trade, as specifically outlined in 
Senate Report 113-181.
    Office of Tribal Justice [OTJ] and Coordination on Tribal 
Land.--The Committee supports the OTJ's request to add one 
attorney position to help meet the responsibilities of 
assisting with issues in Indian Country. As the Department of 
Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] are responsible for 
supporting the tribal justice system, including tribal 
detention centers, the Committee strongly encourages OTJ to 
continue to focus on efforts with BIA to ensure that tribes are 
receiving sufficient resources to operate detention centers.
    Office of Legislative Affairs.--While the Committee 
primarily communicates with the Department through the Justice 
Management Division, it reserves the right to call upon any 
individual or organization within its jurisdiction for requests 
for information, including the Department's Office of 
Legislative Affairs [OLA]. The Committee notes that recent 
responses from OLA have been neither helpful nor timely, with 
some answers left completely void of any meaningful information 
whatsoever. The Committee has received similar feedback from 
other Senate offices about OLA's performance, leading the 
Committee to question the efficacy of fully funding OLA's 
budget. The Committee reminds DOJ that requests from the 
Congress to OLA should be treated as a priority for the 
Department and responded to both courteously and expeditiously.

                 JUSTICE INFORMATION SHARING TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $25,842,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      37,440,000
House allowance.........................................      25,842,000
Committee recommendation................................      25,842,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $25,842,000 for 
Justice Information Sharing Technology [JIST]. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $11,598,000 below the budget request.
    Cybersecurity.--The Committee's recommendation provides no 
less than $5,030,000 for cybersecurity so DOJ may continue to 
proactively defend against and respond to current and emerging 
cybersecurity threats and attacks against DOJ's network 
infrastructure.

                   ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND APPEALS

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $351,072,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     488,381,000
House allowance.........................................     426,791,000
Committee recommendation................................     411,072,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $411,072,000 for 
Administrative Review and Appeals, of which $4,000,000 is a 
transfer from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
[USCIS] Immigration Examiners Fee Account. The recommendation 
is $60,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$77,309,000 below the budget request.
    This account funds the Executive Office for Immigration 
Review [EOIR], including the Board of Immigration Appeals 
[BIA], immigration judges, and administrative law judges who 
decide through administrative hearings whether to admit or 
exclude aliens seeking to enter the country, and whether to 
deport or adjust the status of aliens whose status has been 
challenged. This account also funds the Office of the Pardon 
Attorney, which receives, investigates, and considers petitions 
for all forms of executive clemency.
    EOIR represents the Department's frontline presence with 
respect to the application of immigration law. EOIR receives 
cases directly from Department of Homeland Security [DHS] 
enforcement personnel, in which the Federal Government is 
seeking the removal of immigrants who are in the United States 
without lawful status or who have committed some act, typically 
a criminal offense, that renders them removable. EOIR's 
immigration court caseload continues to increase as a result of 
heightened border enforcement efforts.
    The number of cases pending adjudication rose from 
approximately 229,000 at the end of fiscal year 2009 to 418,861 
at the end of fiscal year 2014. By the beginning of the third 
quarter of fiscal year 2015, the number of cases pending 
adjudication had risen to over 440,000. Additionally, the BIA 
receives more than 30,000 appeals per year, an extremely large 
volume for an appellate court. Court dockets are scheduled 
unacceptably far into the future, with most courts backlogged 
by at least 1 to 2 years, and some up to 5 years. Such 
extensive delays result in the lengthy postponement of 
warranted deportations of those who have no claim for relief. 
At the same time, legitimate asylum seekers face significant 
challenges while waiting for their cases to be heard.
    Given these increasing caseload demands, the Committee's 
recommendation includes a programmatic increase of $60,000,000 
to add 55 new Immigration Judge Teams. This increase will allow 
EOIR to better coordinate with DHS enforcement efforts and to 
help adjudicate the rapidly growing caseload. While the need to 
expand our immigration courts is clear, the Committee remains 
seriously concerned with operational inefficiencies and 
management deficiencies that have yet to fully be addressed by 
EOIR's headquarters, especially when considering the latency of 
hiring new judge teams. The Committee directs EOIR to provide 
the Committee with monthly reports on the status of the on-
going judge hiring process that shall include: the current 
total number of immigration judges broken out by standard full-
time judges, judges recalled from retirement, non-judges 
serving in temporary judge roles and judges in other employment 
statuses; the target number of new judge hires based on current 
available appropriations; the number of new judges currently 
being hired broken out by individuals being processed for 
employment, participating in training, and undergoing any other 
pre-employment activities; the target dates for when new judges 
will start working full-time; and the current running average 
time it takes to hire a new immigration judge. The Committee 
also is disappointed in EOIR's ability to efficiently use its 
technology and staffing resources and expects EOIR to better 
utilize limited funding to address the voluminous pending 
caseload.
    Training for Immigration Judges.--The Committee directs 
that EOIR's training for immigration judges should address how 
to adjudicate children's cases, including forms of relief for 
children, how to elicit information from children, the impact 
of trauma on children, and other relevant child development 
issues.
    Legal Orientation Program [LOP].--The Committee's 
recommendation maintains the fiscal year 2015 base funding for 
LOP, pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-457), for 
custodians of unaccompanied, undocumented children to address 
the custodian's responsibility for the child's appearance at 
all immigration proceedings, and to protect the child from 
mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking.

                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $88,577,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      93,709,000
House allowance.........................................      93,709,000
Committee recommendation................................      89,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $89,000,000 for the 
Office of Inspector General [OIG]. The recommendation is 
$423,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$4,709,000 below the budget request.
    This account finances the activities of the OIG, including 
audits, inspections, investigations, and other reviews of 
programs and operations of the Department of Justice to promote 
efficiency and effectiveness, and to prevent and detect fraud, 
waste, and abuse, as well as violations of ethical standards 
arising from the conduct of Department employees in their 
numerous and diverse activities.
    Right to Access.--The Committee retains bill language 
providing the Inspector General access to documents and other 
materials at the Department of Justice, which may be necessary 
in the normal conduct of the Inspector General's duties. The 
Committee asks the Inspector General to report on the 
effectiveness of this provision within 180 days of enactment of 
this act.
    Oversight of Crime Victims Fund Grants.--Section 510 of 
this act provides $10,000,000 for the OIG to continue its 
expanded audit functions of the Crime Victims Fund [CVF]. 
Recent adjustments to the CVF have dramatically increased 
allowable spending out of the fund by 349 percent from fiscal 
years 2014 to 2016. The Committee is concerned that the 
Department has not done enough to proportionately adjust its 
grant monitoring activities to reflect these significant CVF 
changes in order to avoid waste, fraud and abuse. The 
Committee's direction in fiscal year 2016 to use a portion of 
the CVF funding on existing victim programs, which have current 
accountability metrics, will help with the Department's grant 
oversight. However, the Committee directs the OIG to continue 
to increase its audit of CVF awards and assist the Department 
to ensure these important funds are used appropriately and 
effectively.

                    United States Parole Commission


                         salaries and expenses

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $13,308,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      13,547,000
House allowance.........................................      13,308,000
Committee recommendation................................      13,308,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $13,308,000 for the 
United States Parole Commission. The recommendation is equal to 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $239,000 below the 
budget request.

                            Legal Activities


            SALARIES AND EXPENSES, GENERAL LEGAL ACTIVITIES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $885,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,037,386,000
House allowance.........................................     882,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     885,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $885,000,000 for 
General Legal Activities salaries and expenses. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $152,386,000 below the budget request.
    This appropriation funds the establishment of litigation 
policy, conduct of litigation, and various other legal 
responsibilities through the Office of the Solicitor General, 
the Tax Division, the Criminal Division [CRM], the Civil 
Division [CIV], the Environmental and Natural Resources 
Division, the Civil Rights Division [CRT], the Office of Legal 
Counsel, and INTERPOL Washington.
    INTERPOL Washington.--From within funds provided for 
General Legal Activities, the Committee directs the Department 
to provide $32,000,000 for INTERPOL Washington, equal to the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level. The Committee has provided no-
year authority in the amount of $685,000 to ensure sufficient 
resources are available for INTERPOL Washington's dues payments 
and help the Department better manage fluctuations in currency 
exchange rates. INTERPOL Washington's command center [IOCC] 
operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 
responding to requests for international criminal investigative 
and humanitarian assistance from more than 18,000 U.S. law 
enforcement agencies and their counterparts in 189 other 
INTERPOL-member countries. INTERPOL Washington's responsibility 
to respond to increasing foreign and domestic requests places 
additional operational demands on the resources of this 
organization.
    Civil Rights.--The Committee provides a total of 
$158,000,000 to the CRT, equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level, to continue its efforts to enforce civil rights laws; 
expand its capacity to prosecute and provide litigation support 
for human trafficking, hate crimes, and unsolved civil rights 
era crimes; carry out its responsibilities associated with the 
civil rights of institutionalized persons and the access rights 
of the disabled; investigate and prosecute police misconduct; 
and enhance the enforcement of fair housing and fair lending 
laws.
    Civil Rights Violations in State and Local Prisons and 
Jails.--The Committee continues to be concerned by reports of 
civil rights violations in State and local prisons and jails, 
and directs the CRT to increase efforts to investigate and 
address violations of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized 
Persons Act in State and local prisons and jails. The Committee 
directs the CRT to use such sums as necessary from amounts 
appropriated in fiscal year 2016 to address such issues in 
State and local prisons and jails.
    Human Rights Crimes.--The Committee remains concerned by 
the large number of suspected human rights violators from 
foreign countries who have found safe haven in the United 
States and directs the CRM to continue its efforts to 
investigate and prosecute serious human rights crimes, 
including genocide, torture, use or recruitment of child 
soldiers, and war crimes. For this purpose, the Committee's 
recommendation supports continued funding for the CRM to 
investigate and prosecute individuals who violate Federal laws 
regarding serious human rights abuses.
    International Training.--The Committee remains concerned 
about the instability of budget and staffing challenges faced 
by the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance 
and Training [OPDAT] and International Criminal Investigative 
Training Assistance Program [ICITAP] programs under the current 
funding structure provided via the Department of State. While 
the Committee encourages the Departments of Justice and State 
to maintain open communications regarding programmatic and 
resource needs to truly execute their missions, OPDAT and 
ICITAP should ideally receive a transfer of funds from State 
within 90 days of enactment of this act. Should an immediate 
source of funding be needed ahead of a completed transfer of 
funds, the Committee suggests that the Department of Justice 
notify the Committee as soon as possible.

               THE NATIONAL CHILDHOOD VACCINE INJURY ACT

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $7,833,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       9,358,000
House allowance.........................................       8,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       9,358,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides a reimbursement of 
$9,358,000 for legal costs. The recommendation is $1,525,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and is equal to the 
budget request.
    This account covers the Department's expenses associated 
with litigating cases under the National Childhood Vaccine 
Injury Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-660).

               SALARIES AND EXPENSES, ANTITRUST DIVISION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $162,246,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     164,977,000
House allowance.........................................     162,246,000
Committee recommendation................................     162,246,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $162,246,000 for 
the Antitrust Division. The recommendation is equal to the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $2,731,000 below the budget 
request. This appropriation is offset by $124,000,000 in pre-
merger filing fee collections, resulting in a direct 
appropriation of $38,246,000.

                        UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,960,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   2,032,216,000
House allowance.........................................   1,995,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,973,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,973,000,000 for 
the Executive Office for United States Attorneys [EOUSA] and 
the 94 U.S. Attorneys [USAs] offices. The recommendation is 
$13,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$59,216,000 below the budget request.
    As in past years, the Committee directs the USAs to focus 
their efforts on those crimes where the unique resources, 
expertise, or jurisdiction of the Federal Government can be 
most effective.
    Adam Walsh Act Implementation.--The Committee expects the 
EOUSA to continue to focus on investigations and prosecutions 
related to the sexual exploitation of children, as authorized 
by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 
(Public Law 109-248), and as part of Project Safe Childhood. 
The recommendation fully funds the budget request of 
$44,339,000 for this purpose in fiscal year 2016.
    Combating Financial and Mortgage Fraud.--The Committee's 
recommendation fully funds the request of $346,579,000, to hold 
accountable criminals who perpetrate financial and mortgage 
fraud, deter future perpetrators of fraud, and recover monies 
stolen from U.S. taxpayers. The USAs conduct criminal 
investigations and prosecutions of mortgage and financial 
fraud, predatory lending, financial fraud, and market 
manipulation matters.
    Civil Rights Prosecutions.--The Committee's recommendation 
provides the requested amount of $35,982,000 for increased 
civil rights enforcement that will advance both criminal and 
civil litigations. The new positions associated with this 
funding are expected to augment current activities in the Civil 
Rights Division, which would expand the capacity to pursue more 
sex and labor trafficking cases.
    Cybercrime.--As national and international cyber threats 
become increasingly sophisticated, our Federal prosecutors must 
become better versed in digital forensic evidence. The 
Committee's recommendation supports the requested amount of 
$55,110,000 for cybercrime activities, which will increase the 
investigation and prosecution of cyberattacks and cyber 
intrusions, and provide the training on cybercrime and digital 
evidence needed for USAs to be able to analyze and present 
digital evidence across all types of criminal cases.
    National Advocacy Center.--While the Committee remains 
disappointed that a change in circumstances resulted in Project 
Palmetto not becoming a reality as envisioned, it commends the 
two parties for coming to a mutually amicable resolution. The 
Committee is also aware of the need to address outstanding 
administrative adjustment issues related to Palmetto and 
encourages the parties to quickly conclude those discussions.

                   UNITED STATES TRUSTEE SYSTEM FUND

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $225,908,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     228,107,000
House allowance.........................................     225,908,000
Committee recommendation................................     225,908,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $225,908,000 for 
the U.S. Trustee System Fund. The recommendation is equal to 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $2,199,000 below the 
budget request. The appropriation is offset by $162,000,000 in 
fee collections.
    The U.S. Trustee Program, authorized by 28 U.S.C. 581 et 
seq., is the component of the Department with responsibility 
for protecting the integrity of the bankruptcy system by 
overseeing case administration and litigation to enforce the 
bankruptcy laws. In fiscal year 2016, the U.S. Trustee Program 
will participate in an estimated 750,000 business and consumer 
bankruptcy case filings.

      SALARIES AND EXPENSES, FOREIGN CLAIMS SETTLEMENT COMMISSION

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $2,326,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       2,374,000
House allowance.........................................       2,326,000
Committee recommendation................................       2,374,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $2,374,000 for the 
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. The recommendation is 
$48,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and equal to 
the budget request.
    The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission settles claims of 
American citizens arising from nationalization, expropriation, 
or other takings of their properties and interests by foreign 
governments.

                     FEES AND EXPENSES OF WITNESSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $270,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     270,000,000
House allowance.........................................     270,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     270,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $270,000,000 for 
fees and expenses of witnesses. The recommendation is equal to 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and the budget request.
    This appropriation, which is considered mandatory for 
scorekeeping purposes, provides for fees and expenses of 
witnesses who appear on behalf of the Government in cases in 
which the United States is a party, including fact and expert 
witnesses. These funds are also used for mental competency 
examinations, and witness and informant protection. The 
Committee includes bill language prohibiting the Department 
from transferring funds out of this account.
    The Committee expects that no funds will be expended for 
expert witness services, including the payment of fees and 
expenses of expert witnesses, from any other DOJ accounts but 
Fees and Expenses of Witnesses.

           SALARIES AND EXPENSES, COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $12,250,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      14,446,000
House Allowance.........................................      13,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      14,446,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $14,446,000 for the 
Community Relations Service [CRS]. The recommendation is 
$2,196,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and equal 
to the budget request.
    The Community Relations Service, established by title X of 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, provides assistance to 
communities and persons in the prevention and resolution of 
disagreements arising from discriminatory practices.
    Hate Crimes Prevention.--Within the funds provided, the 
Committee provides $2,500,000 to handle the workload and 
responsibilities stemming from passage of the Matthew Shepard 
and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act [HCPA] (Public 
Law 111-84). The HCPA expanded the CRS's mandate, requiring 
that it help communities prevent and respond to violent hate 
crimes committed on the basis of gender, gender identity, 
sexual orientation, religion, and disability, in addition to 
race, color, and national origin. This funding will maximize 
the CRS crisis response nationwide and enable CRS to fulfill 
both its original mandate and expanded mandate under the HCPA.

                         ASSETS FORFEITURE FUND

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $20,514,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      20,514,000
House allowance.........................................................
Committee recommendation................................      20,514,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $20,514,000 for the 
Assets Forfeiture Fund [AFF]. The recommendation is equal to 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and equal to the budget 
request.
    The AFF provides funds for qualifying expenses of Federal 
law enforcement agencies and their State or local partners. 
Funds for these activities are provided from receipts deposited 
into the AFF resulting from the seizure and liquidation of 
assets. Expenses related to the management and disposal of 
assets are also provided from the AFF by a permanent, 
indefinite appropriation.

                     United States Marshals Service

Appropriations, 2015...................................\1\$2,800,107,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   2,699,995,000
House Allowance.........................................   2,289,081,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,659,214,000

\1\In addition to $1,700,107,000 in direct appropriations, this account 
was provided $1,100,000,000 from the Department's Assets Forfeiture Fund 
for a total operating amount of $2,800,107,000.

    The Committee's recommendation provides a total of 
$2,659,214,000 for the United States Marshals Service [USMS]. 
The recommendation is $140,893,000 below the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level including offsetting funds from other accounts, 
and is $40,781,000 below the budget request.

                         salaries and expenses

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,195,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,230,581,000
House allowance.........................................   1,220,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,195,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,195,000,000 for 
USMS salaries and expenses. The recommendation is equal to the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $35,581,000 below the budget 
request. The core missions of the USMS include the apprehension 
of fugitives; protection of the Federal judiciary and 
witnesses; execution of warrants and court orders; and the 
custody and transportation of unsentenced prisoners.
    Regional Fugitive Task Forces.--The Committee strongly 
supports the USMS's Regional Fugitive Task Forces [RFTFs], an 
effective partnership with other Federal, State and local law 
enforcement agencies to apprehend violent fugitives, but the 
program has not added a new RFTF since 2008. The Committee 
directs the USMS to provide a report detailing the initial and 
out-year costs and resource needs, including space 
requirements, to stand up a new RFTF as well as available 
locations for an expansion not later than 90 days after 
enactment of this act.
    Gang Enforcement.--The Committee recognizes the need to 
reduce gang crime by apprehending violent fugitives. Within the 
amount provided in the budget request, the USMS shall dedicate 
no less than $5,000,000 to operate anti-gang investigative 
units within the RFTFs, including supporting the supervisory, 
operational, equipment, and training needs of these units, in 
order to target gangs of national significance.
    Sex Offender Apprehension.--The Adam Walsh Child Protection 
and Safety Act of 2006 [AWA] (Public Law 109-248) gives the 
USMS the authority to apprehend convicted sex offenders who 
fail to register as fugitives. The act also directs the USMS to 
assist jurisdictions in locating and apprehending these 
individuals.
    The USMS currently has on board 160 Deputy Marshals to 
assist States in locating and apprehending sex offenders who 
violate sex offender registration requirements. However, the 
USMS estimates it needs a dedicated force of at least 500 
Deputy Marshals to expand AWA enforcement activities in 
districts across the country. The Committee's recommendation 
provides not less than $56,103,000 to continue AWA enforcement.

                              CONSTRUCTION

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $9,800,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      15,000,000
House allowance.........................................      11,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       9,800,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $9,800,000 for 
construction in space controlled, occupied, or utilized by the 
USMS in Federal courthouses and buildings, including but not 
limited to the creation, renovation, and expansion of prisoner 
movement areas, elevators, and other law enforcement and court 
security support space. The recommendation is equal to the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $5,200,000 below the budget 
request.

                       FEDERAL PRISONER DETENTION

Appropriations, 2015...................................\1\$1,595,307,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,454,414,000
House allowance.........................................   1,058,081,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,454,414,000

\1\In addition to $495,307,000 in direct appropriations, this account 
was provided $1,100,000,000 from the Department's Assets Forfeiture Fund 
for a total operating amount of $1,595,307,000.

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,454,414,000 for 
Federal Prisoner Detention [FPD]. The recommendation is 
$140,893,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level including 
offsetting funds from other accounts and is equal to the budget 
request.
    The Committee expects the USMS to anticipate the true 
funding needs for this account in order to avoid funding 
shortfalls and the need for emergency reprogrammings to avert 
deficiencies. The Committee directs the USMS to report to the 
Committee on a quarterly basis the current number of 
individuals in the detention system, the projected number of 
individuals, and the associated annualized costs.

                       National Security Division


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $93,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      96,596,000
House allowance.........................................      95,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      93,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $93,000,000 for the 
National Security Division [NSD]. The recommendation is equal 
to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $3,596,000 below the 
budget request.
    The NSD coordinates the Department's national security and 
counterterrorism missions through law enforcement 
investigations and prosecutions, and handles counterespionage 
cases. The NSD works in coordination with the FBI, the 
Intelligence Community, and the U.S. Attorneys. Its primary 
function is to prevent acts of terrorism and espionage from 
being perpetrated in the United States by foreign powers.
    Combating Cyber Threats to National Security.--The 
Committee's recommendation provides not less than $29,675,000 
for cybersecurity activities within the NSD for investigative, 
prosecutorial, intelligence collection, and oversight abilities 
that support the Intelligence Community in identifying and 
disrupting cyber threats to national security.

                      Interagency Law Enforcement


                 INTERAGENCY CRIME AND DRUG ENFORCEMENT

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $507,194,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     519,301,000
House allowance.........................................     510,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     507,194,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $507,194,000 for 
Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement. The recommendation is 
equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $12,107,000 
below the budget request.
    The Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement account funds 
the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces [OCDETF], 
which is the centerpiece of the Department's drug enforcement 
and counternarcotics efforts. The mission of the OCDETF is to 
ensure a coordinated, multi-agency, intelligence-based, and 
prosecutor-led approach to identifying, disrupting, and 
dismantling those drug trafficking and money laundering 
organizations primarily responsible for the Nation's illicit 
drug supply and drug-related violence.

