Legislation & Politics

Letter to members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science about the FY 2006 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill

June 7, 2005

Note: A similar letter was sent to members of the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives

Members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator:

As the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science considers the FY 2006 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, I am writing on behalf of the 1.4 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to urge you to preserve and strengthen vital Justice Department programs under your Subcommittee's jurisdiction. Furthermore, we urge you to oppose any appropriations language or funding that would eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) existing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program or transfer its functions from HUD to the Commerce Department.

Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs: State and Local Law Enforcement Services

AFSCME strongly supports programs that help states and localities maintain and strengthen their activities to prevent, reduce, and fight crime. It is very troubling that funding for many of these programs has fallen dramatically since fiscal year 2003. We are especially concerned about funding for the following programs: Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG); Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS); and State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). These programs pay for anti-crime programs, more law enforcement officers, and reimbursements for detaining undocumented immigrants. More funding would help protect America's communities from violent crime.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Formula Grant Program (JAG)

AFSCME requests $634 million for the overall JAG budget. This matches the funding level requested in the Senate's recent bipartisan sign-on letter (Dayton-Chambliss); and the House's recent bipartisan Law Enforcement Caucus sign-on letter (Stupak-Ramstad). Given that JAG's FY 2005 enacted budget is $634 million, AFSCME is troubled that President Bush's proposed FY 2006 budget would eliminate JAG and zero out its budget. We strongly support JAG because it funds states and localities to prevent, reduce, and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

AFSCME requests $1 billion for the COPS budget. This matches the inflation adjusted levels of COPS' FY 2003 enacted budget and is slightly below the $1.15 billion funding level authorized in the Senate's bipartisan "PROTECTION Act" (S. 945). Given that COPS' FY 2005 enacted budget is $606 million, we are concerned that President Bush's proposed FY 2006 budget would reduce COPS funding to $118 million — and would again provide no funds to hire new police officers. AFSCME strongly supports COPS because it continues to empower America's cities and localities to implement community-based crime fighting initiatives and to hire additional community-based law enforcement officers.

State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)

AFSCME requests $750 million for SCAAP. This matches the authorized funding level that the Senate unanimously voted to approve in the "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program Reauthorization Act of 2005" (S. 188). Given that SCAAP's FY 2005 enacted budget is $305 million, AFSCME is troubled that President Bush's proposed FY 2006 budget would eliminate SCAAP and zero out its budget. AFSCME strongly supports SCAAP because it reimburses states, counties, and localities for expenses they are entitled to, which they incur through incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens.

Department of Commerce

AFSCME strongly opposes President Bush's proposal to eliminate the successful freestanding CDBG program (currently at HUD) and merge it with 17 other development programs into a new consolidated and underfunded block grant administered by the Commerce Department. We support the action taken by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce on its spending bill, which did not appropriate any Commerce Department funds for CDBG. We agree with Senator Coleman that CDBG is "the lifeblood of community development and revitalization," and should not be cut. We urge you to reject moving CDBG from HUD to the Commerce Department and to reject appropriating funds for President Bush's proposed "Strengthening America's Communities" consolidated block grant program.


     Sincerely,

     Charles M. Loveless
     Director of Legislation

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