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Legislation & Politics | ||
Letter to House and Senate Commerce Subcommittee Urging Congress to Fund Justice ProgramsMarch 19, 2007 Members of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the 1,700 employees we represent at the Department of Justice (DOJ), I am writing to request that you support several vital programs that provide assistance to states and localities in fighting drug and gang violence and other important DOJ programs. The Justice Department programs that fund state and local governments are targeted for significant cuts in the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 08 budget proposal. The budget, if enacted, would cut approximately $430 million from state and local law enforcement assistance, eliminate nearly 70 programs, and create four new block grant programs. AFSCME represents over 150,000 law enforcement personnel throughout the United States. Many of the programs to be cut or eliminated in the President's budget directly affect our members and adversely impact many millions of Americans. These cuts would also put further pressure on limited state budgets to provide services and make communities safe. Program cuts that would affect our members are: • Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): The Bush budget would cut $510 million or 94 percent from Community Oriented Policing Services. This program has proven effective in reducing crime and making our communities safe. We request a funding level of $1.15 billion, the proposed level of authorization. • Byrne Justice Assistance Grants: Under the Administration's proposed budget, funding for this program is restructured from a formula to a competitive grant structure, which means that currently funded states and localities may not obtain future funding. These discretionary grants help state and local law enforcement control violent and drug-related crime. Since FY 04, funding for these programs has fallen a dramatic 60 percent. We request these programs be funded at $1.1 billion, the level that Congress authorized for FY 06. • State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP): The President's budget would eliminate funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). SCAAP provides reimbursements to states and local governments for some cost of incarcerating criminal illegal aliens held in state/local correctional facilities. Immigration is a federal function and as such states should not be • Juvenile Justice Programs: The President's budget further shifts the costs for juvenile justice to the states. The Bush budget combines all the individual juvenile justice funding streams into one competitive program called "Child Safety and Juvenile Justice" and funds this at $280 million which is a 25 percent cut from current funding. We need a funding level of $430 million, which is a slight increase above the FY 07 level of $422 million. • Title II Formula funds and other federal grant streams designed to support State Plans under the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) would no longer be guaranteed under the Bush budget. Instead, federal juvenile justice assistance to states would be reduced and managed as a discretionary, competitive grant program for state and local entities. Under such a plan, states and local entities would bid for grants and face uncertainty as to receipt of funds or length of disbursement which would greatly affect a nationwide effort to reduce juvenile delinquency. $82 million was provided in FY 07 and we need at least $85 million at this time. • The President's budget also erodes support for the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) which has led a nationwide effort to reduce delinquency and improve community safety. Adequate funding is needed to continue this program. • The Bureau of Justice Statistics is also slated for a funding shortfall of $10 million. The important national Crime Victimization Survey, which is the only accurate census of crime victims, and is the nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization, is not funded at a level sufficient to carry on this important work. This information provided by the survey is invaluable to the national Crime Prevention Council, community groups and law enforcement agencies. We request $50 million in order to support the Survey and all its products.
Sincerely, Charles M. Loveless |
Raymond Summers
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