                    Federal Bureau of Investigation


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $8,326,569,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   8,414,625,000
House allowance.........................................   8,489,786,000
Committee recommendation................................   8,433,492,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $8,433,492,000 for 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] salaries and 
expenses. The recommendation is $106,923,000 above the fiscal 
year 2015 enacted level and $18,867,000 above the budget 
request.
    Criminal Justice Information Services [CJIS].--The 
Committee recommends the full funding request for CJIS 
including fee collections. The recommendation maintains the 
substantial improvements to the National Instant Criminal 
Background Check System [NICS] made in recent fiscal years that 
have increased the capacity of the existing NICS system to 
perform background checks on prospective firearms buyers.
    Next Generation Cyber Initiative.--The FBI remains the only 
agency with the statutory authority, expertise, and ability to 
combine counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal 
investigatory resources to neutralize, mitigate, and disrupt 
illegal computer-supported operations domestically. The 
Committee recommends continued funding for the Next Generation 
Cyber Initiative and supports the fiscal year 2016 increase of 
$10,300,000. The FBI has made significant efforts in recent 
years to strengthen its cyber capabilities with an emphasis on 
better preventing attacks before they occur while protecting 
privacy, confidentiality, and civil liberties. Additional 
funding in fiscal year 2016 will improve the collection and 
analysis of cyber data obtained by the FBI and the National 
Cyber Investigative Join Task Force [NCIJTF], while improving 
the information conduit to existing field operations and 
personnel to improve the quality of and speed with which data 
is collected.
    Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center [TEDAC].--
TEDAC is designated by the U.S. Government as the single 
strategic level Improvised Explosive Devices [IED] exploitation 
center and repository, administered by the FBI, working closely 
with all of the Federal departments and agencies involved in 
the counter IED arena through the Joint Program Office for 
Countering Improvised Explosive Devices. The Committee views 
TEDAC as a critical resource in combating the global threat 
posed by terrorist use of explosives and in sharing IED threat 
information and intelligence. As such, the Committee's 
recommendation restores the full $25,000,000 of operational 
funding to TEDAC, which the administration proposed to 
partially cut by $9,500,000 in fiscal year 2016. This funding 
will continue to strengthen the role of TEDAC as the U.S. 
Government's strategic-level improvised explosive device 
exploitation center and provide the resources necessary to 
staff the new facility as it comes online.
    Hazardous Devices School [HDS].--HDS is the sole U.S. 
Government entity for accrediting and certifying U.S. public 
safety bomb squads and bomb technicians. With the IED threat 
rising in frequency and sophistication both domestically and 
abroad, expanding and refining HDS facilities, staff, and 
training is critical to keep pace with these emerging threats. 
The Committee is aware that the FBI and the Department of the 
Army are undergoing a staffing transition at HDS to maintain 
the instruction and operations at the school, while providing 
an opportunity for HDS to function more effectively and 
efficiently. In order to ensure sufficient staffing levels, the 
Committee recommendation reinstates the $3,000,000 for the HDS 
staffing operations, which was eliminated in the 
administration's fiscal year 2016 request. The Committee also 
provides: $700,000 for collocating the FBI's Weapons of Mass 
Destruction Directorate training at HDS; $3,000,000 for 
training vehicles and render safe equipment; $500,000 for 
project management; and $1,700,000 to support Joint Duty 
Assignments with Department of Defense active duty instructors 
to ensure a TEDAC and HDS complementary and integrated whole-
of-government approach to countering the IED threat.
    FBI Headquarters Consolidation.--The Committee expects the 
FBI and the General Services Administration [GSA] to continue 
to coordinate closely to move forward in a timely and 
transparent way with the full consolidation of FBI 
Headquarters. Consolidation is critical to making more 
efficient an FBI workforce that is currently dispersed between 
the J. Edgar Hoover building and approximately 20 leased 
offices in the National Capital region. In addition to 
achieving full consolidation, the new FBI Headquarters facility 
must provide the operational work environment that is necessary 
for the FBI to be successful in performing its national 
security, intelligence, and criminal investigative missions. 
The Committee strongly encourages the FBI, GSA and the 
Administration to use all available financing authorities and 
options, including public-private partnerships, to ensure the 
goals of full consolidation and a work environment that is 
consistent with FBI operational requirements are achieved.
    Human Rights Violations.--The Committee directs the FBI to 
continue its efforts to investigate and support the DOJ's 
criminal prosecution of serious human rights crimes committed 
by foreign nationals, including genocide, torture, use or 
recruitment of child soldiers, and war crimes. The Committee's 
recommendation continues funding this effort at the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level.
    Innocent Images National Initiative [IINI].--The 
Committee's recommendation provides the $74,829,000 requested 
funding for the Innocent Images National Initiative, which 
allows the FBI to target and investigate sexual predators on 
the Internet. This funding will address the critical 
requirements for Federal law enforcement in targeting child 
sexual exploitation and child victimization. The Committee 
trusts that the budget request is sufficient to cover the 
current Innocent Images caseload. Should the threat of child 
predators on the Internet increase, however, the Committee 
expects that future budget requests for the FBI will include 
adequate resources dedicated to investigate those who prey on 
children online.
    Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.--The FBI's Regional 
Computer Forensics Laboratory [RCFL] provides law enforcement 
with valuable forensics expertise and training opportunities 
devoted to the examination of digital evidence in support of 
criminal investigations, including terrorism, child 
pornography, and Internet fraud. Currently, 15 regional offices 
are located irregularly throughout the United States, each 
serving various geographic sizes of law enforcement 
populations. The Committee notes that the southeastern region 
of the United States is particularly void of a RCFL presence, 
requiring law enforcement in that area to travel greater 
distance to receive assistance. The Committee directs the 
RCFL's National Program Office, which is charged with 
facilitating the creation of new RCFL facilities, to report to 
the Committee within 120 days of enactment of this act with a 
recommendation for locating a RCFL in the southeastern United 
States that takes into consideration regional law enforcement 
agency relationships and leverages existing Federal facilities 
and expertise.
    Training State and Local Law Enforcement.--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of strengthening the trust between 
law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, 
particularly in light of recent events around the country. In 
its longstanding commitment to training and supporting State 
and local law enforcement, the FBI can play an important part 
in the Federal Government's efforts to help improve community 
and police relations. The Committee encourages the FBI to 
incorporate the relevant recommendations contained in the 
Interim Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century 
Policing into its instruction for State and local law 
enforcement.

                              CONSTRUCTION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $110,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      68,982,000
House allowance.........................................      57,982,000
Committee recommendation................................     108,982,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $108,982,000 for 
FBI construction. The recommendation is $1,018,000 below the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $40,000,000 above the budget 
request. Of the amount provided, $32,000,000 is for the 
operations and maintenance for Terrorist Explosive Device 
Analytical Center [TEDAC] operations facilities, transfer, 
build-out, and related costs, and $8,000,000 is provided for 
explosive range improvements and expansion for TEDAC and the 
Hazardous Devices School facility.

                    Drug Enforcement Administration


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $2,400,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   2,463,123,000
House allowance.........................................   2,422,459,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,404,834,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides total resources of 
$2,404,834,000 for the Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA], 
of which $371,514,000 is derived from the DEA's Drug Diversion 
Control Fee Account. The recommendation is $4,834,000 above the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $58,289,000 below the budget 
request.
    The DEA's mission is to enforce the controlled substances 
laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the 
criminal and civil justice system of the United States--or any 
other competent jurisdiction--those organizations and principal 
members of organizations involved in the growing, 
manufacturing, or distribution of controlled substances 
appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United 
States; and to support non-enforcement programs aimed at 
reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on 
the domestic and international markets.
    Diversion Control Program.--Full funding of $371,514,000 is 
provided for the Diversion Control Program, which is an 
increase of $4,834,000 from the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
for expanded forensic support of diversion cases and is fully 
offset with fee collections.
    Drug Diversion at Veterans Health Administration 
Facilities.--The Committee is alarmed by the rates of 
prescription drug opioid abuse and related overdoses among 
veterans, as well as allegations of diversion of prescription 
opioids from Veterans Health Administration [VHA] facilities 
into the illicit drug market. The notion that VHA facilities 
are a source for the unauthorized distribution and use of 
opioids is extremely concerning. The Committee urges the DEA to 
maintain open communication with the VHA and treat 
investigations of drug diversion in VHA facilities as a 
priority.
    DEA shall report to the Committee within 90 days after the 
enactment of this act on its drug diversion investigations 
involving VHA facilities and to report on the status of 
investigations on a quarterly basis thereafter. The initial 
report shall include: the number of ongoing DEA drug diversion 
investigations into VHA facilities, the number of DEA drug 
diversion investigations into VHA facilities concluded in the 
prior year, an analysis of trends in DEA and VHA drug diversion 
investigations over the past 10 years, the number of 
investigations that resulted in indictments, a review of 
factors that may be leading to drug diversion including VHA 
prescription drug prescribing practices, and recommendations or 
best practices to prevent drug diversion from VHA facilities.
    Prescription Drug Abuse.--The Committee believes that 
prescription drug abuse continues to remain an urgent public 
health crisis. Of particular concern is the link between 
prescription opioid abuse and its connection to heroin use. The 
Committee urges the DEA to continue to combat prescription drug 
abuse and heroin use by fully utilizing all available 
resources, including the Diversion Control Program, and by 
facilitating inter-agency and inter-department cooperation.
    Locum Tenens Physicians.--The Committee urges the DEA, in 
conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to resolve 
any alleged regulatory issues concerning prescription 
privileges for locum tenens professionals to ensure veterans 
have access to needed high-quality local VA healthcare.
    Sensitive Investigative Units.--The Committee applauds the 
Drug Enforcement Administration's work with Afghan vetted 
units. To protect U.S. interests in counternarcotics 
investigations and ensure they result in convictions and 
sentencing in Afghanistan, the Committee strongly encourages 
the DEA to continue supporting vetted units in Afghanistan to 
the greatest extent practicable.
    The Committee directs the DEA to submit a report providing 
an assessment of the effectiveness of its Sensitive 
Investigative Units, which shall include an analysis of the 
costs and benefits of continued expansion in Central America 
and West Africa, not later than 90 days after enactment of this 
act.
    Cooperation with State and Local Forensic Crime Laboratory 
Community.--The Committee is aware of the important work that 
State and local forensic crime laboratories are doing to 
identify and combat the proliferation of new varieties of 
synthetic drugs known as ``Spice.'' These herbal mixtures 
typically contain chemical additives which are Schedule I 
controlled substances, but manufacturers are increasingly 
working to avoid legal restrictions by using substitute 
chemicals in their products. These evasion tactics require 
constant and vigilant cooperation between State and local 
forensic crime laboratories and the DEA in the effort to 
recognize, analyze and control the growing use of synthetic, or 
designer, cannabinoid compounds. The Committee encourages the 
DEA to collaborate and share any available resources with State 
and local forensic crime laboratories in these important 
efforts.
    National Drug Threat Assessment.--The Committee recognizes 
the need for strategies to limit the facilitation of illicit 
narcotics such as heroin and encourages the DEA to continue 
with their efforts to provide a National Drug Threat 
Assessment. The DEA should coordinate with the Office of 
National Drug Control Policy in order to work with the most 
current and reliable information. The National Drug Threat 
Assessment and other illegal narcotics information should be 
shared with State and local law enforcement agencies to meet 
the needs of individual communities.

          Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,201,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,261,158,000
House allowance.........................................   1,240,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,201,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,201,000,000 for 
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF]. 
The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $60,158,000 below the budget request.
    The ATF reduces the criminal use of firearms and illegal 
firearms trafficking, and assists other Federal, State, and 
local law enforcement agencies in reducing crime and violence. 
The ATF investigates bombing and arson incidents and assists 
with improving public safety by reducing the criminal misuse of 
and trafficking in explosives, combating acts of arson and 
arson-for-profit schemes, and removing safety hazards caused by 
improper and unsafe storage of explosive materials.
    Combating Gun Violence and Enforcing Existing Gun Laws.--
The Committee's recommendation maintains ATF's ability to 
enforce existing firearms laws and perform regulatory oversight 
and training, including the National Integrated Ballistics 
Information Network [NIBIN]. This will enable the ATF to 
continue to collect, report, and share ballistic intelligence 
with Federal, State, local and tribal law enforcement partners 
to identify, target, and disrupt violent criminals, including 
serial shooters. Funds will support work with State and local 
law enforcement agencies and laboratories to collect ballistic 
hit information to provide leads to Firearms Intelligence 
Groups for investigations and document successful prosecutions 
as a result of NIBIN.
    United States Bomb Data Center.--The Committee is 
encouraged by ATF's recent announcement that it is permanently 
moving the U.S. Bomb Data Center [USBDC] to the National Center 
for Explosives Training and Research, which will effectively 
combine the three components of explosives research, training, 
and information sharing in one location. DOJ has designated the 
Bomb Arson Tracking System [BATS] repository maintained at the 
USBDC as the sole repository for explosives incidents, and has 
directed all DOJ components to use this system to document 
explosives-related incidents. The Committee believes that the 
USBDC will be more productive with regular input and analysis 
from multiple agencies. The Committee encourages ATF to work 
with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's Office 
of Bombing Prevention to make space available for any analysts 
or agents from those agencies who may be assigned to the USBDC 
to increase Federal collaboration on bomb information.
    United States-Mexico Firearms Trafficking.--The Committee 
continues to support the ATF's efforts to combat weapon 
trafficking on the border. The ATF shall continue to provide 
the Committee with annual data on the total number of firearms 
recovered by the Government of Mexico, and of those, the number 
for which an ATF trace is attempted, the number successfully 
traced, and the number determined to have originated in the 
United States prior to being recovered in Mexico.
    National Center for Explosives Training and Research 
[NCETR].--ATF has increased the number of staff and course 
offerings at NCETR, including restarting the advanced fire 
investigation training course and providing additional advanced 
explosives disposal techniques courses for public safety bomb 
technicians, which the Committee directs ATF to maintain in 
fiscal year 2016. Given that NCETR serves as the Bureau's 
Center of Excellence for arson and explosives training and 
expertise, the Committee directs ATF and the Department to 
provide a report not later than 120 days after enactment of 
this act detailing plans for the future to enhance both 
staffing levels and course availability, including collocating 
the Bureau's canine training operations for explosives and 
accelerant detection at NCETR.

                         Federal Prison System

    The Committee's recommendation provides a total of 
$6,956,700,000 for the Federal Prison System, or the Bureau of 
Prisons [BOP]. The recommendation is $33,000,000 above the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $390,722,000 below the 
budget request.

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $6,815,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   7,204,158,000
House allowance.........................................   6,948,500,000
Committee recommendation................................   6,848,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $6,848,000,000 for 
BOP salaries and expenses. The recommendation is $33,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $356,158,000 below 
the budget request.
    Increasing Unit Officer Staff at High Security 
Institutions.--While overall overcrowding at Federal prisons 
has decreased and is expected to fall to 15 percent in 2016, 
medium and high security facilities have remained consistently 
overcrowded, creating unsafe environments for correctional 
officers and other BOP staff. The Committee supports the Bureau 
of Prison's fiscal year 2016 request for an additional 
$32,000,000 to add one additional correctional officer for each 
housing unit at high security institutions. This increase in 
resources will allow all BOP high security institutions to have 
at least two correctional officers on duty in each housing unit 
for all three shifts.
    Alleviating Overcrowding at High Security Facilities.--The 
overcrowding rate at high-security prisons continues to remain 
high at 52 percent with no indication of decreasing until new 
facilities are fully opened. The Committee supports BOP's 
efforts to alleviate overcrowding at high-security facilities 
through the process of opening additional prisons. The 
Committee expects the BOP to adhere to the activation schedule 
included in the BOP's budget submission regarding these prison 
facilities, including the new U.S. Penitentiary in Thomson, 
Illinois. The BOP shall notify the Committee of any deviations 
from this schedule.
    Medication-Assisted Treatment Pilot Expansion.--The 
Committee supports the request of an additional $1,000,000 for 
the Bureau of Prisons to increase the number of inmates 
participating in the medication-assisted treatment pilot 
program for individuals with heroin and opioid addiction. This 
voluntary pilot program will expand the number of inmates in 
the pilot from 10 to 200. The science supporting the use of 
medication as a critical component of opioid addiction, 
including heroin, treatment is clear in that it saves lives.
    International Prisoner Transfer Program.--The Committee is 
interested in the Department's effective use and administration 
of the International Prisoner Transfer Program, which permits 
certain foreign national inmates from treaty nations to serve 
the remainder of their sentences in their home countries. While 
the BOP has made efforts to improve its utilization of this 
program after a 2011 review by the DOJ Office of the Inspector 
General, the Committee is disappointed that the program remains 
significantly underused. Increasing the number of foreign 
national inmates transferred out of BOP facilities to their 
home countries could result in considerable cost savings.
    The BOP, in coordination with the Criminal Division, is 
directed to submit a report to the Committee not later than 90 
days after enactment of this act detailing how the 
International Prisoner Transfer Program is currently being 
administered, including: methods for educating eligible foreign 
national inmates about the program, the estimated number of 
currently eligible foreign national inmates compared to the 
number of applicants, the process for approving transfers, the 
number of prisoner transfers in the previous 5 fiscal years, 
the corresponding countries to which prisoners were 
transferred, and the long-run cost savings this program has 
achieved for BOP along with projected cost savings if the 
program were operating at full capacity.
    Contraband Cell Phones and Communication Devices.--The 
Committee remains concerned about the use of contraband cell 
phones in facilities administered by, or under contract with, 
BOP. The Bureau should ensure that criminal networks will no 
longer be controlled by incarcerated individuals who use these 
illicit devices to direct network activities beyond the prison 
walls. The Committee requests that the BOP submit a report not 
later than 180 days after the enactment of this act detailing 
methods and procedures on how BOP can achieve a total 
communications blackout between incarcerated and free members 
of criminal networks.

                        BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $106,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     140,564,000
House allowance.........................................     230,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     106,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $106,000,000 for 
the construction, modernization, maintenance, and repair of 
prison and detention facilities housing Federal prisoners. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $34,564,000 below the budget request.
    The Committee includes bill language in Title V--General 
Provisions stipulating that no BOP resources may be used for 
facilities to house detainees from the United States Naval 
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
    Reporting.--The Committee believes that the consideration 
of any new facility or facility expansion should be based upon 
a long-term strategic plan which incorporates a robust capital 
planning process including leading capital planning practices 
as outlined in OMB and GAO guidance. The Committee directs the 
BOP to continue providing quarterly reports to the Committee on 
the progress of its efforts, including funding for new prison 
construction if merited in future requests.
    The Committee also directs the BOP to continue providing 
the Committee with the most recent monthly status of 
construction report, and to notify the Committee of any 
deviations from the construction and activation schedule 
identified in that report, including detailed explanations of 
the causes of delays and actions proposed to address them.

                FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED

                (LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES)

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $2,700,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       2,700,000
House allowance.........................................       2,700,000
Committee recommendation................................       2,700,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides a limitation on the 
administrative expenses of $2,700,000 for the Federal Prison 
Industries, Inc. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level and the budget request.

               State and Local Law Enforcement Activities

    In total, the Committee recommends $2,292,800,000 for State 
and local law enforcement and crime prevention grant programs, 
including: $1,841,800,000 in discretionary appropriations, 
$72,000,000 in mandatory appropriations, and $379,000,000 
derived from funds provided under section 510 of this act. The 
total is $36,000,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $206,100,000 below the budget estimate.
    Management and Administration Expenses.--The Department 
shall, in preparing its fiscal year 2016 spending plan, assess 
management and administration [M&A] expenses compared to 
program funding. The Committee directs the Department to ensure 
that its assessment methodology is equitable and, for programs 
funded through the Crime Victims Fund, that the assessment 
reflects a fair representation of the share of each program 
devoted to common M&A costs. The Committee also directs grant 
offices to minimize administrative spending in order to 
maximize the amount of funding that can be used for grants or 
training and technical assistance. The Committee reiterates the 
direction provided in Public Law 113-76 that the Department 
shall detail, as part of its budget submission for fiscal year 
2017 and future years, the actual costs for each grant office 
with respect to training, technical assistance, research and 
statistics, and peer review for the prior fiscal year, along 
with estimates of planned expenditures by each grant office in 
each of these categories for the current year and the budget 
year.
    Prudence in Budget Proposals for Grant Programs.--Many of 
the initiatives proposed by the Department come at the expense 
of effective existing grant programs which currently serve our 
communities, including State and local law enforcement, well. 
Such proposals put the Committee in an untenable position in a 
fiscal environment of limited funding resources. As virtually 
all of the new programs proposed for funding have never been 
authorized or previously vetted by Congress, the Committee is 
left to choose between well-established grant programs and new 
ideas which are untested. The Committee reminds the Department 
to work more closely with the appropriate congressional 
committees to seriously consider the modification or omission 
of existing outdated programs before new proposals and 
initiatives are unveiled.
    Grant Funding Set-Asides.--The Committee notes the 
significant number of reductions in grant funding allowable for 
various purposes, including training, technical assistance, 
research, evaluation and statistics activities with set-asides 
ranging anywhere from 2 percent to 10 percent of total grant 
funding provided. To that end, the Committee directs the 
Department to continue providing a comprehensive report 
concurrently with the spending plan that details the total 
amount provided for each grant program in this act, the 
specific reductions taken, the purpose for those reductions and 
the final use of those resources, including any transfers that 
may occur within the Office of Justice Programs, the Office on 
Violence Against Women, and the Community Oriented Policing 
Services. The Committee expects that the report will provide a 
complete analysis of the final amounts externally awarded and 
the amounts retained internally for other purposes.
    Grant Funds for Rural, High Poverty Areas.--The Committee 
is concerned about the needs of rural, high poverty areas, 
especially those communities with high crime rates. The 
Committee wants to ensure that the challenges encountered by 
the residents of these areas are being addressed through the 
equitable use of grant funding. The Committee reminds the 
Department to keep the unique needs of rural, high poverty 
communities in mind when making grant awards through the 
numerous programs funded under this act.
    Performance Partnership Pilots.--The bill includes language 
permitting OJP to participate, with other Federal agencies, in 
the Performance Partnership Pilot program authorized in 
division H of Public Law 113-76 and division G of Public Law 
113-235. Performance Partnership Pilots take an evidence-based 
approach to better serve disconnected youth in our communities. 
The Committee supports innovative efforts to coordinate 
programs across the Federal Government that serve these young 
people. Nonetheless, the Department must remain accountable for 
the proper use and effectiveness of its grant funds. The 
proposal for these pilots states that outcome-focused criteria 
will be used as part of the evaluation process. In addition, 
jurisdictions receiving funding will be held accountable to a 
set of cross-agency, data-driven outcomes and interventions 
will be measured and rigorously evaluated using real-time 
performance and outcome data.
    The Department's Office of Inspector General should 
continue to coordinate with the Inspectors General of other 
participating departments and agencies to ensure timely audits 
and oversight of these funds.
    One-Year Prison Rape Elimination Act [PREA] Exemption.--The 
Committee has included bill language providing a 1-year 
exemption from the penalties required under the PREA for the 
OVW's Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors [STOP] 
Grants.
    Trauma-Informed Training.--The Committee encourages the 
Department's grant making agencies to focus on efforts to 
provide specialized trauma-informed training in responding to, 
and investigating, sexual assault, including forensic 
interviewing and evidence-gathering techniques and trauma-
informed investigative skills. The goal is to increase the 
capacity of law enforcement agencies whose officers may come 
into contact with survivors of sexual assault, including 
survivors of sexual assault on college campuses, and to help 
ensure law enforcement resources are made available in an 
appropriate and timely manner.
    Submission of Officer Training Information.--The Committee 
directs the Department to devise a plan to assist State and 
local law enforcement agencies to improve training in use of 
force, identifying racial and ethnic bias, and conflict 
resolution, throughout the course of officers' careers. As 
identified in the final report of the President's Task Force on 
21st Century Policing, the Committee urges the Department to 
administer the development of Field Training Program policies 
and look for ways to partner with national law enforcement 
organizations to promote consistent standards for high quality 
training and assessment. This partnership should result in the 
Department providing best practices, model policies, and a 
training toolkit for local law enforcement as well as free or 
reduced-cost courses for law enforcement agencies. The 
Department is directed to submit this plan within 45 days of 
enactment of this act.
    The Committee further directs the Department to require law 
enforcement agencies to submit information on training on use 
of force, racial and ethnic bias, de-escalation of conflict, 
and constructive engagement with the public that officers have 
received as part of the grant application submission for Byrne-
JAG and COPS Hiring programs. This information will help both 
the Committee and Department assess the true level of training 
provided in the field, along with gaps in training that the 
Federal government may be able to fill.
    Improved Data Collection.--The Committee is concerned about 
insufficient and incomplete crime and arrest data submitted by 
States and law enforcement agencies to the FBI's Criminal 
Justice Information Services Division [CJIS]. Since 1930, 
participating local, county, State, tribal, and Federal law 
enforcement agencies have voluntarily provided the FBI with a 
reliable set of crime statistics through the Uniform Crime 
Reporting [UCR] Program. The FBI's CJIS, which administers the 
UCR program, periodically releases these crime statistics to 
the public, which helps local law enforcement and governments 
assess crime trends. While some UCR data is required to be 
submitted as part of the process to receive Byrne-JAG funding 
under 42 U.S.C. 3755, and further incorporated into guidelines 
issued by OJP to States, the submission of more detailed 
National Incident-Based Reporting System [NIBRS] data is 
currently voluntary. NIBRS captures detailed crime incident 
data like arrests and officer-involved shootings, information 
that is critical in aiding State and local law enforcement 
agencies as they work to keep our communities safe. Although 
submissions have steadily grown, NIBRS data is still not 
entered frequently enough to make generalizations about crime 
in the United States; therefore, the Committee urges law 
enforcement agencies receiving Byrne-JAG and COPS Hiring awards 
to submit NIBRS data to CJIS in a timely manner.
    As IT costs can be a barrier for agencies to transmit NIBRS 
data, the Committee directs the Department to derive a plan of 
action for helping law enforcement agencies submit NIBRS data 
to CJIS. The plan should include reasonable cost estimates for 
setting up IT systems to connect to CJIS as well as a timetable 
for getting law enforcement to submit this critical data. 
Should the Department need immediate resources to implement 
full participation of States' submission of NIBRS data, the 
Committee suggests the Department provide a reprogramming 
request. The Department is directed to submit this plan within 
45 days of enactment of this act.

                    Office on Violence Against Women


       VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PREVENTION AND PROSECUTION PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $430,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     473,500,000
House allowance.........................................     501,050,000
Committee recommendation................................  \1\479,000,000

\1\Of the $479,000,000 provided in this heading, $234,000,000 is 
provided in direct appropriations and $245,000,000 is derived by 
transfer from amounts available for obligation in this Act from the Fund 
established by section 1402 of chapter XIV of title II of Public Law 98-
473 (42 U.S.C. 10601), notwithstanding section 1402(d) of such act of 
1984.

    The Committee's recommendation provides $479,000,000 for 
OVW grants. The recommendation is $49,000,000 above the fiscal 
year 2015 enacted level, and $5,500,000 above the budget 
request. Resources are provided to the OVW above the budget 
request to respond to the needs of all victims of domestic 
violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, 
including, but not limited to, Native women, immigrants, LGBT 
victims, college students, youths, and public housing 
residents.
    The table below displays the Committee's recommendations 
for the programs under this office.

       VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PREVENTION AND PROSECUTION PROGRAMS
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                        Program                           recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STOP Grants............................................         215,000
Transitional Housing Assistance........................          30,000
National Institute of Justice Research and Evaluation             3,000
 on Violence Against Women.............................
Consolidated Youth Oriented Program....................          11,000
Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies....................          51,000
    Homicide Reduction Initiative......................          (4,000)
Sexual Assault Victims Services........................          35,000
Rural Domestic Violence Assistance Grants..............          35,000
Violence on College Campuses...........................          20,000
Civil Legal Assistance.................................          45,000
Elder Abuse Grant Program..............................           5,000
Family Civil Justice...................................          16,000
Education and Training for Disabled Female Victims.....           6,000
National Center on Workplace Responses.................             500
Research--Violence Against Indian Women................           1,000
Sex Assault in Indian Country Clearinghouse............             500
Tribal Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction.           5,000
                                                        ----------------
      Total............................................         479,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STOP Grants.--Within the discretionary budget authority 
appropriated, $215,000,000 is for formula grants to the States. 
This is $22,000,000 above the budget request and $20,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. The recommendation 
supports increasing access to comprehensive legal services for 
victims, providing short-term housing assistance and support 
services for domestic violence victims, and education and 
training to end violence against and abuse of women with 
disabilities.
    Sexual Assault Services Act [SASA].--The Committee's 
recommendation provides $35,000,000, which is $8,000,000 above 
the budget request and $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level, to directly fund the needs of sexual assault 
victims.
    As part of VAWA 2005 and reauthorized by VAWA 2013, the 
Sexual Assault Services Program addresses considerable gaps in 
services to sexual assault victims. The Committee supports a 
dedicated stream of funding to provide a broad range of 
services to male, female, and child sexual assault victims and 
their families through the well-established and well-regarded 
system of community-based rape crisis centers throughout the 
United States, and maintains its strong commitment to ensuring 
that these rape crisis centers have access to technical 
assistance, training, and support.
    Grants to Encourage Arrests.--The Committee urges the 
Office on Violence Against Women to prioritize funding within 
the Grants to Encourage Arrests Program to support Family 
Justice Center models that are community-based, co-located 
multi-agency collaborations that provide integrated services to 
both domestic violence and child abuse victims.

                       Office of Justice Programs

    The Office of Justice Programs [OJP] is responsible for 
providing leadership, coordination, and assistance to its 
Federal, State, local, and tribal partners to enhance the 
effectiveness and efficiency of the U.S. justice system in 
preventing, controlling, and responding to crime. As most of 
the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to 
law enforcement officers in States, cities, and other 
localities, the Federal Government is effective in these areas 
only to the extent that it can enter into successful 
partnerships with these jurisdictions. Therefore, the OJP is 
tasked with administering grants; collecting statistical data 
and conducting analyses; identifying emerging criminal justice 
issues; developing and testing promising and innovative 
approaches to address these issues; evaluating program results; 
and disseminating these findings and other information to 
State, local, and tribal governments. The Committee directs the 
OJP to submit a quarterly report on grant programs that have 
not received a sufficient number of qualified applicants.
    Gang Prevention Grants and Crime Rates.--The Committee 
remains concerned about gang activity and violent crime 
throughout the country, noting that Federal partnership with 
law enforcement is essential--not only in our largest cities, 
but also in suburban and rural jurisdictions, where gang 
activity and violent crime rates can exceed national averages. 
To strengthen Federal partnership across all jurisdictions, the 
Committee directs the OJP to review the criteria by which the 
OJP awards discretionary grants relating to gang violence and 
prevention under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance 
and Juvenile Justice Programs on a per capita basis of 
applicant cities and jurisdictions where gang activity and 
violent crime rates exceed national averages. The Committee 
encourages the OJP to report on the relative success rate of 
awards granted to applicant cities and jurisdictions with 
disproportionately high gang and violent crime activity, 
including the murder rates of those cities and jurisdictions. 
The report should also consider the relative success rate of 
applicant cities and jurisdictions that have an established 
gang commission or community planning body, have completed the 
Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP] gang 
assessment, and have consulted with or received technical 
assistance from the OJJDP National Gang Center regarding gang 
initiatives in the community.
    Legal Training.--Training of State and local prosecutors 
and defense attorneys is essential to the functioning of the 
criminal justice system and ensuring justice is served. The 
Committee encourages OJP to explore funding options, including 
Byrne-JAG, that support training for prosecutors and defense 
attorneys that provide a hands-on approach to topics such as 
criminal process, trial advocacy, ethics, and evidence.

                  RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND STATISTICS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $111,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     151,900,000
House allowance.........................................................
Committee recommendation................................     117,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $117,000,000 for 
the Research, Evaluation and Statistics account. The 
recommendation is $6,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $34,900,000 below the budget request.
    Funding in this account provides assistance in the areas of 
research, evaluation, statistics, hate crimes, DNA and 
forensics, criminal background checks, and gun safety 
technology, among others.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

                   RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND STATISTICS
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                       Program                           recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau of Justice Statistics.........................            41,000
National Institute of Justice........................            36,000
Regional Info Sharing Activities.....................            35,000
Forensic Initiative..................................             5,000
    Transfer to NIST.................................            (4,000)
                                                      ------------------
      Total..........................................           117,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Spending Plans.--The Department shall submit to the 
Committee as part of its spending plan for State and Local Law 
Enforcement Activities a plan for the use of all funding 
administered by the National Institute of Justice and the 
Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS], respectively, for approval 
by the Committee prior to the obligation of any such funds.
    National Institute of Justice [NIJ].--The Committee's 
recommendation provides $36,000,000 for the NIJ, in addition to 
$4,000,000 transferred from the OVW for research and evaluation 
on violence against women and Indian women. The NIJ's mission 
is to advance scientific research, development, and evaluation 
to advance the administration of justice and public safety.
    Forensic Initiative.--The Committee provides $5,000,000 for 
a forensic initiative, of which $4,000,000 is provided by 
transfer to the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
[NIST] to support Scientific Working Groups. The Department of 
Justice shall coordinate its forensic initiative activities 
with NIST.
    Building Digital Forensics Capabilities.--The Committee 
continues to stress the importance of training and equipping 
State and local law enforcement with the tools and expertise 
needed to investigate and prosecute electronic crime. As 
smartphones and the Internet have become fundamental parts of 
daily life, these technologies have also become a fundamental 
part of criminal acts and enterprises, from drug deals and 
murder hits ordered by text to ATM heists via laptops, to child 
pornography Web sites.
    Given that more than 95 percent of all criminal cases are 
investigated and prosecuted at the State and local levels, the 
Committee remains concerned that the ability of State and local 
law enforcement to investigate and effectively prosecute cases 
involving digital evidence- and computer-based crimes will 
diminish without the Department's support of training and 
research. The Committee encourages the Department to prioritize 
State and local assistance for computer forensics tool 
development and digital evidence training for investigations 
surrounding drug, violent, and financial crimes, and crimes 
against children.
    Regional Information Sharing Activities.--The Committee 
recommends $35,000,000, an increase of $10,000,000 above the 
budget request and $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level, to support activities that enable the sharing of 
nationwide criminal intelligence and other resources with 
State, local, and other law enforcement agencies and 
organizations. Such activities should address critical and 
chronic criminal threats, including gangs, terrorism, 
narcotics, weapons and officer safety or ``event 
deconfliction,'' and should reflect regional as well as 
national threat priorities. In addition, funds shall be 
available to support local-to-local law enforcement data and 
information sharing efforts focused on solving routine crimes 
by sharing law enforcement information not categorized as 
criminal intelligence. All activities shall be consistent with 
national information-sharing standards and requirements as 
determined by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

               STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,241,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,142,300,000
House allowance.........................................   1,141,900,000
Committee recommendation................................\1\1,102,000,000

\1\Of the $1,102,000,000 provided for State and local law enforcement 
assistance grants, $93,000,000 is provided under section 510 of this 
act.

    The Committee's recommendation provides $1,102,000,000 for 
State and local law enforcement assistance. The recommendation 
is $139,000,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level, and 
$40,300,000 below the budget request.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

               STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                       Program                           recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants.............           382,000
    VALOR Initiative.................................          (15,000)
    Smart Policing...................................          (10,000)
    Smart Prosecution................................           (2,500)
    Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program........          (15,000)
    Body-Worn Cameras................................          (20,000)
    NamUS............................................           (2,400)
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program..............            75,000
Victims of Trafficking Grants........................           [50,000]
Drug Courts..........................................            41,000
Mentally Ill Offender Courts.........................            10,000
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment................            12,000
Capital Litigation/Wrongful Prosecution Review.......             4,000
Economic, High-Tech, and Cybercrime Prevention.......            13,000
    IP Enforcement...................................           (2,500)
John R. Justice Grant Program........................             3,000
Adam Walsh Act Implementation........................            20,000
Children Exposed to Violence Initiative..............           [16,000]
Bulletproof Vests Partnership........................            22,500
    Transfer to NIST/OLES............................           (1,500)
National Sex Offender Public Web site................             1,000
Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction.................             8,500
National Instant Criminal Background Check System                55,000
 [NICS] Initiative...................................
    NICS Improvements................................          (12,000)
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science......................            15,000
DNA Initiative.......................................           125,000
    Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grants..................         (117,000)
    Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing                (4,000)
     Grants..........................................
    Sex Assault Exam Kits............................           (4,000)
Community-Based Sexual Assault Response Reform.......            41,000
Court-Appointed Special Advocates [CASA].............           [12,000]
Second Chance Act....................................            68,000
    Smart Probation..................................           (6,000)
    Children of Incarcerated Parents Demo Grants.....           (5,000)
    Pay for Success..................................           (7,500)
Veterans Treatment Courts............................             5,000
Prescription Drug Monitoring.........................             7,000
Justice Reinvestment Initiative......................            22,000
Project HOPE.........................................             4,000
Vision 21............................................           [15,000]
Comprehensive School Safety Program..................            75,000
                                                      ------------------
      Total..........................................  \1\1,102,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Of the $1,102,000,000 provided for State and local law enforcement
  assistance grants, $93,000,000 is provided under section 510 of this
  act, and the applicable Committee recommendations are denoted in
  brackets.

    Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.--
The Committee recommends $382,000,000 for Edward Byrne Memorial 
Justice Assistance Grants [Byrne-JAG]. Funding is not available 
for luxury items, real estate, or construction projects. The 
Department should expect State, local, and tribal governments 
to target funding to programs and activities that conform with 
evidence-based strategic plans developed through broad 
stakeholder involvement. The Committee directs the Department 
to make technical assistance available to State, local, and 
tribal governments for the development or update of such plans.
    Training for Forensic Services.--The Committee is 
interested in solution-based approaches to train local law 
enforcement officers and utilize available technology to reduce 
court backlogs and prosecutions. To the extent appropriate, OJP 
should explore ways to provide resources for multi-
jurisdictional forensic service providers, in collaboration 
with universities, to provide access to forensic expertise, 
assistance, and continuing education to law enforcement 
agencies. The Committee encourages OJP to remind awardees that 
these objectives could be met through the Byrne-JAG program.
    VALOR Initiative.--The Committee's recommendation fully 
funds the budget request of $15,000,000 within Byrne-JAG for 
the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officer 
Resilience and Survivability Initiative [VALOR]. This is a 
national training initiative that promotes a culture of safety 
within Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement 
agencies by training officers to respond to and react better in 
deadly situations, such as ambush attacks, while on duty. The 
Committee expects Federal law enforcement agencies to continue 
and expand on efforts to provide local police with information 
as to whether or not a suspect has a violent history, to the 
extent that transfer of such information is allowable and 
available via Federal law enforcement databases, in an effort 
to prevent officer deaths.
    National Instant Criminal Background Check System [NICS] 
Initiative Grants.--The Committee recommends funding the 
program at $55,000,000, equal to the budget request, to 
continue to improve the submission of State criminal and mental 
health records to NICS. This investment will strengthen the 
national background check system by assisting States in finding 
ways to make more records available in the NICS system, 
especially mental health records, thereby addressing gaps in 
Federal and State records currently available in NICS. Those 
gaps significantly hinder the ability of NICS to quickly 
confirm whether a prospective purchaser is prohibited from 
acquiring a firearm.
    Grants to Combat Human Trafficking.--Trafficking victims 
are subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse and need 
various types of assistance to begin healing and recovery, 
including counseling, housing, medical care, support groups, 
and legal assistance. The Committee's recommendation provides 
$50,000,000 from funds provided under section 510 of this act 
for services and task force activities for U.S. citizens, 
permanent residents, and foreign nationals who are victims of 
trafficking, including not less than $15,000,000 for victim 
services for foreign national victims of trafficking. The OJP 
shall consult with stakeholder groups in determining the 
overall allocation of Victims of Trafficking funding and shall 
provide to the Committee a plan for the use of these funds as 
part of the Department's fiscal year 2016 spending plan.
    The Committee notes that funding provided in this program 
may be used for victims of sex and labor trafficking who are 
minors, as authorized under VAWA 2013. Child trafficking 
victims require specialized care, and these resources can be 
used for items like residential care, emergency social 
services, mental health counseling, and legal services.
    Funding to assist State and local law enforcement in 
strengthening and expanding the investigation and prosecution 
of human trafficking and training law enforcement personnel on 
the identification of trafficking victims was authorized under 
VAWA 2013. The Committee recommends that funds be made 
available for human trafficking task forces, particularly those 
that combat the sex trafficking of minors in High Intensity 
Child Prostitution areas identified by the FBI. Trafficking 
task forces can also use funding for innovative technological 
instruments to assist in the rescue of trafficking victims.
    Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program.--Persistent 
crime and public safety problems, especially gang activity and 
youth violence, cannot be addressed solely by law enforcement. 
These issues require a comprehensive interagency approach that 
enables law enforcement, educators, social services agencies, 
and community organizations to address both public safety 
problems and their underlying causes.
    The Committee provides $15,000,000 within Byrne-JAG to 
support the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program, which 
provides demonstration grants in communities to support 
innovative, evidence-based approaches to fighting crime and 
improving public safety, as well as addressing its underlying 
problems. The OJP will coordinate with the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development and other agencies to promote 
interagency collaboration and enable a wide range of new and 
existing partners to further stabilize neighborhoods that face 
the most severe violence and crime. This program builds upon 
the approach of supporting communities with strategies that 
combine law enforcement, community policing, prevention, 
intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration.
    Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction.--Violent crime and 
homicide continue to exact a heavy toll on victims, families, 
and neighborhoods. The Committee's recommendation provides 
$8,500,000, which is $3,500,000 above both the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and the budget request, for competitive grants 
aimed at reducing homicides and gun-related violent crime in 
communities overwhelmed by gangs of national significance and 
illegally purchased and trafficked guns. Popularly known as the 
Project Safe Neighborhoods model, this funding shall be used to 
hire new Federal and State prosecutors, support investigators, 
provide investigative and litigation training, deter juvenile 
gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts, 
as well as to support other gun and gang violence reduction 
strategies.
    Veterans Treatment Courts.--The Committee urges the 
Department to work in conjunction with the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to provide grant support for collaborative, 
rehabilitative approaches for continuing judicial supervision 
of offenders who are veterans. The Committee recommends not 
less than $5,000,000 for Veterans Treatment Courts and urges 
the Department to strengthen funding for existing Veterans 
Treatment Courts with successful track records to promote best 
practices.
    Bulletproof Vests.--Within the $22,500,000 provided for 
bulletproof vests, $1,500,000 is to be transferred directly to 
the NIST Office of Law Enforcement Standards [OLES] to continue 
supporting ballistic- and stab-resistant material compliance 
testing programs. The Committee expects the BJA to continue 
strengthening internal controls to manage the Bulletproof Vest 
Partnership program. Improving grantee accountability in the 
timely use of Federal funds to purchase body armor will help 
every police officer who needs a vest to get one, thus saving 
officers' lives.
    Second Chance Act/Offender Reentry Programs.--The 
recommendation provides $68,000,000 for Second Chance Act [SCA] 
grants. The Committee expects that SCA funding will support 
grants that foster the implementation of strategies that have 
been proven to reduce recidivism and ensure safe and successful 
reentry back to their communities of adults released from 
prisons and jails. The SCA supports activities such as 
employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, 
mentoring, family programming, and victim support. SCA grants 
will also support demonstration projects designed to test the 
impact of new strategies and frameworks. Within the amount 
provided, the Committee's recommendation makes targeted 
investments in initiatives requested by the administration to 
test and replicate new models of improving criminal justice 
efficiencies and recidivism outcomes.
    The Department is directed to submit as part of its 
spending plan for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance a 
strategy for the use of all funds appropriated for Second 
Chance Act programs, including new initiatives requested by the 
Department that are funded in this recommendation. It is 
expected that such a strategy will designate funds for proven, 
evidence-based programs that will further the goal of 
maximizing public safety, as well as for promising new 
approaches and projects.
    Criminal Justice Reform and Recidivism Reduction.--The 
Committee provides $22,000,000 for a justice reinvestment 
initiative, which expands OJP's investment in data-driven 
approaches to improve public safety, drive down corrections and 
related criminal justice spending, and reinvest savings in 
effective strategies that can reduce crime and recidivism and 
strengthen neighborhoods. The Committee supports the OJP's 
steps to make justice reinvestment a national model for much-
needed criminal justice reform. Funds may be used to provide 
technical assistance and competitive financial support to 
States, counties, cities, and tribes that are either currently 
engaged in justice reinvestment activities or are preparing to 
undertake such work.
    Coverdell National Forensic Science Grant Program.--The 
Committee rejects the budget request to eliminate the Coverdell 
National Forensic Science Grant Program and provides 
$15,000,000 to continue assistance of forensic sciences.
    DNA Backlog and Crime Lab Improvements.--The Committee is 
once again extremely disappointed that the Department's budget 
request slashes funding by $20,000,000 for critical grant 
programs to help State and local agencies address their 
backlogs and test forensic evidence. The Committee continues 
its strong support for DNA backlog and crime lab improvements 
by recommending $125,000,000 to strengthen and improve Federal 
and State DNA collection and analysis systems that can be used 
to accelerate the prosecution of the guilty while 
simultaneously protecting the innocent from wrongful 
prosecution. Within funds provided, $117,000,000 is for Debbie 
Smith DNA Backlog Reduction grants, $4,000,000 is for Kirk 
Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing grants, and $4,000,000 
is for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners grants.
    From within the funding provided for Debbie Smith DNA 
Backlog Reduction grants, the Committee expects the Department 
to prioritize reducing rape kit backlogs, given that it is the 
primary reason why the Committee continues to provide robust 
funding for these grants. The Committee directs the Department 
to provide not less than 75 percent of the total grant amounts 
for direct testing activities to reduce the backlog. The 
Committee further directs DOJ to provide at least 5 percent of 
funds to law enforcement agencies to conduct audits of their 
backlogged rape kits and to prioritize testing in those cases 
in which the statute of limitations will soon expire, as 
authorized by the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting 
Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-4).
    The Committee expects that the OJP will make funding for 
DNA analysis and capacity enhancement a priority in order to 
meet the purposes of the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant 
Program. The Committee directs the Department to submit to the 
Committee as part of its spending plan for State and Local Law 
Enforcement Activities a plan with respect to funds 
appropriated for DNA-related and forensic programs, including 
the alignment of appropriated funds with the authorized 
purposes of the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program.
    Reducing the Rape Kit Backlog.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $41,000,000 to continue a competitive 
grant program started in fiscal year 2015 as part of the 
initiative to reduce the backlog of rape kits at law 
enforcement agencies. The NIJ shall provide competitively 
awarded grants with a comprehensive community-based approach to 
addressing the resolution of cases in the backlog. The 
Committee directs the NIJ to provide a report not later than 90 
days after enactment of this act on its progress in developing 
a strategy and model to serve as best practices for discovering 
and testing kits, training law enforcement, and supporting 
victims throughout the process as required by Public Law 113-
235.
    Comprehensive School Safety.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $75,000,000 to continue a competitive 
grant program as part of the comprehensive school safety 
initiative started in fiscal year 2014. The NIJ shall provide 
competitively awarded grants with strong research and 
evaluation components to local school districts and State 
educational agencies to support the implementation of school 
safety interventions under the existing construct. The 
Committee directs the NIJ to provide a report not later than 90 
days after enactment of this act, on its progress on continued 
development of a strategy and model for comprehensive school 
safety.
    Economic, High-Tech, and Cybercrime Prevention.--The 
Committee recommends $13,000,000 to assist State and local law 
enforcement agencies in the prevention, investigation, and 
prosecution of economic, high-tech, and Internet crimes. Given 
the importance of protecting our Nation's new technologies, 
ideas, and products, the Committee includes the request of 
$2,500,000 for competitive grants that help State and local law 
enforcement tackle intellectual property [IP] thefts, such as 
counterfeiting and piracy.
    Flexible Tribal Assistance.--The Committee recommends 
funding tribal grant programs by permitting 7 percent of 
discretionary grant and reimbursement program funds made 
available to the OJP to be used for tribal criminal justice 
assistance, and continues to strongly support efforts to help 
tribes improve the capacity of their criminal justice systems. 
The OJP is expected to consult closely with tribal stakeholders 
in determining how tribal assistance funds will be awarded for 
detention facilities, courts, alcohol and substance abuse 
programs, civil and criminal legal assistance, and other 
priorities. The Committee directs the OJP to submit, as part of 
the Department's spending plan for fiscal year 2016, a plan for 
the use of these funds that has been informed by such 
consultation. The Committee notes that the bill includes 
additional grant funding for tribal law enforcement programs 
through COPS and OVW.
    Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.--The Committee 
directs the Bureau of Justice Assistance to assess the impact 
of establishing threshold enrollment and utilization rates for 
the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and, where enrollment 
and utilization rates are below 100 percent, assess the 
feasibility of requiring benchmarks for improvements in 
enrollment and utilization as grant eligibility criteria. The 
Committee directs the Department to report, not later than 180 
days after enactment of this act, on this assessment, including 
the potential of prioritizing funding based on the goal of 
optimizing prescriber and dispenser enrollment and utilization 
rates for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs by prescribers 
and dispensers as a ratio compared to the potential universe of 
prescribers and dispensers and controlled substance prescribing 
rates, respectively.
    Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services.--The Committee's 
recommendation provides $15,000,000 under section 510 of this 
act for Vision 21. The Committee directs the Department to 
submit as part of its spending plan for State and Local Law 
Enforcement Activities a plan for the use of all funding 
administered by the Office for Victims of Crime [OVC] for 
Vision 21.
    The Committee supports Vision 21's goals of funding 
initiatives that will address the need for more data-driven 
research and evaluation on victimization and services; holistic 
legal assistance for crime victims; resources to reach tribal 
and rural victims in areas where service providers do not 
exist; support of national emergency hotlines, online, and 
other programs that serve American crime victims at the 
national and international level; and capacity building to 
provide technology- and evidence-based training and technical 
assistance.

                       JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $251,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     339,400,000
House allowance.........................................     186,500,000
Committee recommendation................................  \1\294,500,000

\1\Of the $294,500,000 provided for juvenile justice programs grants, 
$41,000,000 is provided under section 510 of this act.

    The Committee's recommendation provides $294,500,000 for 
juvenile justice programs. The recommendation is $43,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $44,900,000 below 
the budget request.
    The Committee strongly supports a comprehensive approach of 
substantial funding for a robust portfolio of programs that 
work to improve the lives of the youth in our communities. 
Title II State Formula and title V juvenile delinquency 
prevention grants are the backbone of programs assisting State 
and local agencies to prevent juvenile delinquency and ensure 
that youth who are in contact with the juvenile justice system 
are treated fairly. Combined with other critical programs like 
youth mentoring, the Committee believes that a balanced level 
of programming is the way to best help at-risk and vulnerable 
youth and their families.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

                        JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part B--State Formula..................................          65,500
    Emergency Planning--Juvenile Detention Facilities..           (500)
Youth Mentoring Grants.................................          75,000
Title V--Delinquency Prevention........................          40,000
    Tribal Youth.......................................        (10,000)
    Gang and Youth Violence Education and Prevention...         (5,000)
Victims of Child Abuse (VOCA)..........................         [20,000]
Community-Based Violence Prevention....................         [18,000]
Missing & Exploited Children Programs..................          68,000
Child Abuse Training for Judicial Personnel............          [3,000]
Children of Incarcerated Parents Web Portal............             500
Girls in the Justice System............................           2,000
Juvenile Indigent Defense..............................           2,500
                                                        ----------------
      Total............................................  \1\294,500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Of the $294,500,000 provided for juvenile justice programs grants,
  $41,000,000 is provided under section 510 of this act, and the
  applicable Committee recommendations are denoted in brackets.

    Any deviation from the above plan is subject to the 
reprogramming requirements of section 505 of this act.
    Part B: State Formula Grants.--The Committee provides 
$65,500,000 for grants to implement comprehensive State 
juvenile justice plans, including community-based prevention 
and intervention programs and activities for juvenile 
offenders. This amount is $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level and $4,500,000 below the budget request.
    Within the amount provided, the Committee recommends 
$500,000 for competitive demonstration grants for State, local, 
and tribal juvenile justice detention facilities and systems to 
meet the needs of children and adolescents housed in detention 
facilities in preparation for, during, and after a disaster, as 
detailed in the 2011 emergency planning guidance issued by the 
OJJDP.
    The Committee directs the OJP to submit as part of its 
spending plan for State and Local Law Enforcement Activities a 
plan for the administration of Part B State Formula Grants. The 
Committee expects this plan to include details pertaining to 
the formulas utilized in awarding grants under this heading.
    The Committee urges DOJ to encourage title II grant 
recipients to coordinate with their State education agencies to 
support continuity of education opportunities for adjudicated 
youth.
    Youth Mentoring Grants.--To support the critical work of 
national, regional, and local organizations in nurturing and 
mentoring at-risk children and youths, the Committee recommends 
$75,000,000 for competitive, peer-reviewed youth mentoring 
grants. Within 45 days of enactment of this act, the OJP is 
directed to provide a report and spend plan to the Committee 
detailing the criteria and methodology that will be used to 
award these grants, as well as an explanation of any deviations 
from the criteria and Committee directions used in fiscal year 
2015. The Committee expects that the OJJDP will take all steps 
necessary to ensure fairness and objectivity in the award of 
these and future competitive grants.
    Victims of Child Abuse Act.--The Committee's recommendation 
provides $20,000,000 under section 510 of this act for the 
various programs authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse 
Act [VOCA] (Public Law 101-647) and directs the OJJDP to ensure 
that not less than 90 percent of the grants awarded are for the 
purposes of developing and maintaining child advocacy centers, 
including training and accreditation. Within the funds 
provided, $5,000,000 shall be for Regional Children's Advocacy 
Centers [RCACs] Programs. The RCACs were established to provide 
information, consultation, training, and technical assistance 
to communities, and to help establish child-focused programs 
that facilitate and support coordination among agencies 
responding to child abuse.
    Missing and Exploited Children Programs.--The OJP works 
with law enforcement agencies to find missing children and to 
target and prosecute predatory child molesters and those who 
traffic in child pornography. The Committee recommends 
$68,000,000 for Missing and Exploited Children Programs and 
expects the Department to allocate no less than the current 
funding level for task force grants, training and technical 
assistance, research and statistics, and administrative costs 
for the Internet Crimes Against Children [ICAC] program. The 
Committee directs the OJP to provide a spending plan for the 
use of these funds as part of the Department's spending plan 
for fiscal year 2016.
    The Committee supports efforts across the country to train 
child protection professionals, beginning with undergraduate 
and graduate curricula and following up with ongoing training 
for professionals in the field, including the development of 
State forensic interviewing courses. The Committee directs the 
OJJDP to provide training and technical assistance to improve 
forensic interview training for investigation and prosecution 
professionals, evidence-based community prevention programs for 
child protection professionals, and undergraduate and graduate 
curricula on the maltreatment and exploitation of children.
    Child Abuse Training for Judicial Personnel and 
Practitioners.--The Committee recognizes the effectiveness of 
child abuse training programs for judicial personnel and 
practitioners and provides $3,000,000 for grants to improve the 
judicial system's handling of child abuse and neglect cases, 
enhance parental involvement, reduce the cost and population of 
foster care, and increase positive outcomes of child abuse 
victims.

                    PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS BENEFITS

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $87,300,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      88,300,000
House allowance.........................................      88,300,000
Committee recommendation................................      88,300,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $88,300,000 for 
public safety officers benefits. The recommendation is 
$1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and equal 
to the budget estimate. This program provides a one-time death 
benefit payment to eligible survivors of Federal, State, and 
local public safety officers whose death was the direct and 
proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of 
duty or certain eligible heart attacks or strokes. Within funds 
provided, $72,000,000 is for death benefits for survivors, an 
amount estimated by the Congressional Budget Office and 
considered mandatory for scorekeeping purposes.
    The Committee also recommends $16,300,000, as requested, 
for disability benefits for injured officers and education 
benefits for the families of officers who have been permanently 
disabled or killed in the line of duty.

                  Community Oriented Policing Services


             COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $208,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     303,500,000
House allowance.........................................     251,500,000
Committee recommendation................................     212,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $212,000,000 for 
community oriented policing services. The recommendation is 
$4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$91,500,000 below the budget request.
    Local law enforcement is not only essential to ensuring the 
safety of the public but also plays a critical role in 
preventing and responding to terrorist threats. Since its 
creation, the Community Oriented Policing Services [COPS] 
Office has assisted State and local law enforcement agencies by 
providing grants, training, and technical assistance that not 
only ensure public safety from traditional crime, but also 
better enable law enforcement officers to address the growing 
threat from terrorist organizations.
    The Committee's recommendations are displayed in the 
following table:

                  COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                        Program                           recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Methamphetamine Lab Cleanup (Transfer to DEA)..........          11,000
COPS Hiring Grants.....................................         187,000
    Transfer to Tribal Resources Grant Program.........         (30,000)
    Community Policing Development/Training and                 (10,000)
     Technical Assistance..............................
    Collaborative Reform Model.........................         (10,000)
Anti-Meth Task Forces..................................           7,000
Anti-Heroin Task Forces................................           7,000
                                                        ----------------
      Total............................................         212,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any deviations from the above plan are subject to the 
reprogramming requirements of section 505.
    COPS Hiring Program.--The Committee recommends $187,000,000 
for COPS Hiring grants to help State, local, or tribal law 
enforcement agencies to create and preserve police officer 
positions and to increase community policing capacity and crime 
prevention efforts. As in the request, the grants will have an 
award cap of $125,000 and require grantees to provide a 25 
percent local match.
    Community Policing Development--Training and Technical 
Assistance.--The Committee's recommendation provides 
$10,000,000 within the COPS Hiring Program to provide Training 
and Technical Assistance to assist agencies with developing 
innovative community policing strategies through applied 
research and evaluation initiatives. Of these funds, the COPS 
Office is directed to provide up to $5,000,000 within this 
program for diversity and inclusion training to organizations 
with experience in training law enforcement personnel. The goal 
of this training is to improve community policing and create 
partnerships between police officers and the citizens they 
protect.
    Methamphetamine Hot Spots.--The Committee's recommendation 
includes a $11,000,000 transfer to reimburse the DEA for 
assistance to State and local law enforcement for proper 
removal and disposal of hazardous materials at clandestine 
methamphetamine labs, and to initiate container programs. This 
is the level the DEA estimates will be sufficient in fiscal 
year 2016 to operate the full cleanup program for States to 
transition to container program cleanups, and to cover the 
costs of smaller methamphetamine cleanups in States where the 
problem is intermittent.
    Anti-Methamphetamine Task Forces.--The Committee's 
recommendation provides $7,000,000 for the COPS Office to make 
competitive grants to law enforcement agencies in States with 
high seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, 
laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. These funds shall 
be utilized for investigative purposes to locate or investigate 
illicit activities such as precursor diversion, laboratories, 
or methamphetamine traffickers.
    Anti-Heroin Task Forces.--The Committee has repeatedly 
expressed its concern over the dramatic rise of heroin abuse 
and related crime in the United States. The need for additional 
resources and training to address these challenges is apparent, 
and the Committee created the anti-heroin program within the 
COPS Office in fiscal year 2015. Despite the plea for 
additional resources from law enforcement as well as the 
interest of the Committee, the Department eliminated this 
program as part of the fiscal year 2016 budget request. The 
Committee provides $7,000,000 for the COPS Office to make 
competitive grants to law enforcement agencies in States with 
high per capita levels of primary treatment admissions for both 
heroin and other opioids. These funds shall be utilized for 
drug enforcement, including investigations and activities 
related to the distribution of heroin or unlawful diversion and 
distribution of prescription opioids. Priority shall be given 
to those drug task forces, managed and operated by the State, 
serving a majority of counties in the State.
    School Resource Officers.--The placement of law enforcement 
officers in schools carries a risk that these officers will 
contribute to a ``school-to-prison pipeline'' process where 
students are arrested or cited for minor, non-violent 
behavioral violations and then sent to the juvenile court 
system. This pipeline wastes community resources and can lead 
to academic failure and greater recidivism rates for these 
students. The Committee directs that the COPS Office continue 
to utilize requirements and procedures regarding a written 
memorandum of understanding and proper training for any COPS 
Hiring Grant funds used to hire school-based law enforcement 
officers.

               General Provisions--Department of Justice

    The Committee recommends the following general provisions:
    Section 201 limits the amount of funding the Attorney 
General can use for official reception and representation.
    Section 202 prohibits the use of funds in this title to pay 
for an abortion except where the life of the mother would be in 
danger.
    Section 203 prohibits the use of funds in this title to 
require a person to perform or facilitate an abortion.
    Section 204 requires female prisoners to be escorted when 
off prison grounds.
    Section 205 allows the Department of Justice, subject to 
the Committee's reprogramming procedures, to transfer up to 5 
percent between appropriations, but limits to 10 percent the 
amount that can be transferred into any one appropriation.
    Section 206 authorizes the Attorney General to terminate a 
personnel management demonstration project.
    Section 207 limits the placement of maximum or high 
security prisoners to appropriately secure facilities.
    Section 208 restricts Federal prisoner access to certain 
amenities.
    Section 209 requires review by the Deputy Attorney General 
and the Department's Investigative Review Board prior to the 
obligation or expenditure of funds for major technology 
projects.
    Section 210 requires the Department to follow reprogramming 
procedures prior to any deviation from the program amounts 
specified in this title or the reuse of specified deobligated 
funds provided in previous years.
    Section 211 prohibits the use of funds for OMB Circular A-
76 competitions for work performed by employees of the Bureau 
of Prisons or of the Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated.
    Section 212 prohibits U.S. Attorneys from simultaneously 
holding multiple jobs outside of the scope of a U.S. Attorney's 
professional duties.
    Section 213 permits up to 3 percent of grant and 
reimbursement program funds made available to the Office of 
Justice Programs to be used for training and technical 
assistance, permits up to 2 percent of grant and reimbursement 
program funds made available to that office to be transferred 
to the National Institute of Justice or the Bureau of Justice 
Statistics for criminal justice research and statistics, and 
permits up to 7 percent of discretionary grant and 
reimbursement program funds made available to OJP to be used 
for tribal criminal justice assistance. The Committee continues 
to strongly support efforts to help tribes improve the capacity 
of their criminal justice systems.
    Section 214 gives the Attorney General the authority to 
waive matching requirements for Second Chance Act adult and 
juvenile reentry demonstration projects; State, tribal and 
local reentry courts; and drug treatment programs.
    Section 215 waives the requirement that the Attorney 
General reserve certain funds from amounts provided for 
offender incarceration.
    Section 216 prohibits funds, other than funds for the 
national instant criminal background check system established 
under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, from being 
used to facilitate the transfer of an operable firearm to a 
known or suspected agent of a drug cartel where law enforcement 
personnel do not continuously monitor or control such firearm.
    Section 217 requires the Department to provide documents to 
the Inspector General that are necessary as part of audits and 
investigations.
    Section 218 exempts the penalties required by the Prison 
Rape Elimination Act on certain grant programs for 1 year.
    Section 219 permits the Department of Justice to 
participate in Performance Partnership Pilot collaboration 
programs.

                               TITLE III

                                SCIENCE

                Office of Science and Technology Policy

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $5,555,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       5,566,000
House Allowance.........................................       5,555,000
Committee recommendation................................       5,555,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $5,555,000 for the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy. The recommendation is 
the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $11,000 
below the budget request.
    The Office of Science and Technology Policy [OSTP] was 
created by the National Science and Technology Policy, 
Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-282) 
and coordinates science and technology policy for the White 
House. OSTP provides scientific and technological information, 
analysis, and advice for the President and the executive 
branch; participates in the formulation, coordination, and 
implementation of national and international policies and 
programs that involve science and technology; maintains and 
promotes the health and vitality of the U.S. science and 
technology infrastructure; reviews and analyzes, with the 
Office of Management and Budget, the research and development 
budgets for all Federal agencies; and coordinates research and 
development efforts of the Federal Government to maximize the 
return on the public's investment in science and technology and 
to ensure Federal resources are used efficiently and 
appropriately.
    Open Access to Federal Research.--The Committee has 
received reports by OSTP on the progress of all Federal 
agencies in developing and implementing policies to increase 
public access to federally funded scientific research. To date, 
OSTP and OMB have given approval to 14 departments and 
agencies' public access plans, with 13 of the 14 currently 
publically available and another to be made available in the 
near future. The Committee is pleased by the progress being 
made, but had previously instructed OSTP in fiscal year 2015 to 
have all relevant departments and agencies' plans approved by 
the end of calendar year 2014 with implementation occurring by 
early calendar year 2015. Unfortunately, six departments and 
agencies have yet to have their plans receive final approval in 
order to move toward implementation. OSTP is directed to 
continue providing quarterly reports to the Committee in order 
to keep Congress apprised of the remaining progress that needs 
to be made in making federally funded research accessible to 
the public as expeditiously as possible.
    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
Education.--Within the fiscal year 2016 budget request, the 
administration has again proposed a government-wide 
consolidation of STEM education programs.
    The Committee continues to support effective mission-
oriented STEM education programs at NASA, NOAA, and NIST within 
this bill, and encourages OSTP to work with non-Federal 
education and outreach communities to present a proposal that 
supports efficiencies while garnering wider support. In seeking 
efficiencies for STEM programs, OSTP and its partners should be 
mindful of ensuring that scientists supported by the Federal 
Government are not absolved of responsibility to educate and 
train the next generation. OSTP should also take care to 
preserve effective training and education programs designed to 
directly fulfill the unique STEM-related mission needs of the 
agencies administering them.

             National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Appropriations, 2015.................................... $18,010,200,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................  18,529,100,000
House allowance.........................................  18,529,100,000
Committee recommendation................................  18,289,500,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $18,289,500,000 for 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]. The 
recommendation is $279,300,000 above the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and $239,600,000 below the budget request.
    NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space 
Act of 1958 (Public Law 85-568) to conduct space and 
aeronautical research and development and to conduct flight 
activities for peaceful purposes. NASA's unique mission of 
exploration, discovery, and innovation is intended to preserve 
the United States' role as both a leader in world aviation and 
as the pre-eminent space-faring nation. It is NASA's mission 
to: advance the human and robotic exploration, use and 
development of space; advance and communicate scientific 
knowledge and understanding of the Earth, the solar system, and 
the universe; and research, develop, verify, and transfer 
advanced aeronautics and space technologies.
    For Science, the Committee's recommendation strives to keep 
NASA's near-term launches on track to continue progress in 
exploring our solar system and the universe, understanding the 
sun, and observing and protecting our planet. The Committee 
expects NASA to continue making progress on the recommendations 
of National Academies' decadal surveys, now and in the future.
    The Committee believes this bill represents a solid path 
forward for human spaceflight that reaches beyond low-Earth 
orbit with affordable crew and launch vehicles; invests in the 
burgeoning domestic launch industry that is bringing cargo, and 
eventually crew, to the International Space Station [ISS]; and 
supports NASA science and technology programs. These elements 
should be viewed as complementary pieces of a balanced whole.
    NASA utilizes a broad variety of launch vehicles, from 
suborbital to heavy configurations, in order to successfully 
execute its missions. The Committee encourages NASA to choose 
those launch vehicles that prioritize their manifests such that 
NASA has a high confidence level that missions can be reliably 
launched on schedule. NASA is directed to continue providing 
the Committee with a quarterly launch schedule, by mission, 
that describes risks associated with launch delays due to 
problems with the launch vehicle; impacts of launch delays to 
other missions in the launch queue, and a budget estimate of 
the anticipated carrying costs for missed launch windows.
    The Committee is supportive of NASA's STEM education 
efforts that provide hands-on learning experiences at NASA 
centers for middle, high school, and college students, 
including space launch activities. These types of programs 
allow students to experience the full range of STEM related 
skills involved in designing, testing, and launching vehicles 
and payloads to deepen their interest in science and 
engineering fields.
    The Committee is counting on NASA to maintain focus on 
improving oversight and accountability throughout the agency. 
NASA's acquisition management continues to be on the Government 
Accountability Office's [GAO] ``high risk'' list. The Committee 
notes that NASA is making progress in strengthening financial 
management. GAO's most recent assessment of NASA's large-scale 
projects found the agency's cost and schedule performance on 
major projects has improved since GAO's first assessment in 
2009. The average cost overrun is down from 4 percent to 3 
percent, while average launch delays are down from 4 months to 
under 3 months. NASA is directed to cooperate fully and to 
provide timely program analysis, evaluation data, and relevant 
information to the GAO so that GAO can report to Congress 
shortly after the annual budget submission of the President and 
semiannually thereafter on the status of large-scale NASA 
programs, projects, and activities based on its review of this 
information.
    In addition, NASA is directed to include in its budget 
justification the reserve assumed by NASA to be necessary 
within the amount proposed for each directorate, theme, 
program, project, and activity, or, if the proposed funding 
level for a directorate, theme, program, project, or activity 
is based on confidence level budgeting, the confidence level 
assumed in the proposed funding level.
    This bill makes tough choices in order to afford a balanced 
space program. To do that, the Committee was informed by the 
priorities of the Senate as well as the administration. 
However, the Committee does not always agree with the 
administration. The Committee grants NASA flexibility to craft 
spending plans that manage funds appropriately and, where 
necessary, address funding shortfalls that were not foreseen by 
the Congress or the agency prior to passage of annual 
appropriations. However, that latitude should not be viewed as 
a license to disregard the Congress' direction about where 
limited resources should be spent. The Federal funding 
priorities for NASA set forth in this bill should not be 
interpreted as a suggestion from the Committee; rather they 
should be interpreted like any other statutory requirement 
levied upon NASA. The Committee objects to NASA's efforts in 
recent fiscal years to redirect funding away from priorities 
clearly set by the Congress in law. NASA's continued use of 
section 505 of this bill in this manner will result in limited 
funding flexibility in the future.
    The Committee has chosen to articulate the funding levels 
of programs, where appropriate, in the form of tables and, if 
necessary, supplemented with explanatory report language.

                                SCIENCE

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $5,244,700,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   5,288,600,000
House allowance.........................................   5,237,500,000
Committee recommendation................................   5,295,000,000

    The Committee provides $5,295,000,000 for Science, which is 
$50,300,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$6,400,000 above the budget request. The Science account 
encompasses: Earth Science, Planetary Science, Astrophysics, 
the James Webb Space Telescope, Heliophysics, and Education. 
This funding seeks to answer fundamental questions concerning 
the ways in which Earth's climate is changing; the comparison 
of Earth with other planets in the solar system and around 
other stars; the connections between the Sun and Earth; and the 
origin and evolution of planetary systems, the galaxy, and the 
universe, including the origin and distribution of life in the 
universe. These objectives are assisted by input from the 
scientific community through decadal surveys and are achieved 
through robotic flight missions, ground-based scientific 
research and data analysis, and the development of new 
technologies for future missions. NASA shall continue its 
progress toward implementing decadal surveys in Earth Science, 
Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics, including 
recommendations for large, flagship projects and small and 
medium sized missions.

                                 SCIENCE
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earth Science..........................................        1,931,600
Planetary Science......................................        1,321,000
Astrophysics...........................................          730,600
James Webb Space Telescope.............................          620,000
Heliophysics...........................................          649,800
Education..............................................           42,000
                                                        ----------------
      Total, Science...................................        5,295,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Earth Science.--The recommendation includes $1,931,600,000 
for Earth Science, including $100,000,000 to continue 
formulation and development of Landsat-9 as a copy of Landsat-
8. The Committee has not provided funding for an additional 
free flying thermal infrared instrument ahead of Landsat-9. 
Rather, NASA is directed to maintain a target launch date for 
Landsat-9 of 2020 so that the risk of losing the 16-day revisit 
cycle is minimized by having Landsat-9 on orbit before Landsat-
7 fails. The recommendation also includes $75,000,000 for the 
Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and Ocean Ecosystem [PACE] mission. The 
Committee expects NASA to clarify the proposed cost baseline 
for PACE, including the treatment of science operations and the 
science definition team's instrument recommendations.
    Planetary Science.--The Committee supports Planetary 
Science at $1,321,000,000, including the request level of 
$228,000,000 for the Mars 2020 Rover, $50,000,000 for Near 
Earth Object Observations within Planetary Science Research, 
and $189,700,000 for the Origins Spectral Interpretation 
Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer. The 
recommendation also includes $7,000,000 for New Frontiers 
Future Missions, which is $5,000,000 above the request, to 
enable NASA to accelerate the next New Frontiers Announcement 
of Opportunity to a date before February 1, 2016. The Committee 
welcomes the rendezvous of New Horizons with Pluto scheduled 
for July 14, 2015, and encourages NASA to continue the momentum 
generated by this mission to carry over for future research on 
the outer planets, including Uranus. The Committee supports 
Advanced Sterling Radioisotope Generator research and 
development to enable planetary and other science research.
    Europa.--A mission to Europa represents one of the highest 
large mission priorities of the Planetary Science Decadal 
Survey, and NASA announced in May 2015 the selection of nine 
scientific instruments that will enable this mission. As one of 
these top priorities, Europa also presents NASA with an 
opportunity to capitalize on investments it has made in 
producing a heavy lift launch vehicle capability. The Committee 
believes that any ongoing planning for a Europa mission should 
seek to maximize the scientific return for this mission and 
also utilize the capabilities of NASA's own heavy lift launch 
vehicle. The Committee directs NASA, in setting the baseline 
Europa mission highlighted in the decadal survey, to use the 
Space Launch System as the launch vehicle.
    Astrophysics.--Within funds provided to advance scientific 
knowledge of the origins of the universe, the Committee 
provides $98,300,000 for the Hubble Space Telescope and 
$85,200,000 for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared 
Astronomy [SOFIA], and $90,000,000 for the Wide-Field Infrared 
Survey Telescope [WFIRST].
    Hubble Space Telescope.--2015 marked the 25th Anniversary 
of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble has made 
more than 1,200,000 observations and has rewritten the 
astronomy textbooks, from revealing the age of the universe to 
discovering that the universe is expanding spurred on by dark 
energy. Astronomers using Hubble data have published more than 
12,800 scientific papers, including research that led to a 
Nobel Prize in Physics. Hubble's incredible scientific 
productivity would not have been possible without five repair 
missions that gave Hubble a new contact lens and, ultimately, 
new gyroscopes and more powerful instruments. Hubble's 
productivity will live on well beyond the telescope because of 
its well-managed archives containing more than 100 terabytes of 
data are free and available to the world on the Internet so 
researchers, teachers, and students around the world can access 
its observations, along with those of other telescopes 
including Spitzer and NASA's next generation of telescopes, 
such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
    SOFIA.--The Committee includes the full budget request for 
SOFIA, a program that had been previously proposed for 
cancellation in fiscal year 2015 after operations began in May 
2014. The Committee understands NASA is now proposing a Senior 
Review panel evaluation of the program's scientific 
productivity in 2016, 3 years ahead of schedule. Typically, a 
NASA program is given 4 to 5 years to prove the merit of its 
science before undergoing a Senior Review. Therefore, the 
Committee directs that any early Senior Review of SOFIA shall 
only be for the purposes of allowing SOFIA to undergo such a 
review in preparation for future evaluation and that the 
results of this review shall not be used to justify early 
cancellation.
    WFIRST Science Mission.--The Committee has provided funding 
for completion of pre-formulation and initiation of formulation 
of the WFIRST mission using the Astrophysics Focused Telescope 
Assets, with the goal of completing Key Decision Point-A no 
later than January 15, 2016. The Committee has accelerated this 
key mission recommended by the decadal survey and expects it to 
achieve overlap and scientific synergy with Hubble and the 
James Webb Space Telescope, including linking science 
operations and the science archive.
    James Webb Space Telescope.--The Committee maintains strong 
support for the completion of the James Webb Space Telescope 
[JWST], and provides $620,000,000, the same as the budget 
request. JWST has reached a level of development where 100 
percent of the telescope's mass is now beyond Key Decision 
Point-C, a milestone that indicates that significant progress 
has been made towards its 2018 launch date. The bill maintains 
an overall development cost ceiling for JWST at $8,000,000,000, 
and the Committee intends to hold NASA and its contractors to 
that commitment. The Committee expects to be kept fully 
informed on issues relating to program and risk management, 
achievement of cost and schedule goals, and the program's 
technical status. The Committee appreciates GAO's continuing 
work to monitor JWST progress, costs, and schedule.
    Explorers.--Small- and medium-sized Explorer missions have 
been recognized by decadal surveys as missions that meet 
multiple goals of providing frequent flight opportunities; 
allowing students and Principal Investigators to gain hands on 
flight experience; responding rapidly to new developments in 
science; providing pathfinders for larger missions; and 
providing value when comparing science productivity to cost. 
The Committee continues its strong support of Astrophysics and 
Heliophysics Explorers and expects NASA to provide adequate 
resources within the amount provided to increase frequency of 
Explorer Announcements of Opportunity [AO]. Explorer AOs should 
occur at least every 3 years, and NASA's goal should be to 
increase the frequency to every 2 years.
    Solar Probe Plus.--The Committee provides $230,400,000 for 
the Solar Probe Plus mission, the same as the budget request. 
The Committee strongly affirms its multiyear commitment to a 
2018 launch for the solar probe plus mission and fully expects 
that all future NASA budget submissions will adhere to a 
funding profile that guarantees a 2018 launch.
    Science Mission Directorate, Education.--Within 
Astrophysics, the request includes $20,000,000 for education 
funding within the Science Mission Directorate [SMD], which is 
$22,000,000 below the fiscal year 2015 level. For fiscal year 
2016, the Committee provides no less than $42,000,000 for 
education as reflected in a more transparent single line within 
the SMD funding chart. This includes the $20,000,000 education 
funding included in the budget submission within the 
Astrophysics program. However, the Committee supports the 
recommendation that the Astrophysics program administer this 
SMD-wide education funding. The Committee encourages NASA to 
prioritize funding for on-going education efforts linked 
directly to its science missions and to encourage SMD-funded 
investigators to be directly involved in outreach and education 
efforts. The Committee notes that the $42,000,000 is well below 
the authorized mandate that 1 percent of all NASA science funds 
are allocated to education-related efforts. Thus, this amount 
does not represent a cumulative total of all on-going and 
longstanding education activities that will be conducted 
throughout SMD in fiscal year 2016.

                              AERONAUTICS

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $651,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     571,400,000
House allowance.........................................     600,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     524,700,000

    The Committee provides $524,700,000 for Aeronautics, which 
is $126,300,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$46,700,000 below the budget request. The Aeronautics account 
funds research in key areas related to the development of 
advanced aircraft technologies and systems, including those 
related to aircraft safety, environmental compatibility and 
fuel efficiency, and research that supports the Next Generation 
Air Transportation System in partnership with the Joint 
Planning and Development Office.
    The Committee recommendation supports the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level for the Advanced Composites Project within the 
Advanced Air Vehicles Program.
    Unmanned Aerial Systems.--The Committee notes that 
integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems [UAS] into the National 
Airspace System [NAS] remains a national priority with the 
potential to increase public safety and bring economic benefits 
to a wide range of industries. The Federal Aviation 
Administration [FAA] has designated six sites it will use to 
conduct research into safety standards and technology necessary 
to safely integrate UAS into the NAS. NASA Aeronautics research 
plays a critical role in the NAS, contributing capabilities 
that reduce technical barriers related to safety and 
operational challenges. The Committee supports UAS and its 
related activities, including the UAS traffic management 
program, as a key component to the NAS. NASA is directed to 
coordinate its UAS activities with FAA and to utilize the six 
FAA test sites to the greatest extent possible to ensure the 
safest and most efficient integration of these platforms into 
the NAS. As this effort moves forward, the Committee directs 
NASA, in cooperation with the FAA, to provide the Committee 
with a coordinated research plan for UAS integration, including 
testing, analysis and assessments.

                            SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $596,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     724,800,000
House allowance.........................................     625,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     600,000,000

    The Committee provides $600,000,000 for Space Technology, 
which is $4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $124,800,000 below the budget request. The Space Technology 
Program funds basic research that can advance multi-purpose 
technologies to enable new approaches to NASA's current 
missions. It includes NASA's Small Business Innovative Research 
[SBIR] and Small Business Technology Transfer [STTR] programs.
    Satellite Servicing/RESTORE-L.--The Committee recommends 
$150,000,000 for satellite servicing to continue the pathfinder 
mission [RESTORE-L] to refuel Landsat-7 or another U.S. 
Government-owned satellite in low-Earth orbit no later than 
2019. The Committee has chosen to fund Satellite Servicing's 
RESTORE-L mission within Space Technology. Pathfinder 
technologies were funded and proven on the International Space 
Station. The Committee recommendation includes funding for a 
full-scale, standalone demonstration which will benefit 
multiple NASA mission directorates and, therefore, is more 
appropriately funded within Space Technology. The mission shall 
be co-managed and led by the Science Mission Directorate.
    In allocating funding for RESTORE-L, NASA shall not include 
amounts carried over from previous fiscal years. The Committee 
has also included bill language for this initiative so it 
continues in a timely fashion and to avoid lingering drains on 
satellite servicing funds that have been diverted to other 
purposes in earlier years. Celebrations of the 25th anniversary 
of the Hubble Space Telescope demonstrated the value of repair, 
upgrades, and life extension for productive but expensive 
Government-owned space assets. Given constraints imposed by the 
Budget Control Act, satellite servicing offers a unique and 
valuable means to stagger the capital requirements for new 
satellites by significantly extending the useful life of 
existing ones. The funds set aside for the RESTORE-L Pathfinder 
mission should lead to the immediate funding of efforts to 
formulate a rapid mission, done in partnership with and 
overseen by NASA's existing satellite servicing expertise. The 
Administrator shall furnish the Committee with a written 
schedule to accomplish the execution of RESTORE-L not later 
than 30 days after the enactment of this act.
    Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR].--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of the SBIR program and its previous 
success in commercialization of results from federally funded 
research and development projects. The SBIR program encourages 
domestic small businesses to engage in Federal research and 
development, and creates jobs. The Committee therefore directs 
NASA to place an increased focus on awarding SBIR awards to 
firms with fewer than 50 employees.
    Flight Opportunities.--Within the funds provided for 
Crosscutting Space Technology Development, the Committee 
provides $20,000,000 for Flight Opportunities. The Committee 
notes that NASA initiated a program during fiscal year 2015 to 
promote the development of nano-launch orbital capabilities 
within Flight Opportunities, and directs NASA to further pursue 
the design and development of an affordable system that can 
carry nanosatellites to low-Earth orbit from within the funds 
provided.

                              EXPLORATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $4,356,700,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   4,504,400,000
House allowance.........................................   4,759,300,000
Committee recommendation................................\1\3,831,200,000

\1\For fiscal year 2016, the Exploration account does not include funds 
for Commercial Crew, which are now located under ISS Crew and Cargo 
transportation in the Space Operations account.

    The Committee provides $3,831,200,000 for Exploration, 
which is $525,500,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $673,200,000 below the budget request. The Exploration 
account funds the capabilities required to develop, 
demonstrate, and deploy the transportation, life support, and 
surface systems that will enable sustained human presence 
beyond low-Earth orbit and throughout the solar system. The 
Committee believes the Nation deserves a safe and robust human 
spaceflight program to explore beyond low-Earth orbit.

                               EXPLORATION
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Space Launch System....................................        1,900,000
Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle.......................        1,200,000
Exploration Ground Systems.............................          410,000
Exploration Research and Development...................          321,200
                                                        ----------------
      TOTAL............................................        3,831,200
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Space Launch System [SLS], Orion multi-purpose crew 
vehicle [Orion], and Exploration ground systems are all 
critical to the timely and successful initial launch of 
Exploration Mission-1 [EM-1]. To date, both SLS and Exploration 
ground systems have completed Key Decision Point-C reviews, and 
Orion is expected to complete its review in the third quarter 
of 2015. Once that point is reached, NASA intends to develop an 
integrated schedule by the end of calendar year 2015 that will 
solidify the schedule for EM-1, and provide the necessary 
guidance to ensure EM-1 is launched as early in 2018 as 
possible.
    The Committee continues to be disappointed that the funding 
requested by NASA for SLS and Orion once again bears little 
relation to necessary funding levels or to amounts provided in 
previous years. The lack of support for these programs 
indicates that NASA is allowing an artificially low development 
funding profile and inefficient decision processes to create 
unnecessary risks to the EM-1 schedule. The Committee has 
repeatedly been compelled to provide appropriate funding to 
keep the human exploration program from incurring costly 
setbacks and to maintain development schedules. Continued 
insufficient funding proposals from NASA for all aspects of 
related to EM-1 and its crewed follow on test flight will only 
lead to cost escalation and unnecessary schedule delays that 
will then have to be addressed in future budget years.
    Space Launch System.--The Committee reiterates its 
unwavering support of the Space Launch System [SLS] and the 
ability for SLS to open the human exploration of space to a 
wide range of missions. SLS is the heavy lift launch vehicle 
that will allow NASA to enable humans to explore space beyond 
low-Earth orbit. Its ability to be configured for lifting as 
much as 130 metric tons also enables a broad range of both 
human and scientific missions. From the goal of landing humans 
on Mars, to robotically visiting Europa and other celestial 
bodies, no other currently available or planned launch vehicle 
possesses the versatility that SLS will have to accomplish such 
a diverse range of NASA missions.
    SLS has successfully passed its Key Decision Point-C [KDP-
C] milestone and the program is diligently working towards its 
first flight in 2018. While KDP-C defines a readiness date of 
November 2018, the current progress of SLS will result in the 
vehicle being delivered ahead of its planned schedule.
    The Committee finds that the budgetary resources provided 
for SLS in the fiscal year 2016 budget request are insufficient 
and do not take into account the current management schedule 
for flight readiness, nor does the funding level present a path 
forward beyond EM-1. In February 2015, the U.S. Government 
Accountability Office [GAO] reported that NASA's cost estimates 
for both SLS and Orion do not extend beyond the first flight of 
the combined system. GAO further reported that NASA's budget 
estimates do not include the development costs for upper-stage 
development for SLS or production costs for the second test 
flight scheduled for 2021. GAO also stated that NASA's funding 
requests do not meet SLS program requirements. While the 
Committee has chosen to correct the funding shortfalls in 
fiscal year 2016, NASA is directed to address these issues 
identified by GAO in future budget submissions.
    The Committee is concerned that NASA will attempt to take 
the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage [ICPS] that will be used 
for EM-1 and create a human rated variant. In doing so, NASA 
would spend $150,000,000 to develop a human rated engine that 
would be used only once, before being replaced by the 
Exploration Upper Stage [EUS]. Such planning wastes valuable 
time and funding resources that should be used for developing 
the EUS from the beginning so that it will be available for all 
crewed SLS missions.
    To ensure proper funding, the Committee provides 
$1,900,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 for SLS, with no less than 
$100,000,000 provided for the direct development of the EUS to 
be used for EM-2. This funding level is necessary in order for 
the SLS to continue its progress towards a successful EM-1 
launch as early as possible in 2018, to facilitate development 
of essential EUS propulsion hardware, and to begin the 
procurement process of long lead items for a crewed launch in 
2021.
    Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle [Orion].--Orion is the 
Nation's next human exploration vehicle designed to carry 
astronauts to deep space destinations, provide emergency abort 
capability, sustain the crew, and provide a safe return to 
Earth. In December 2014, Orion completed a successful test 
flight that proved its development was on schedule and that the 
vehicle is capable of performing in the space and reentry 
environments it will encounter on deep space missions. Orion is 
an essential component of NASA's human exploration goals that 
extend beyond low-Earth orbit.
    However, in the same report by GAO that cited issues with 
funding levels for SLS, GAO also concluded that NASA is not 
budgeting for the production, operations, and sustainment costs 
associated with Orion beyond this first successful test flight. 
GAO has found that technical risks and budgetary uncertainty 
threaten Orion's future success. Moreover, current NASA plans 
lack sufficient requests for funding needed to build and test 
systems essential for crew such as environmental control, life 
support, and critical displays. The Committee looks forward to 
a successful result for Orion's KDP-C review and consistent 
with previous appropriations acts, has provided $1,200,000,000 
for Orion which is $103,700,000 above the fiscal year 2016 
request to continue its progress toward a successful EM-1 
flight as early in 2018 as possible.
    Joint Confidence Level [JCL].--To ensure that NASA follows 
its own guidance and does not require SLS and Orion to incur a 
higher risk profile than other major missions, the bill directs 
NASA to formulate a reliable and realistic JCL. In doing so, 
NASA shall provide the Committee with an annual budget profile 
based upon NASA's own 70 percent JCL standard which is to be 
submitted concurrently with the annual budget submission. Any 
JCL that is less than 70 percent shall be justified and 
documented, and NASA shall still provide the Committee with the 
full cost estimates that would be needed to achieve a 70 
percent JCL.
    Testing Infrastructure.--The Committee encourages NASA to 
develop plans to fully utilize NASA-owned rocket testing 
infrastructure for commercially developed launch vehicles to 
ensure that these vehicles are not only tested in the same 
manner as Government-developed launch vehicles but at the same 
facilities to ensure consistency in testing across all 
potential vehicles.
    Advanced Exploration Systems.--Within Exploration Research 
and Development, the Committee recommends the request level for 
Advanced Exploration Systems. The Committee encourages NASA to 
continue to develop and test technology for supporting human 
spaceflight, including habitat systems such as the Exploration 
Augmentation Module.

                            SPACE OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $3,827,800,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   4,005,200,000
House allowance.........................................   3,957,300,000
Committee recommendation................................\1\4,756,400,000

\1\For fiscal year 2016, the ISS Crew and Cargo transportation activity 
includes funds for Commercial Crew, which had previously been provided 
under the Exploration account.

    The Committee provides $4,756,400,000 for Space Operations, 
which is $928,600,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $751,200,000 above the budget request. The Space Operations 
account funds the International Space Station [ISS], and the 
supporting functions required to conduct operations in space. 
The ISS is a complex of research laboratories in low-Earth 
orbit in which American, Russian, Canadian, European, and 
Japanese astronauts are conducting unique scientific and 
technological investigations in a microgravity environment.
    Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the Committee has chosen to 
fund all activities related to the ISS within the same account 
to consolidate funding required for the supply and operation of 
this national asset and to allow the ISS to be managed as a 
whole program, within the budgetary resources provided. This 
realignment and unification of ISS activities will allow NASA's 
programs associated with operating the ISS, developing crew 
capabilities, and supporting human activity in low-Earth orbit, 
to be analyzed and evaluated in its entirety. This budgetary 
adjustment will only affect the structure of ISS-related 
funding and will not alter the many aspects of the ISS program, 
or its management structures that are currently in place within 
Human Exploration and Operations.
    International Space Station [ISS].--The Committee provides 
$3,951,600,000 for the ISS Program, which is comprised of: ISS 
Operations; ISS Research; and ISS Crew and Cargo Services.
    This Committee has consistently supported the construction 
and operation of the ISS on the premise that it would support 
world-class science conducted by the United States, as well as 
our international partners. The Committee encourages NASA to 
work with its international partners to support the ISS through 
2024, to maintain a high level of safety, and maximize the 
return of scientific research. In addition, the Committee 
considers astronaut safety its highest priority and NASA must 
ensure that safety standards for transportation are not 
compromised as NASA begins to replace its reliance on existing 
Russian capabilities with purchasing services from domestic 
crew transportation providers.
    ISS Crew and Cargo Transportation.--The Committee 
recommends $2,505,500,000 for ISS cargo resupply and crew 
transportation, including $900,000,000 for development 
milestone payments to U.S.-based ISS Crew providers, which had 
previously been accounted for within the Exploration account.
    The Committee notes that the initial rounds of development 
funding for ISS Crew capabilities represented a $1,900,000,000 
investment prior to awarding another $6,800,000,000 in 
potential payments for two ISS Crew providers to finish 
development of their vehicles and conduct initial flights. At 
the end of this final round of vehicle development and testing 
of this capability, NASA will have paid a total of 
$8,700,000,000 to conduct a competition between several 
companies. This substantial investment from the Federal 
Government comes prior to NASA purchasing future crew services 
for the ISS from these domestic providers.
    It is incumbent that these funds are regularly reviewed 
given the significant sums being invested by NASA. To date, 
milestones intended to show progress in the development of the 
ISS Crew capability have already begun to be delayed. More 
technically challenging milestone completion dates are about to 
be reached or may be potentially postponed further. It is the 
intent of the Committee to continue to closely monitor and 
review progress of the ISS Crew capability through the 
quarterly reports that are provided by NASA.
    Furthermore, NASA issued a notice of intent on February 6, 
2015, to purchase another six seats from the Russians during 
the 2018-2019 time period. While NASA appears to be protecting 
its access to ISS, the Committee notes NASA has consistently 
stated that domestically launched crew transportation 
capabilities will be ready during this time period so that the 
United States can end our reliance on such vehicles. 
Particularly concerning is that the notice of intent 
specifically states that ``NASA needs to secure crew 
transportation with a known reliable provider to ensure a 
continued U.S. presence aboard the ISS.'' Such statements are 
deeply concerning and indicate that even NASA, which has 
continual insight and oversight of the ISS crew program, does 
not have confidence that even with significant financial and 
technical support, the availability of a reliable domestic ISS 
crew capability by 2017 is guaranteed.
    The Committee has provided the requested amount for ISS 
Cargo in anticipation that during fiscal year 2016, the 
companies contracted to provide cargo services will be capable 
of delivering cargo to, and returning it from, the ISS, 
consistent with current agreements.
    21st Century Launch Complex Program.--The Committee 
provides $30,300,000 for the 21st Century Space Launch Complex, 
which is $7,000,000 above the request. The Committee is 
concerned about the ability of commercial space launch 
providers to plan for the future, given the preponderance of 
funding that is dedicated from the 21st Century Space Launch 
Complex to the facilities at Kennedy Space Center. The 
program's authorized purposes include projects at all NASA-
owned launch facilities. The Committee directs that any new 
Commercial Space Flight infrastructure investment proposals for 
the 21st Century Space Launch Complex program take into account 
the cargo mission needs also demonstrated at the Wallops Flight 
Facility [WFF], which is expected to complete repairs on the 
launch pad and return to flight in fiscal year 2016. There are 
now growing capacity issues at WFF that, if not resolved, could 
soon prevent the center from taking on small and large missions 
due to limitations associated with facilities related to 
spacecraft processing and fueling. Therefore, the Committee 
provides the increased funding to fill maintenance gaps at the 
WFF launch complex, and further directs NASA to take into 
consideration the full potential of all NASA-owned launch 
complexes.
    Space Communications.--The Committee recognizes and 
appreciates the complexities involved in sustaining NASA's Near 
Earth, Space, and Deep Space communications networks and 
infrastructure that support NASA's scientific and exploration 
activities. The Committee directs NASA to develop a plan, 
budget, and timeline for sustainment of the existing network 
and infrastructure upgrades within 180 days of enactment of 
this act.

                               EDUCATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $119,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      88,900,000
House allowance.........................................     119,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     108,000,000

    The Committee provides $108,000,000 for Education, which is 
$11,000,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$19,100,000 above the budget request. The Education account 
funds science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] 
education activities to educate and inspire our next generation 
of explorers and innovators.

                                EDUCATION
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Committee
                                                          recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Space Grant........................................          40,000
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research..          18,000
Minority University Research and Education Program......          30,000
STEM Education and Accountability Projects..............          20,000
                                                         ---------------
    TOTAL...............................................         108,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Space Grant.--The Committee provides $40,000,000 for Space 
Grant, and directs NASA to support an extension of the current 
Space Grant program, and to allocate the entire funding amount 
for consortia-led institutions in all 52 participating 
jurisdictions according to the percentage allocation provided 
to States in the current 5-year grant award.
    The Committee is supportive of independent evaluations to 
assess effectiveness of NASA programs, but cautions that NASA 
should not use the evaluation process to preemptively interrupt 
ongoing activities.
    STEM Education and Accountability Program.--The Committee 
provides up to $10,000,000 for the Competitive Program for 
Science, Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitors Centers within 
the STEM Education and Accountability Program [SEAP]. This 
competitive grant program creates interactive exhibits, 
professional development activities, and community-based 
programs to engage students, teachers, and the public in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

                 SAFETY, SECURITY, AND MISSION SERVICES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $2,758,900,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   2,843,100,000
House allowance.........................................   2,768,600,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,784,000,000

    The Committee provides $2,784,000,000 for Safety, Security, 
and Mission Services, which is $25,100,000 above the fiscal 
year 2015 enacted level and $59,100,000 below the budget 
request. The Safety, Security, and Mission Services account 
funds agency management, including headquarters and each of the 
nine NASA field centers, as well as the design and execution of 
non-programmatic Construction of Facilities and Environmental 
Compliance and Restoration activities.
    Independent Verification and Validation [IV&V] Program.--
Within the amounts provided for cross-agency support, the 
Committee recommends $39,100,000 for NASA's IV&V Program.
    Cybersecurity.--The Committee's recommendation includes the 
full request for the Agency Information Technology [IT] 
Services to support shifting NASA's IT model to one that 
enhances cybersecurity with strong governance and strong 
information security practices.
    National Center for Critical Information Processing and 
Storage.--The National Center for Critical Information 
Processing and Storage [NCCIPS], that is managed by NASA, was 
established to consolidate efforts across Federal agencies to 
store and secure data. NCCPS is designed to be a shared 
service, multi-tenant Federal data facility and is currently 
utilized by NASA, the Department of Homeland Security and the 
U.S. Navy. The Committee encourages NASA to make agencies aware 
of NCCIPS capabilities in order to help the Federal Government 
reduce IT costs and more rapidly achieve IT modernization. The 
Committee urges NASA to offer NCCIPS to other agencies in order 
to take full financial advantage of this secure data facility, 
to help the Federal Government reduce IT costs, and to more 
rapidly achieve IT modernization.
    Management Fees.--The Committee is concerned by recent news 
reports suggesting that certain Federal grant and cooperative 
agreement recipients have used management fees inappropriately 
by spending federally awarded funds on, for example, lobbying, 
alcohol, and entertainment. NASA is directed to ensure that all 
funding recipients understand and are in compliance with Office 
of Management and Budget guidance on appropriate uses of such 
funds.

       CONSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND RESTORATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $419,100,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     465,300,000
House allowance.........................................     425,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     352,800,000

    The Committee provides $352,800,000 for Construction and 
Environmental Compliance and Restoration, which is $66,300,000 
below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $112,500,000 below 
the budget request. The Construction and Environmental 
Compliance and Remediation account provides for design and 
execution of programmatic, discrete and minor revitalization, 
construction of facilities projects, facility demolition 
projects, and environmental compliance and remediation 
activities.
    In order to maintain continuity within the projects for 
major construction, NASA shall prioritize available funding 
towards repairs, minor revitalization, and activities that have 
initiated demolition, site preparation, or construction 
activities during previous fiscal years, followed by projects 
that were deferred in previous budget requests and have since 
been requested again for funding in the fiscal year 2016 
request.

                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $37,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      37,400,000
House allowance.........................................      37,400,000
Committee recommendation................................      37,400,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $37,400,000 for the 
Office of Inspector General [OIG], which is $400,000 above the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and the same as the budget 
request. The Office is responsible for promoting efficiency and 
preventing and detecting crime, fraud, waste, and 
mismanagement.

                       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

    The Committee includes bill language regarding the 
availability of funds for certain prizes and for Shuttle 
program closeout activities. In conjunction with the closeout 
activities, NASA shall provide a report, not later than 45 days 
from enactment of this act, which includes a timeline that has 
been coordinated with the Defense Contract Audit Authority to 
conclude these activities as expeditiously as possible.
    The Committee also includes bill language regarding 
transfers of funds between accounts and the NASA spending plan 
for fiscal year 2016.

                      National Science Foundation

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $7,344,205,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   7,723,550,000
House allowance.........................................   7,394,205,000
Committee recommendation................................   7,343,775,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $7,343,775,000 for 
the National Science Foundation [NSF]. The recommendation is 
$430,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and 
$379,775,000 below the budget request.
    The National Science Foundation was established as an 
independent agency by the National Science Foundation Act of 
1950 (Public Law 81-507) and is authorized to support research 
and education programs that promote the progress of science and 
engineering in the United States. The Foundation supports 
research and education in all major scientific and engineering 
disciplines through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, 
and other forms of assistance in all parts of the United 
States. The Foundation also supports unique domestic and 
international large-scale research facilities.

                    RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

Appropriations, 2015....................................  $5,933,645,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   6,186,300,000
House allowance.........................................   5,983,645,000
Committee recommendation................................   5,933,645,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $5,933,645,000. The 
recommendation is the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $252,655,000 below the budget request.
    The Research and Related Activities [R&RA] appropriation 
funds scientific discovery, trains a dynamic workforce, and 
supports broadly accessible state-of-the-art tools and 
facilities. Research activities will contribute to the 
achievement of these outcomes through expansion of the 
knowledge base; integration of research and education; 
stimulation of knowledge transfer between academia and the 
public and private sectors; and international activities, and 
will bring the perspectives of many disciplines to bear on 
complex problems important to the Nation. The Foundation's 
discipline-oriented R&RA account includes: Biological Sciences; 
Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Engineering; 
Geosciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Social, 
Behavioral and Economic Sciences; Office of 
Cyberinfrastructure; Office of International Science and 
Engineering; Office of Polar Programs; Integrative Activities; 
and the U.S. Arctic Research Commission.
    The Committee's fiscal year 2016 recommendation renews its 
support for Federal long-term basic research that has the 
potential to be transformative to our economy and our way of 
life in the context of a stagnant Federal budget.
    Scientific Facilities and Instrumentation.--A critical 
component of the Nation's scientific enterprise is the 
infrastructure that supports researchers in discovery science. 
Investments to advance the frontiers of research and education 
in science and engineering are critical to the Nation's 
innovation enterprise. The Committee encourages the National 
Science Foundation to fully fund its U.S. scientific research 
facilities and instruments to adequately support scientists and 
students engaged in ground-breaking research to maximize 
sustained investments in research.
    Astronomy.--U.S.-based astronomy facilities continue to 
make groundbreaking discoveries and maintain excellent world-
class scientific research even as operating budgets have been 
continually constrained. This area of research is particularly 
important because NSF's network of observatories and its 
individual investigators are significant resources to all 
astronomers, including those from U.S. colleges and 
universities that do not have dedicated observatories. The 
Committee encourages NSF to sustain support for the programs 
and scientific facilities funded by the Astronomical Sciences 
division, including the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. 
NSF is also directed to report to the Committee no later than 1 
year after enactment of this act on a 5-year transition plan 
for the continued use of existing solar observatories. 
Additionally, NSF is expected to request sufficient funding to 
maintain operations at both new and existing observatories as 
additional facilities come online in future years.
    Super Computing Planning.--The National Research Council 
[NRC] is in the process of finalizing their report on advanced 
computing infrastructure. This report may be instructive in 
identifying priorities and approaches that NSF can take to 
modernize its high-performance computing infrastructure and 
associated software and applications in order to support 
scientific research and education. The Committee requests that 
NSF, upon reception of the NRC final report, provide the 
Committee with a response to the report and any plans to 
incorporate the recommendations into its approach for 
supercomputing over the next decade.
    Advanced Manufacturing.--The Committee recognizes the 
importance of domestic biomanufacturing to the U.S. economy and 
the considerable investments made by U.S. competitors in this 
field. As part of its Advanced Manufacturing initiative, the 
Committee encourages NSF to include not less than $15,000,000 
for research in biomanufacturing to maintain and advance the 
U.S. global competitiveness in this area.
    Biennial Report by National Science Foundation on Arctic 
Research.--The National Science Foundation chairs the Arctic 
Research Commission [ARC] that is charged with submitting a 
biennial report to the Congress with recommendations of the 
Commission with respect to Federal activities in the Arctic. 
The Committee directs the ARC to have the biennial report 
provided to Congress explain in greater detail the ongoing 
Arctic activities and associated funding of each agency 
represented on the Interagency Arctic Research Policy 
Commission.
    Industrial Innovation and Partnerships [IIP].--Demand for 
steel in the United States has led to this country becoming the 
number one net importer of steel. The Committee remains 
concerned about the U.S. industry's manufacturing ability to 
meet our Nation's steel needs and supports the National Science 
Foundation's Industrial Innovation and Partnerships [IIP] 
program's continued research into the steel industry and its 
capabilities.
    Mathematical Sciences Institutes.-- The Committee 
recognizes the importance of the NSF Mathematical Sciences 
Institutes across the country, which provide important basic 
research across multiple fields.
    Technology Transfer.--The Committee urges the NSF, within 
current authority, to allow public and private nonprofit 
technology transfer organizations that facilitate or accelerate 
commercialization of technologies developed by one or more 
institutions of higher education to apply as principal 
investigators for grants that are focused on commercialization 
of technology.
    Vortex-SE.--The Committee understands that NSF and NOAA 
will conduct a week-long Vortex-SE Science Workshop in 2015 
addressing the questions of tornadic activity as it pertains to 
the southeastern United States. As part of this workshop, a 
timeline for submission of potential designs and science plans 
will be developed to enable this important research campaign to 
proceed. The workshop will also develop preliminary science 
questions, identify emerging beneficial technologies, and 
initiate calls for smaller field programs and research that 
will inform the larger Vortex-SE campaign. The Committee 
expects to be updated, within 90 days of completion of the 
workshop, the progress made, and the preliminary research 
opportunities that will be pursued as the total program takes 
shape. As part of Vortex-SE, the Committee directs NSF to look 
beyond the traditional research disciplines and programs 
utilized in previous Vortex programs and to include and utilize 
the collaborative opportunities of the Prediction of and 
Resilience against Extreme Events [PREEVENTS] program for co-
funding grants that enhance understanding of the fundamental 
natural processes and hazards of tornadoes in the southeast and 
to improve models of these seasonal extreme events. NSF shall 
also continue its coordinated efforts with NOAA to ensure that 
NSF's funded research complements work funded through NOAA.
    Cybersecurity.--The Committee's recommendation includes the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level of $159,000,000 for 
cybersecurity research, including support for core computer 
science research at academic institutions. The discovery and 
innovation in cybersecurity supported by NSF will form the 
intellectual foundations for practical applications that make 
our information networks safer, more secure, and better able to 
predict, resist, repel, and recover from cyber attacks.
    Innovation Corps.--The Committee supports the NSF's request 
to increase funding for the Innovation Corps [I-Corps] program 
to build on the initial successes of its innovative public-
private partnership model. However, the Committee is concerned 
that of the over 577 I-Corps team, site, and node awards to 
date, only six have been made to HBCUs. Failing to include 
HBCUs does little to connect minority-serving institutions to 
local innovation ecosystems that create new economic 
opportunities in all communities. The Committee directs NSF to 
make awards to public and private HBCUs and to find ways to 
encourage greater HBCU participation and success within the I-
Corps program.
    HBCUs Excellence in Research.--HBCUs often lack the human 
capital and research infrastructure to effectively compete for 
Federal research funding. Currently, a very small number of 
HBCU research universities have achieved only modest success in 
winning Federal research dollars.
    With the Committee's urging, NSF has developed some 
research experience programs through its Education and Human 
Resources directorate. However, NSF's primary research 
directorates have a far more anemic track record in this area, 
and the Committee believes this must change in order to 
maximize America's economic competitiveness. In fiscal year 
2015, the Committee directed NSF to convene a high-level panel 
to devise a comprehensive strategy to accelerate significant 
competitive opportunities for HBCUs, enabling them to tap NSF's 
core research directorates rather than its education and human 
resources program base. A report on this strategy, which should 
include measurable milestones, shall be submitted to the 
Committee and made publicly available on its Web site not later 
than 120 days after enactment of this act. Additionally, in 
fiscal year 2016, NSF shall initiate a pilot program setting 
aside up to $10,000,000 for research investment at both public 
and private HBCUs. If recommended by the Excellence in Research 
panel's report, the Committee expects funding for this program 
to be included in NSF's fiscal year 2017 budget request.
    Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability 
[SEES].--The Committee recognizes that the Science, 
Engineering, and Education for Sustainability [SEES] program is 
scheduled to sunset in fiscal year 2017, but encourages NSF to 
continue hazards and disaster research through activities 
associated with the Risk and Resiliency program and to continue 
research on sustainable chemistry, engineering, and materials 
within existing program areas.
    Experimental Program To Stimulate Competitive Research 
[EPSCoR].--Within the amount provided, the Committee provides 
$159,690,000 for EPSCoR, an amount equal to the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level.
    Dyslexia.--The Committee encourages NSF to continue funding 
meritorious research on dyslexia and other learning 
disabilities through the Research on Disabilities Education 
program under the Education and Human Resources Directorate. 
Dyslexia related research grants are expected to fully meet 
NSF's merit review standards and should have a goal of 
practical application.
    Ocean Science Infrastructure.--The Committee supports NSF's 
plan and design for the fleet renewal of Regional Class 
Research Vessels [RCRV] and funds the continuance of this 
activity at not less than the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. 
The Committee directs NSF to diligently work towards submitting 
an RCRV proposal for consideration as a candidate for inclusion 
in a future budget request.
    Icebreakers.--The Committee supports the interagency 
process to develop requirements for a new polar-class 
icebreaker, recognizing the strategic importance of Arctic 
operations to our Nation's future security and prosperity and 
the critical support that such a vessel will provide to NSF's 
research and logistics in Antarctica. NSF is encouraged to work 
with its interagency partners to support this effort.

          MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $200,760,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     200,310,000
House allowance.........................................     200,030,000
Committee recommendation................................     200,310,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $200,310,000 for 
Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction. The 
recommendation is $450,000 below the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and equal to the budget request.
    The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction 
appropriation supports the acquisition, procurement, 
construction, and commissioning of unique national research 
platforms and facilities as well as major research equipment. 
Projects supported by this appropriation will push the 
boundaries of technology and offer significant expansion of 
opportunities for the science and engineering community. 
Preliminary design and development activities, on-going 
operations, and maintenance costs of the facilities are 
provided through the Research and Related Activities 
appropriation account.
    The Committee's recommendation includes funding at the 
requested level: the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope; the 
National Ecological Observatory Network; and the Large Synoptic 
Survey Telescope.

                     EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $866,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     962,570,000
House allowance.........................................     866,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     866,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $866,000,000 for 
this account. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level and $96,570,000 below the budget request.
    The Education and Human Resources appropriation supports a 
comprehensive set of programs across all levels of education in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM]. The 
appropriation supports activities that unite school districts 
with institutions of higher learning to improve precollege 
education. Other precollege activities include the development 
of the next generation of STEM education leaders, instructional 
materials, and the STEM instructional workforce. Undergraduate 
activities support curriculum, laboratory, and instructional 
improvement; expand the STEM talent pool; attract STEM 
participants to teaching; augment advanced technological 
education at 2-year colleges; and develop dissemination tools. 
Graduate support is directed to research and teaching 
fellowships, internships, and instructional workforce 
improvement by linking precollege education systems with higher 
education. Programs also seek to broaden the participation of 
groups underrepresented in the STEM enterprise and promote 
informal science education.
    Committee on STEM Education.--The Committee believes that 
NSF is well suited to handle undergraduate and graduate 
fellowships, internships, and specific grants similar to NSF's 
current mission and, if there are general needs across 
Government, that NSF could similarly serve as a clearinghouse 
for such students. The Committee requests that NSF continue to 
work with OSTP on refining a plan for ways NSF could implement 
a broader program for graduate and undergraduate programs 
across the entire Federal Government, and to identify which 
programs across Government could benefit from such a program.
    Advanced Technological Education.--The Committee provides 
funding for Advanced Technological Education at not less than 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level.
    Robert Noyce Scholarship Program.--The Committee provides 
the budget request level of $60,890,000 for the Robert Noyce 
Scholarship program. This program helps fill the critical need 
for STEM teachers in elementary and secondary schools by 
funding scholarships, stipends, and programmatic support to 
recruit and prepare STEM majors and professionals to become K-
12 teachers. Scholarship and stipend recipients are required to 
complete 2 years of teaching in a high-need school district for 
each year of support.
    CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service.--The CyberCorps: 
Scholarships for Service program helps the Federal Government 
respond to threats to our information technology infrastructure 
by providing scholarships to train cybersecurity professionals. 
In return, scholarship recipients agree to serve in a Federal 
Government agency building the Government's capacity to 
understand, respond to, and prevent cyber threats. More than 
2,359 students have completed the program, which was initiated 
in fiscal year 2001, and over 93 percent of students have been 
placed, serving more than 140 Federal agencies. The Committee 
provides the requested amount of $45,000,000 for the Federal 
Cyber Service: Scholarships for Service program, of which not 
less than $5,000,000 should be used to continue work with 
community colleges that have been designated as a Center of 
Academic Excellence in Information Assurance 2-Year Education 
[CAE2Y] by the National Security Agency and the Department of 
Homeland Security.
    Informal Science Education.--The Committee maintains its 
strong support for NSF's informal science education program and 
supports the requested levels of $60,000,000 for Advancing 
Informal STEM Learning and $51,880,000 for STEM+C Partnerships. 
The Committee encourages the NSF to coordinate and provide 
necessary support for investments in both in and out-of-school 
time STEM education programs across Federal agencies, including 
support for extracurricular STEM programs.
    Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal 
Settings.--As part of the research funded through the DRL, the 
Committee recognizes the importance of out-of-school time STEM 
mentor-led engagement programs, including STEM networks, 
festivals, and competitions. Such programs are highly effective 
in filling the higher education STEM pipeline. The Committee 
urges NSF to focus on populations underrepresented in the STEM 
fields and encourages NSF to fund out-of-school time STEM 
engagement program activities.
    Division on Human Resource Development.--The Committee 
continues its longstanding support for existing initiatives to 
broaden participation in STEM fields and recognizes these 
programs have various purposes and engage students in a 
different manner. The Committee notes that support for these 
programs has stagnated within NSF in spite of increases to the 
overall NSF budget. The Committee recommends $32,000,000 for 
the Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs] 
Undergraduate Program, $8,000,000 for the Alliance for Graduate 
Education and the Professoriate, $46,000,000 for the Louis 
Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation, $13,500,000 for 
the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program, and $24,000,000 
for Centers for Research Excellence in Science and Technology. 
In proposal selection, the Committee encourages NSF to give 
priority to grant proposals that have demonstrated maturity, 
including previous partnerships with other Federal agencies.
    Life STEM.--The Committee believes that without targeted 
interventions at an early age, it will become increasingly 
difficult to guarantee a stable pipeline of minority applicants 
who can become candidates for degrees in STEM-related fields. 
NSF, with its longstanding efforts to examine the means to 
address STEM-related challenges through use of innovative 
intervention, has the ability to best create a pipeline for 
life and bioscience careers for minorities beginning in 
elementary school.
    For this reason, the Committee directs NSF to use up to 
$7,000,000 within existing programs targeting broadening 
participation, particularly at HBCUs, to create effective 
models of intervention to nurture students from elementary 
school through undergraduate studies with an emphasis on life 
sciences. NSF shall update the report previously provided to 
the Committee not later than 180 days from enactment of this 
act for these activities on the prospects for creating a 
mechanism for evaluating effective models of creating or 
retaining pipelines that would increase the numbers of 
underrepresented minorities in advanced science fields 
targeting minority serving institutions with an emphasis on 
life and biosciences, including medicine, that partner with 
elementary, middle and high schools near their institutions.
    Transformative Learning Initiative.--The Committee is aware 
of concerns from the business community that recent college 
graduates are often poorly prepared for the workforce, and 
specifically lack necessary critical thinking, reasoning, and 
problem solving skills. While this problem does not have a 
single source or solution, research suggests that teaching 
methods to increase the chances for students to experience a 
``transformative learning experience'' can both improve subject 
knowledge and boost the critical thinking skills needed in 
today's workplace.
    The Committee also notes that NSF has not yet submitted a 
report on this topic as directed in the fiscal year 2015 bill. 
Within 45 days of enactment, NSF is directed to report to the 
Committee on a description of the agency's existing research on 
transformative learning and professional development 
approaches, particularly within respect to undergraduate 
programs at urban universities and HCBUs. If NSF is not 
currently conducting any transformative learning research or 
education initiatives, then, as part of the report, NSF shall 
provide the Committee with a recommendation on establishing 
such an initiative, including scope and cost.
    Hispanic-Serving Institutions [HSI] Program.--Investment in 
STEM education is vital for American economic competitiveness, 
and Hispanic Americans are underrepresented in science and 
engineering disciplines. The Committee provides $5,000,000 as 
authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1862o-12 for NSF to implement a 
Hispanic-Serving Institutions [HSI] Program that is designed to 
increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of 
Hispanic students pursuing associate or baccalaureate degrees 
in STEM fields.

                 AGENCY OPERATIONS AND AWARD MANAGEMENT

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $325,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     354,840,000
House allowance.........................................     325,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     325,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $325,000,000. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and $29,840,000 below the budget request.
    The appropriation provides salaries and expenses, including 
staff salaries, benefits, travel, training, rent, advisory and 
assistance services, communications and utilities expenses, 
supplies, equipment, and other operating expenses necessary for 
management of the National Science Foundation's research and 
education activities.
    The Committee reiterates its direction to NSF to find 
savings from operating expenses and future headquarters 
planning.
    The Committee reiterates its long-standing requirement that 
NSF submit reprogrammings when initiating new programs or 
activities of more than $500,000 or when reorganizing 
components. The Committee expects to be notified of 
reprogramming actions which involve less than the above-
mentioned amount if such actions would have the effect of 
changing the agency's funding requirements in future years, or 
if programs or projects specifically cited in the Committee's 
reports are affected.
    The Committee is concerned by recent news reports 
suggesting that certain NSF grant and cooperative agreement 
recipients have used management fees inappropriately by 
spending federally awarded funds on, for example, lobbying, 
alcohol, and entertainment. NSF is directed to ensure that all 
funding recipients understand and are in compliance with Office 
of Management and Budget guidance on appropriate uses of such 
funds.

                  OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $4,370,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       4,370,000
House allowance.........................................       4,370,000
Committee recommendation................................       4,370,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $4,370,000. The 
recommendation is the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and equal to the budget request.
    The National Science Board is the governing body of NSF and 
is charged with serving as an independent adviser to the 
President and Congress on policy matters related to science and 
engineering research and education.

                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $14,430,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................      15,160,000
House allowance.........................................      15,160,000
Committee recommendation................................      14,450,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $14,450,000. The 
recommendation is $20,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $710,000 below the budget request.
    The Office of Inspector General appropriation provides 
audit and investigation functions to identify and correct 
deficiencies that could lead to instances of fraud, waste, or 
mismanagement.

                        ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION

    The bill includes one administrative provision to allow 
limited transfers of funds among accounts.

                                TITLE IV

                            RELATED AGENCIES

                       Commission on Civil Rights

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $9,200,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       9,413,000
House allowance.........................................       9,200,000
Committee recommendation................................       9,200,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $9,200,000 for the 
salaries and expenses of the Commission on Civil Rights. The 
recommendation is the same as the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and $213,000 below the budget request.
    State Advisory Committees [SAC].--The Committee is in 
agreement with the Commission on the extension of State 
Advisory Committee charters from 2 to 4 years in length. The 
SACs represent the eyes and ears on the ground for the 
Commission in their respective States. By increasing the length 
of a SAC's charter, each SAC will have more time to conduct 
their work instead of having to regularly spend time preparing 
to have their charters renewed by the Commission.
    GAO findings.--The Committee has become increasingly 
concerned with the Commission's ability to conduct its mission. 
A February 2015 GAO report titled, ``U.S. Commission on Civil 
Rights: Management Improvements Are Needed to Better Achieve 
Its Mission'', cited workforce planning and external 
communications as areas that must be addressed by the 
Commission. In particular, GAO cited the imbalance in funding 
provided for special assistants and the use of Commission 
letterhead by individual Commissioners for correspondence that 
was incorrectly interpreted as official communication.
    Use of Letterhead.--On multiple occasions the Commission 
has had to clarify, including in a letter to this Committee, 
that letters using Commission letterhead by individual 
Commissioners did not constitute the opinion of the Commission. 
In order to eliminate the confusion caused by the use of 
Commission letterhead, the Commission is directed to use 
letterhead only for items that reflect the views of the 
Commission. Individual Commissioners are not precluded from 
expressing their own opinions, but shall not use official 
letterhead as part of their communications, and if writing in 
their role as a Commissioner, shall clearly state that their 
opinion is their own and not that of the Commission.
    Workforce.--The Commission has proposed that special 
assistants assigned to work for individual Commissioners could 
be made available for other work at the Commission, but such a 
practice does not address the workforce issues identified by 
GAO. The Commission has staffing needs that require specialized 
education and skills that could not be replaced by part time 
use of special assistants. The use of special assistants would 
create additional challenges by blurring the lines between the 
confidential role they provide in assisting Commissioners and 
working on activities where the views of the Commissioner and 
special assistant are in conflict with the tasks to which they 
are asked to contribute. Inserting potential conflict could 
politicize what should be the nonpartisan execution of 
informing the Congress, Federal agencies, and the public on 
civil rights policy.

                Equal Employment Opportunity Commission


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $364,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     373,112,000
House allowance.........................................     364,500,000
Committee recommendation................................     364,500,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $364,500,000 for 
EEOC salaries and expenses. This recommendation is the same as 
the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $8,612,000 below the 
request.
    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] is the 
leading Federal agency dedicated to eradicating employment 
discrimination in both the public and private sectors on the 
basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, 
pregnancy, age, disability, and family medical history or 
genetic information. The EEOC serves both U.S. public and 
private workplaces by helping provide a fair and inclusive 
workplace, which engenders employee satisfaction and 
commitment, and enhances employee retention, productivity, and 
profitability.
    This funding will support the EEOC's obligations to 
investigate and prosecute charges of employment discrimination. 
The Committee notes that the EEOC has also undertaken reforms 
that should enable it to reduce its pending inventory of public 
and private sector charges and help prevent employment 
discrimination.
    Implementing Efficiencies and Cost Savings.--The EEOC 
should continue its efforts to leverage technology to increase 
productivity and streamline customer service. The Committee 
expects the EEOC to provide the Committee with an update to the 
Action Council Transformation Digital pilot program that was 
initiated in May of 2015 as well as a review of other 
activities proposed to be conducted by the Commission that will 
increase efficiencies and generate cost savings, which in turn 
may improve services provided to the public.
    Inventory Backlog reduction.--The EEOC has a private sector 
inventory of over 75,000 cases and a Federal sector hearing 
inventory over 17,000. Using appropriated funds for activities 
that do not directly resolve this backlog of existing and 
incoming claims denies cases with complainants the opportunity 
of a timely resolution. EEOC's own budget submission states 
that justice delayed is justice denied. Therefore, the 
Committee directs the EEOC to prioritize its staffing and 
resources towards reducing the number of current and 
outstanding unresolved private sector pending charges and 
public sector hearings.
    Public Comment on EEOC Guidance.--The Committee is 
concerned that as the EEOC conducts its business in protecting 
against employment discrimination, its guidance proposals can 
be adopted without the opportunity of public input prior to 
implementation and enforcement. Therefore, if requested by at 
least two Commissioners, the EEOC shall make any new guidance 
available for public comment in the Federal Register for not 
less than 30 days prior to taking any potential action on 
proposed guidance.
    State and Local Enforcement Assistance.--The Committee 
recommends up to $29,500,000 to assist State and local 
enforcement agencies. This will ensure that EEOC provides 
adequate resources to its State partners.

                     International Trade Commission


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................     $84,500,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     131,500,000
House allowance.........................................      86,500,000
Committee recommendation................................      84,500,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $84,500,000. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level 
and is $47,000,000 below the budget request.
    The International Trade Commission [ITC] is an independent, 
quasi-judicial agency responsible for conducting trade-related 
investigations and providing Congress and the President with 
independent technical advice related to United States 
international trade policy.
    Lease Expiration.--No funding is provided for ITC to 
renovate and lease new office space in fiscal year 2016. The 
Committee notes that ITC has proposed to sign a new 15-year 
lease in order to achieve a 25 percent reduction in space, but 
that the best-case scenario involves no savings until year 13 
of the 15-year lease. Furthermore, the Committee understands 
that the least expensive option over the proposed 15-year lease 
term is for ITC to remain in its current location without 
reducing its footprint. The Committee directs ITC to submit a 
list of alternative proposals, including cost breakdowns by 
year, no later than 90 days after enactment of this act.

                       Legal Services Corporation


               PAYMENT TO THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

Appropriations, 2015....................................    $375,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................     452,000,000
House allowance.........................................     300,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     385,000,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $385,000,000 for 
payment to the Legal Services Corporation [LSC]. The 
recommendation is $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level and $67,000,000 below the budget request.
    The Committee's recommendation provides $353,000,000 for 
basic field programs, to be used for competitively awarded 
grants and contracts; $18,500,000 for management and 
administration; $4,000,000 for client self-help and information 
technology; $4,500,000 for the Office of the Inspector General 
[OIG]; $1,000,000 for loan repayment assistance; and $4,000,000 
for the LSC's Pro Bono Innovation Fund.
    Governance and Management.--The LSC must continue its 
governance and management improvement efforts in order to 
further restore the credibility of the organization and direct 
additional funds into legal aid, where they are desperately 
needed. The Committee expects the Inspector General of the LSC 
to continue conducting annual audits of LSC grantees to ensure 
that funds are not being used in contravention of the 
restrictions by which LSC grantees are required to abide.
    Pro Bono Innovation Fund.--The Committee's recommendation 
provides full funding of $4,000,000 to continue the Pro Bono 
Innovation Fund. This fund will support innovative projects 
that promote and enhance pro bono initiatives throughout the 
Nation, as well as leverage Federal dollars to increase free 
legal aid for low-income Americans by engaging private 
attorneys.

          ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--LEGAL SERVICE CORPORATION

    The Committee's recommendation continues the administrative 
provisions contained in the fiscal year 1998 appropriations act 
(Public Law 105-119) regarding operation of this program to 
provide basic legal services to disadvantaged individuals and 
the restrictions on the use of LSC funds.
    LSC funds cannot be used to engage in litigation and 
related activities with respect to a variety of matters 
including: (1) redistricting; (2) class action suits; (3) 
representation of illegal aliens; (4) political activities; (5) 
abortion; (6) prisoner litigation; (7) welfare reform; (8) 
representation of charged drug dealers during eviction 
proceedings; and (9) solicitation of clients. The exception to 
the restrictions occurs in a case where there is imminent 
threat of physical harm to the client or prospective client.

                        Marine Mammal Commission


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $3,340,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       3,431,000
House allowance.........................................       3,340,000
Committee recommendation................................       3,431,000

    The Committee recommendation provides $3,431,000. The 
recommendation is $91,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted 
level and is the same as the budget request.
    The Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of 
Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals provide oversight and 
recommend actions on domestic and international topics to 
advance policies and provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection 
Act. The Commission provides precise, up-to-date scientific 
information to Congress on issues related to the safety of 
marine mammals.

                        State Justice Institute


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2015....................................      $5,121,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................       5,121,000
House allowance.........................................       5,121,000
Committee recommendation................................       5,121,000

    The Committee's recommendation provides $5,121,000 for the 
State Justice Institute. The recommendation is the same as the 
fiscal year 2015 enacted level and the budget request.
    The Institute was created in 1984 to further the 
development and adoption of improved judicial administration in 
State courts.

                                TITLE V

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

                        (INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

    The Committee recommends the following general provisions 
for the departments, agencies and commissions funded in the 
accompanying act. Similar provisions were included in the 
fiscal year 2015 act.
    Section 501 prohibits the use of appropriations for certain 
publicity and propaganda purposes.
    Section 502 prohibits any appropriations contained in this 
act from remaining available for obligation beyond the current 
fiscal year unless expressly provided.
    Section 503 limits funds for certain consulting purposes.
    Section 504 provides that, should any provision of the act 
be held to be invalid, the remainder of the act would not be 
affected.
    Section 505 stipulates the policy and procedures by which 
funding available to the agencies funded under this act may be 
reprogrammed for other purposes.
    Section 506 provides for a penalty for persons found to 
have falsely mislabeled products.
    Section 507 requires agencies to provide quarterly reports 
to the Appropriations Committees regarding unobligated 
balances.
    Section 508 requires agencies and departments funded in 
this act to absorb any necessary costs related to downsizing or 
consolidation within the amounts provided to the agency or 
department.
    Section 509 limits funds for the sale or export of tobacco 
or tobacco products.
    Section 510 stipulates obligation of receipts and the use 
of certain funds for victim services available under the Crime 
Victims Fund.
    Section 511 prohibits the use of Department of Justice 
funds for programs that discriminate against, denigrate, or 
otherwise undermine the religious beliefs of students 
participating in such programs.
    Section 512 limits transfers of funds between agencies.
    Section 513 provides that funding for E-government 
initiatives are subject to reprogramming guidelines established 
by this act.
    Section 514 requires the Inspectors General of the 
Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and 
the Legal Services Corporation to conduct reviews of activities 
funded in this act; prohibits the use of funds for certain 
banquets and conferences; and requires certifications regarding 
conflicts of interest.
    Section 515 prohibits funds for information technology 
acquisitions unless the acquiring department or agency has 
assessed the supply chain risk of the technology.
    Section 516 prohibits the use of funds to support or 
justify the use of torture.
    Section 517 limits funds pertaining to certain activities 
related to the export of firearms.
    Section 518 limits funds to process permits to import 
certain products.
    Section 519 prohibits funds for activities that seek to 
include certain language in new trade agreements.
    Section 520 prohibits funds to authorize a national 
security letter in contravention of the statutes authorizing 
the FBI to issue national security letters.
    Section 521 requires notification to the Committees in the 
event of cost overruns.
    Section 522 authorizes funds appropriated for intelligence 
activities for the Department of Justice during fiscal year 
2016 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2016.
    Section 523 prohibits contracts or grant awards in excess 
of $5,000,000 unless the prospective contractor or grantee has 
certified in writing that he or she has filed all Federal tax 
returns, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under the 
IRS Code of 1986, and has no unpaid Federal tax assessment.
    Section 524 specifies rescissions of prior appropriations.
    Section 525 prohibits the use of funds to purchase first 
class or premium airline travel in contravention of current 
regulations and improves reporting.
    Section 526 prohibits the use of funds to pay for the 
attendance of more than 50 employees at any single conference 
outside the United States and limits the cost of any such 
conference incurred by an agency.
    Section 527 prohibits the use of funds in a manner that is 
inconsistent with the principal negotiating objective of the 
United States with respect to trade remedy laws.
    Section 528 prohibits the use of funds in this act for the 
transfer or release of certain individuals detained at Naval 
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to or within the United States, 
its territories or possessions.
    Section 529 prohibits the use of funds in this act to 
construct, acquire, or modify any facility in the United 
States, its territories, or possessions to house certain 
individuals who, as of June 24, 2009, were located at Naval 
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the purposes of detention or 
imprisonment in the custody or control of the Department of 
Defense.
    Section 530 requires, when practicable, the use of ``Energy 
Star'' or ``Federal Energy Management Program'' designated 
light bulbs.
    Section 531 requires agencies funded in this act to report 
on undisbursed balances.
    Section 532 prohibits funds made available by this act from 
being used to deny the importation of certain shotgun models.
    Section 533 prohibits the use of funds to establish or 
maintain a computer network that does not block pornography, 
except for law enforcement purposes.
    Section 534 requires the Department of Commerce, the 
Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and the National Science Foundation to submit 
spending plans to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees within 45 days of enactment of this act.
    Section 535 requires agencies to report conference spending 
to the Inspectors General.
    Section 536 prohibits the use of funds to implement the 
Arms Trade Treaty until the Senate approves a resolution of 
ratification for the Treaty.
    Section 537 requires all departments and agencies funded 
within this act to link all contracts that provide award fees 
to successful acquisition outcomes.
    Section 538 prohibits funds to pay for award or incentive 
fees for contractors with below satisfactory performance or 
performance that fails to meet the basic requirements of the 
contract.
    Section 539 prohibits funds made available by this act from 
being used for contract, memorandum of understanding, 
cooperative agreement, grant, or loan activities if the 
proposed recipient has been convicted of a felony criminal 
violation.
    Section 540 prohibits funds made available by this act from 
being used for contract, memorandum of understanding, 
cooperative agreement, grant, or loan activities if the 
proposed recipient has unpaid Federal tax liabilities.
    Section 541 prohibits the use of funds by the Department of 
Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration in contravention 
of a certain section of the Agricultural Act of 2014.
    Section 542 prohibits the Department of Justice from 
preventing certain States from implementing State laws 
regarding the use of medical marijuana.

  COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Rule XVI, paragraph 7 requires that every report on a 
general appropriation bill filed by the Committee must identify 
items of appropriation not made to carry out the provisions of 
an existing law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution 
previously passed by the Senate during that session.
    The Committee recommends funding for the following programs 
or activities that currently lack an authorization for fiscal 
year 2016, either in whole or in part, and therefore fall under 
this rule:

         APPROPRIATIONS NOT AUTHORIZED BY LAW--FISCAL YEAR 2016
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Last year of
                     Agency/program                        authorization
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Commerce:
    International Trade Administration:
        Export Promotion................................            1996
    Bureau of Industry and Security:
        Export Administration...........................            2001
    Economic Development Administration:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2008
        Economic Development Assistance Programs:
            Public Works and Economic Development.......            2008
            Trade Adjustment Assistance.................            2015
    Bureau of the Census:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2014
    National Telecommunications and Information
     Administration:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            1993
    National Institute of Standards and Technology:
        Scientific and Technical Research and Services..            2013
        Industrial Technology Services..................            2013
        Construction of Research Facilities.............            2013
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
        Operations, Research, and Facilities:
            National Ocean Service:
                Coral Reef Conservation.................            2009
                Hydrographic Services...................            2007
                Coastal Zone Management.................            1999
                Marine Protection, Research,                        2005
                 Preservation & Sanctuaries.............
            National Marine Fisheries Service:
                Endangered Species Act Amendment........            1992
                Marine Mammal Protection................            1999
                NOAA Marine Fisheries Program...........            2000
                Interjurisdictional Fisheries...........            2012
                Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation               2012
                 and Management.........................
                Estuary Restoration.....................            2012
            Oceanic and Atmospheric Research:
                National Sea Grant College Program......            2008
        Procurement, Acquisition and Construction:
            National Ocean Service:
                Marine Protection, Research,                        2005
                 Preservation & Sanctuaries.............
Department of Justice:
    General Administration:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
        Justice Information Sharing Technology..........            2009
    Administrative Review & Appeals:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
    Office of Inspector General:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
    U.S. Parole Commission:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
    Legal Activities:
        General Legal Activities:
            Salaries and Expenses.......................            2009
        Antitrust Division:
            Salaries and Expenses.......................            2009
        U.S. Attorneys:
            Salaries and Expenses.......................            2009
        Foreign Claims Settlement Commission:
            Salaries and Expenses.......................            2009
        Fees and Expenses of Witnesses..................            2009
        Community Relations Service:
            Salaries and Expenses.......................            2009
        Assets Forfeiture Fund Current Budget Authority.            2009
    U.S. Marshals Service...............................            2009
        Salaries and Expenses...........................             N/A
        Federal Prison Detention........................             N/A
        Construction....................................             N/A
    National Security Division:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................             N/A
    Interagency Law Enforcement:
        Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement..........            2009
    Federal Bureau of Investigation.....................            2009
        Salaries and Expenses...........................             N/A
        Construction....................................             N/A
    Drug Enforcement Administration:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2009
    Federal Prison System...............................            2009
        Salaries and Expenses...........................             N/A
        Buildings and Facilities........................             N/A
    Office on Violence Against Women Programs:
        National Institute of Justice Research and                   N/A
         Evaluation on Violence Against Women...........
        Consolidated Youth Oriented Program.............             N/A
            Homicide Reduction Initiative...............             N/A
        Research--Violence Against Indian Women.........            2015
        Sexual Assault in Indian Country Clearinghouse..             N/A
    Office of Justice Programs:
        Research, Evaluation, and Statistics:
            National Institute of Justice...............            1995
            Bureau of Justice Statistics................            1995
            Regional Information Sharing Activities.....            2003
            Forensic Sciences...........................             N/A
                Forensic Science Advisory Committee.....             N/A
    State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance:
        Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants........            2012
            Body-Worn Camera Partnership................             N/A
            VALOR Initiative............................             N/A
            Smart Policing..............................             N/A
            Smart Prosecution...........................             N/A
        John R. Justice Grant Program...................            2014
        Byrne Competitive Grants........................             N/A
        Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program.......             N/A
        Adam Walsh Act..................................            2009
        Children Exposed to Violence Initiative.........             N/A
        State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.........            2011
        Residential Substance Abuse Treatment...........            2000
        Mentally Ill Offender Act.......................            2014
        Drug Courts.....................................            2008
        Capital Litigation (and Wrongful Prosecution                2009
         review)........................................
        Economic, High Tech and Cybercrime Prevention...             N/A
        Second Chance Act/Offender Reentry..............            2010
            Smart Probation.............................             N/A
            Children of Incarcerated Parents Demo Grants             N/A
            Pay for Success (Discretionary).............             N/A
            Pay for Success (Permanent Supportive                    N/A
             Housing Model).............................
        Coverdell Forensic Science Grants...............            2009
        Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction............             N/A
        Bulletproof Vests...............................            2012
            NIST/OLES Transfer..........................             N/A
        National Sex Offender Website...................             N/A
        National Instant Criminal Background Check                   N/A
         System (NICS)..................................
        Criminal Records Upgrade (NCHIP)................            2007
        DNA Initiative:
            Post-Conviction DNA Testing.................             N/A
            Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners..............       N/A; 2009
        Veterans Treatment Courts Program...............             N/A
        Rape Kit Backlog................................             N/A
        Justice Reinvestment Initiative.................             N/A
        Project HOPE Opportunity Probation with                      N/A
         Enforcement....................................
        Vision 21.......................................             N/A
        Comprehensive School Safety Initiative..........             N/A
    Juvenile Justice Programs:
        Part B--State Formula...........................            2007
            Emergency Planning in Juvenile Justice                   N/A
             Facilities.................................
        Part G--Youth Mentoring.........................       N/A; 2007
        Title V--Local Delinquency Prevention Incentive             2008
         Grants.........................................
            Tribal Youth................................             N/A
            Gang/Youth Violence Education and Prevention             N/A
        Victims of Child Abuse Act......................            2005
        Community-Based Violence Prevention Initiatives.             N/A
        Training for Judicial Personnel.................             N/A
        Missing and Exploited Children Programs.........     2004; 2018;
                                                                    2018
        Competitive Grants for Girls in the Justice                  N/A
         System.........................................
        Children of Incarcerated Parents Web Portal.....             N/A
    COPS Programs:
        COPS Hiring Program.............................            2009
        Transfer to DEA for Methamphetamine Clean-Up....             N/A
        Comprehensive School Safety Program.............             N/A
        Anti-Methamphetamine Task Forces................             N/A
        Anti-Heroin Task Forces.........................             N/A
National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
    Science.............................................            2013
    Aeronautics.........................................            2013
    Exploration.........................................            2013
    Space Operations....................................            2013
    Education...........................................            2013
    Safety, Security and Mission Services...............       2013; N/A
    Construction and Environmental Compliance and                   2013
     Restoration........................................
    Office of the Inspector General.....................            2013
National Science Foundation.............................            2013
Related Agencies:
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2000
    Commission on Civil Rights:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            1995
    International Trade Commission:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2004
    Payment to the Legal Services Corporation:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            1980
    Marine Mammal Commission:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            1999
    Office of the U.S. Trade Representative:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2004
    State Justice Institute:
        Salaries and Expenses...........................            2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\NOAA authorizations are spread across over 60 separate statutory
  authorities. In many cases, the authorizations do not match exactly to
  specific programs.


COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(c), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on June 11, 2015, 
the Committee ordered favorably reported a bill (H.R. 2578) 
making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and 
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, provided, 
that the bill be subject to further amendment and that the bill 
be consistent with its budget allocation, by a recorded vote of 
27-3, a quorum being present. The vote was as follows:
        Yeas                          Nays
Chairman Cochran                    Mrs. Murray
Mr. McConnell                       Mr. Reed
Mr. Shelby                          Mr. Tester
Mr. Alexander
Ms. Collins
Ms. Murkowski
Mr. Graham
Mr. Kirk
Mr. Blunt
Mr. Moran
Mr. Hoeven
Mr. Boozman
Mrs. Capito
Mr. Cassidy
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Daines
Ms. Mikulski
Mr. Leahy
Mrs. Feinstein
Mr. Durbin
Mr. Udall
Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Merkley
Mr. Coons
Mr. Schatz
Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Murphy

 COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Paragraph 12 of the rule XXVI requires that Committee 
reports on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any 
statute or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the 
statute or part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and 
(b) a comparative print of that part of the bill or joint 
resolution making the amendment and of the statute or part 
thereof proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through 
type and italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate 
typographical devices the omissions and insertions which would 
be made by the bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form 
recommended by the Committee.''
    In compliance with this rule, the following changes in 
existing law proposed to be made by this bill are shown as 
follows: existing law to be omitted is enclosed in black 
brackets; new matter is printed in italics; and existing law in 
which no change is proposed is shown in roman.

                  TRADE ACT OF 1974, PUBLIC LAW 93-617


                TITLE I--NEGOTIATING AND OTHER AUTHORITY

      CHAPTER 4--OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


SEC. 141. OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.

    (a) There is established within the [Executive Office of 
the President] Department of Commerce the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative (hereinafter in this section 
referred to as the ``Office'').

                        BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL


  PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
                                                     AMENDED
                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Budget authority                 Outlays
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee    Amount  in     Committee    Amount  in
                                                           allocation       bill       allocation       bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee
 allocation for 2016: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice,
 Science, and Related Agencies:
    Mandatory...........................................          319           319           320        \1\320
    Discretionary.......................................       51,068        51,068        62,387     \1\62,377
        Security........................................        5,068         5,068            NA            NA
        Nonsecurity.....................................       46,000        46,000            NA            NA
    Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on         ............  ............  ............  ............
     Terrorism..........................................
Projections of outlays associated with the
 recommendation:
    2016................................................  ............  ............  ............    \2\40,864
    2017................................................  ............  ............  ............       13,303
    2018................................................  ............  ............  ............        3,474
    2019................................................  ............  ............  ............         -120
    2020 and future years...............................  ............  ............  ............        4,755
Financial assistance to State and local governments forP           NA        -8,277            NA           364
 2016...................................................
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
 
NA: Not applicable.


  COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
                                                                        YEAR 2016
                                                                [In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Senate Committee recommendation compared  with (+
                                                                                                                             or -)
               Item                      2015       Budget estimate  House allowance     Committee    --------------------------------------------------
                                    appropriation                                      recommendation        2015
                                                                                                        appropriation   Budget estimate  House allowance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
       International Trade
          Administration
 
Operations and administration....         472,000          506,750          467,000          473,000           +1,000          -33,750           +6,000
Offsetting fee collections.......         -10,000          -10,000          -10,000          -10,000   ...............  ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Direct appropriation.......         462,000          496,750          457,000          463,000           +1,000          -33,750           +6,000
 
     Office of the U.S. Trade
          Representative
 
Salaries and expenses............          54,250           56,268           54,250           54,250   ...............          -2,018   ...............
 
 Bureau of Industry and Security
 
Operations and administration....          66,500           79,086           74,000           70,500           +4,000           -8,586           -3,500
    Defense function.............          36,000           36,000           36,000           36,000   ...............  ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Bureau of Industry           102,500          115,086          110,000          106,500           +4,000           -8,586           -3,500
       and Security..............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
       Economic Development
          Administration
 
Economic development assistance           213,000          227,500          213,000          213,000   ...............         -14,500   ...............
 programs........................
Salaries and expenses............          37,000           45,528           37,000           37,000   ...............          -8,528   ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Economic Development         250,000          273,028          250,000          250,000   ...............         -23,028   ...............
       Administration............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
  Minority Business Development
              Agency
 
Minority business development....          30,000           30,016           32,000           30,000   ...............             -16           -2,000
 
Economic and Statistical Analysis
 
Salaries and expenses............         100,000          113,849          100,000          100,000   ...............         -13,849   ...............
 
       Bureau of the Census
 
Salaries and expenses............         248,000   ...............  ...............  ...............        -248,000   ...............  ...............
Current surveys and programs.....  ...............         277,873          261,000          266,000         +266,000          -11,873           +5,000
Periodic censuses and programs            840,000   ...............  ...............  ...............        -840,000   ...............  ...............
 (old structure).................
Periodic censuses and programs     ...............       1,222,101          730,700          862,000         +862,000         -360,101         +131,300
 (new structure).................
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Bureau of the Census       1,088,000        1,499,974          991,700        1,128,000          +40,000         -371,974         +136,300
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 National Telecommunications and
    Information Administration
 
Salaries and expenses............          38,200           49,232           35,200           38,200   ...............         -11,032           +3,000
 
     United States Patent and
         Trademark Office
 
Salaries and expenses, current          3,458,000        3,272,000        3,272,000        3,272,000         -186,000   ...............  ...............
 year fee funding................
Offsetting fee collections.......      -3,458,000       -3,272,000       -3,272,000       -3,272,000         +186,000   ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, United States Patent  ...............  ...............  ...............  ...............  ...............  ...............  ...............
       and Trademark Office......
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 National Institute of Standards
          and Technology
 
Scientific and technical research         675,500          754,661          675,000          684,700           +9,200          -69,961           +9,700
 and services....................
Industrial technology services...         138,100          306,000          130,000          145,000           +6,900         -161,000          +15,000
    Manufacturing extension              (130,000)        (141,000)        (130,000)        (130,000)  ...............        (-11,000)  ...............
     partnerships................
    Advanced manufacturing                 (8,100)         (15,000)  ...............         (15,000)         (+6,900)  ...............        (+15,000)
     technology consortia........
    Manufacturing innovation       ...............        (150,000)  ...............  ...............  ...............       (-150,000)  ...............
     institutes coordination.....
Construction of research                   50,300           59,000           50,000           63,300          +13,000           +4,300          +13,300
 facilities......................
Working Capital Fund (by                   (2,000)          (2,000)          (2,000)          (2,000)  ...............  ...............  ...............
 transfer).......................
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, National Institute           863,900        1,119,661          855,000          893,000          +29,100         -226,661          +38,000
       of Standards and
       Technology................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric
          Administration
 
Operations, research, and               3,202,398        3,413,360        3,149,877        3,242,723          +40,325         -170,637          +92,846
 facilities......................
    (By transfer)................        (116,000)        (130,164)        (130,164)        (130,164)        (+14,164)  ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal...................       3,202,398        3,413,360        3,149,877        3,242,723          +40,325         -170,637          +92,846
 
Procurement, acquisition and            2,179,225        2,498,679        1,960,034        2,079,494          -99,731         -419,185         +119,460
 construction....................
Pacific coastal salmon recovery..          65,000           58,000           65,000           65,000   ...............          +7,000   ...............
Fishermen's Contingency Fund.....             350              350              350              350   ...............  ...............  ...............
Fisheries Finance Program Account          -6,000           -6,000           -6,000           -6,000   ...............  ...............  ...............
Pacific groundfish fishing         ...............          10,300   ...............  ...............  ...............         -10,300   ...............
 capacity reduction loan.........
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, National Oceanic and       5,440,973        5,974,689        5,169,261        5,381,567          -59,406         -593,122         +212,306
       Atmospheric Administration
                                  ======================================================================================================================
     Departmental Management
 
Salaries and expenses............          56,000           71,095           50,000           56,000   ...............         -15,095           +6,000
Renovation and modernization.....           4,500           24,062            3,989   ...............          -4,500          -24,062           -3,989
Office of Inspector General......          30,596           35,190           32,000           30,596   ...............          -4,594           -1,404
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Departmental                  91,096          130,347           85,989           86,596           -4,500          -43,751             +607
       Management................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Total, title I, Department        8,520,919        9,858,900        8,140,400        8,531,113          +10,194       -1,327,787         +390,713
       of Commerce...............
          (By transfer)..........         118,000          132,164          132,164          132,164          +14,164   ...............  ...............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
 
      General Administration
 
Salaries and expenses............         111,500          119,437           95,540          109,000           -2,500          -10,437          +13,460
Justice information sharing                25,842           37,440           25,842           25,842   ...............         -11,598   ...............
 technology......................
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, General                      137,342          156,877          121,382          134,842           -2,500          -22,035          +13,460
       Administration............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
Administrative review and appeals         351,072          488,381          426,791          411,072          +60,000          -77,309          -15,719
    Transfer from immigration              -4,000           -4,000           -4,000           -4,000   ...............  ...............  ...............
     examinations fee account....
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Direct appropriation.....         347,072          484,381          422,791          407,072          +60,000          -77,309          -15,719
 
Office of Inspector General......          88,577           93,709           93,709           89,000             +423           -4,709           -4,709
 
 United States Parole Commission
 
Salaries and expenses............          13,308           13,547           13,308           13,308   ...............            -239   ...............
 
         Legal Activities
 
Salaries and expenses, general            885,000        1,037,386          882,000          885,000   ...............        -152,386           +3,000
 legal activities................
Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust           7,833            9,358            8,000            9,358           +1,525   ...............          +1,358
 Fund............................
Salaries and expenses, Antitrust          162,246          164,977          162,246          162,246   ...............          -2,731   ...............
 Division........................
    Offsetting fee collections--         -100,000         -124,000         -124,000         -124,000          -24,000   ...............  ...............
     current year................
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Direct appropriation.....          62,246           40,977           38,246           38,246          -24,000           -2,731   ...............
 
Salaries and expenses, United           1,960,000        2,032,216        1,995,000        1,973,000          +13,000          -59,216          -22,000
 States Attorneys................
United States Trustee System Fund         225,908          228,107          225,908          225,908   ...............          -2,199   ...............
    Offsetting fee collections...        -225,908         -162,000         -162,000         -162,000          +63,908   ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Direct appropriation.....  ...............          66,107           63,908           63,908          +63,908           -2,199   ...............
 
Salaries and expenses, Foreign              2,326            2,374            2,326            2,374              +48   ...............             +48
 Claims Settlement Commission....
Fees and expenses of witnesses...         270,000          270,000          270,000          270,000   ...............  ...............  ...............
Salaries and expenses, Community           12,250           14,446           13,000           14,446           +2,196   ...............          +1,446
 Relations Service...............
Assets Forfeiture Fund...........          20,514           20,514   ...............          20,514   ...............  ...............         +20,514
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Legal Activities....       3,220,169        3,493,378        3,272,480        3,276,846          +56,677         -216,532           +4,366
                                  ======================================================================================================================
  United States Marshals Service
 
Salaries and expenses............       1,195,000        1,230,581        1,220,000        1,195,000   ...............         -35,581          -25,000
Construction.....................           9,800           15,000           11,000            9,800   ...............          -5,200           -1,200
Federal prisoner detention.......         495,307        1,454,414        1,058,081        1,454,414         +959,107   ...............        +396,333
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, United States              1,700,107        2,699,995        2,289,081        2,659,214         +959,107          -40,781         +370,133
       Marshals Service..........
 
    National Security Division
 
Salaries and expenses............          93,000           96,596           95,000           93,000   ...............          -3,596           -2,000
 
   Interagency Law Enforcement
 
Interagency crime and drug                507,194          519,301          510,000          507,194   ...............         -12,107           -2,806
 enforcement.....................
 
 Federal Bureau of Investigation
 
Salaries and expenses............       3,378,089        3,413,813        3,444,306        3,421,468          +43,379           +7,655          -22,838
    Counterintelligence and             4,948,480        5,000,812        5,045,480        5,012,024          +63,544          +11,212          -33,456
     national security...........
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal...................       8,326,569        8,414,625        8,489,786        8,433,492         +106,923          +18,867          -56,294
 
Construction.....................         110,000           68,982           57,982          108,982           -1,018          +40,000          +51,000
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Bureau of          8,436,569        8,483,607        8,547,768        8,542,474         +105,905          +58,867           -5,294
       Investigation.............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 Drug Enforcement Administration
 
Salaries and expenses............       2,400,000        2,463,123        2,422,459        2,404,834           +4,834          -58,289          -17,625
    Diversion control fund.......        -366,680         -371,514         -371,514         -371,514           -4,834   ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Drug Enforcement           2,033,320        2,091,609        2,050,945        2,033,320   ...............         -58,289          -17,625
       Administration............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
   Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
     Firearms and Explosives
 
Salaries and expenses............       1,201,000        1,261,158        1,240,000        1,201,000   ...............         -60,158          -39,000
 
      Federal Prison System
 
Salaries and expenses............       6,815,000        7,204,158        6,948,500        6,848,000          +33,000         -356,158         -100,500
Buildings and facilities.........         106,000          140,564          230,000          106,000   ...............         -34,564         -124,000
Limitation on administrative                2,700            2,700            2,700            2,700   ...............  ...............  ...............
 expenses, Federal Prison
 Industries, Incorpo-Prated......
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Prison             6,923,700        7,347,422        7,181,200        6,956,700          +33,000         -390,722         -224,500
       System....................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 State and Local Law Enforcement
            Activities
 
Office on Violence Against Women:
    Prevention and prosecution            430,000          473,500          501,050          234,000         -196,000         -239,500         -267,050
     programs....................
 
Office of Justice Programs:
    Research, evaluation and              111,000          151,900   ...............         117,000           +6,000          -34,900         +117,000
     statistics..................
    State and local law                 1,241,000        1,142,300        1,141,900        1,009,000         -232,000         -133,300         -132,900
     enforcement assistance......
    Juvenile justice programs....         251,500          339,400          186,500          253,500           +2,000          -85,900          +67,000
    Public safety officer
     benefits:
        Death benefits...........          71,000           72,000           72,000           72,000           +1,000   ...............  ...............
        Disability and education           16,300           16,300           16,300           16,300   ...............  ...............  ...............
         benefits................
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Subtotal...............          87,300           88,300           88,300           88,300           +1,000   ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Total, Office of              1,690,800        1,721,900        1,416,700        1,467,800         -223,000         -254,100          +51,100
           Justice Programs......
                                  ======================================================================================================================
 
Community Oriented Policing
 Services:
    COPS programs................         208,000          303,500          251,500          212,000           +4,000          -91,500          -39,500
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, State and Local Law        2,328,800        2,498,900        2,169,250        1,913,800         -415,000         -585,100         -255,450
       Enforcement Activities....
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Total, title II, Department      27,030,158       29,240,480       28,006,914       27,827,770         +797,612       -1,412,710         -179,144
       of Justice................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
        TITLE III--SCIENCE
 
Office of Science and Technology            5,555            5,566            5,555            5,555   ...............             -11   ...............
 Policy..........................
 
  National Aeronautics and Space
          Administration
 
Science..........................       5,244,700        5,288,600        5,237,500        5,295,000          +50,300           +6,400          +57,500
Aeronautics......................         651,000          571,400          600,000          524,700         -126,300          -46,700          -75,300
Space technology.................         596,000          724,800          625,000          600,000           +4,000         -124,800          -25,000
Exploration......................       4,356,700        4,504,400        4,759,300        3,831,200         -525,500         -673,200         -928,100
Space operations.................       3,827,800        4,005,200        3,957,300        4,756,400         +928,600         +751,200         +799,100
Education........................         119,000           88,900          119,000          108,000          -11,000          +19,100          -11,000
Safety, security and mission            2,758,900        2,843,100        2,768,600        2,784,000          +25,100          -59,100          +15,400
 services........................
Construction and environmental            419,100          465,300          425,000          352,800          -66,300         -112,500          -72,200
 compliance and restoration......
Office of Inspector General......          37,000           37,400           37,400           37,400             +400   ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, National Aeronautics      18,010,200       18,529,100       18,529,100       18,289,500         +279,300         -239,600         -239,600
       and Space Administration..
                                  ======================================================================================================================
   National Science Foundation
 
Research and related activities..       5,866,125        6,118,780        5,916,125        5,866,125   ...............        -252,655          -50,000
    Defense function.............          67,520           67,520           67,520           67,520   ...............  ...............  ...............
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal...................       5,933,645        6,186,300        5,983,645        5,933,645   ...............        -252,655          -50,000
 
Major research equipment and              200,760          200,310          200,030          200,310             -450   ...............            +280
 facilities construction.........
Education and human resources....         866,000          962,570          866,000          866,000   ...............         -96,570   ...............
Agency operations and award               325,000          354,840          325,000          325,000   ...............         -29,840   ...............
 management......................
Office of the National Science              4,370            4,370            4,370            4,370   ...............  ...............  ...............
 Board...........................
Office of Inspector General......          14,430           15,160           15,160           14,450              +20             -710             -710
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, National Science           7,344,205        7,723,550        7,394,205        7,343,775             -430         -379,775          -50,430
       Foundation................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Total, title III, Science..      25,359,960       26,258,216       25,928,860       25,638,830         +278,870         -619,386         -290,030
                                  ======================================================================================================================
    TITLE IV--RELATED AGENCIES
 
    Commission on Civil Rights
 
Salaries and expenses............           9,200            9,413            9,200            9,200   ...............            -213   ...............
 
   Equal Employment Opportunity
            Commission
 
Salaries and expenses............         364,500          373,112          364,500          364,500   ...............          -8,612   ...............
 
  International Trade Commission
 
Salaries and expenses............          84,500          131,500           86,500           84,500   ...............         -47,000           -2,000
 
    Legal Services Corporation
 
Payment to the Legal Services             375,000          452,000          300,000          385,000          +10,000          -67,000          +85,000
 Corporation.....................
 
     Marine Mammal Commission
 
Salaries and expenses............           3,340            3,431            3,340            3,431              +91   ...............             +91
 
     State Justice Institute
 
Salaries and expenses............           5,121            5,121            5,121            5,121   ...............  ...............  ...............
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Total, title IV, Related            841,661          974,577          768,661          851,752          +10,091         -122,825          +83,091
       Agencies..................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
   TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
DOC Departmental Management,               -2,906   ...............  ...............  ...............          +2,906   ...............  ...............
 Franchise Fund (rescission).....
DOC, National Technical            ...............  ...............         -10,000   ...............  ...............  ...............         +10,000
 Information Service (rescission)
DOC, Economic development                  -5,000   ...............  ...............  ...............          +5,000   ...............  ...............
 assistance programs (rescission)
DOJ, Working Capital Fund                 -99,000          -55,000         -100,000          -55,000          +44,000   ...............         +45,000
 (rescission)....................
DOJ, Tactical law enforcement              -2,000   ...............  ...............  ...............          +2,000   ...............  ...............
 wireless communications
 (rescission)....................
DOJ, Detention trustee                    -23,000   ...............  ...............  ...............         +23,000   ...............  ...............
 (rescission)....................
DOJ, Assets Forfeiture Fund              -193,000         -304,000   ...............        -362,945         -169,945          -58,945         -362,945
 (rescission)....................
FBI, Salaries and expenses,        ...............         -49,000          -49,000          -32,456          -32,456          +16,544          +16,544
 nondefense (rescission).........
FBI, Salaries and expenses,        ...............         -71,000          -71,000          -47,544          -47,544          +23,456          +23,456
 defense (rescission)............
DOJ, Salaries and expenses,               -10,000   ...............  ...............  ...............         +10,000   ...............  ...............
 general legal activities
 (rescission)....................
DOJ, Salaries and expenses,                -6,000   ...............  ...............  ...............          +6,000   ...............  ...............
 Antitrust Division (rescission).
DOJ, Salaries and expenses, U.S.           -9,000   ...............  ...............  ...............          +9,000   ...............  ...............
 Attorneys (rescission)..........
Federal prisoner detention               -188,000          -69,500          -69,500          -69,500         +118,500   ...............  ...............
 (rescission)....................
DOJ, ATF, Salaries and expenses            -3,200   ...............  ...............  ...............          +3,200   ...............  ...............
 (rescission)....................
Violence against women prevention         -16,000           -5,020          -15,000           -5,020          +10,980   ...............          +9,980
 and prosecution programs
 (rescission)....................
Office of Justice programs                -82,500   ...............         -40,000   ...............         +82,500   ...............         +40,000
 (rescission)....................
COPS (rescission)................         -40,000          -10,000          -20,000          -10,000          +30,000   ...............         +10,000
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Total, title V, General            -679,606         -563,520         -374,500         -582,465          +97,141          -18,945         -207,965
       Provisions................
                                  ======================================================================================================================
      Grand total................      61,073,092       65,768,653       62,470,335       62,267,000       +1,193,908       -3,501,653         -203,335
          Appropriations.........     (61,752,698)     (66,332,173)     (62,844,835)     (62,849,465)     (+1,096,767)     (-3,482,708)         (+4,630)
          Rescissions............       (-679,606)       (-563,520)       (-374,500)       (-582,465)        (+97,141)        (-18,945)       (-207,965)
      (By transfer)..............         118,000          132,164          132,164          132,164          +14,164   ...............  ...............
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                                     [all]