U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) announced today that he has secured approval by the full House Appropriations Committee of $100,000 in the Fiscal Year 2009 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to equip an Evidence Collection Vehicle with state-of-the-art equipment and technology.

"This new funding, which I requested, will provide Raleigh County with some of the most modern crime-fighting equipment available," said Rahall.  "I am proud to be of service to our law enforcement officers as they work to catch criminals and respond to emergencies."

Rahall’s $100,000 will allow the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department to purchase the latest forensic equipment and technology necessary to outfit an Evidence Collection Vehicle, which will ensure the security and integrity of crime-scene evidence collection and serve as a technical command center at crime scenes. 

“This vehicle will greatly aid in the ability of the Sheriff’s Department to respond to crime scenes and process evidence in a more secure fashion, as well as increase our proactive efforts to fight crime in our communities,” said Rahall.

The Fiscal Year 2009 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill must next receive approval of the full U.S. House of Representatives.  It would then be sent to a conference committee to iron out differences between House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the bill.  Once the conference report receives final approval of both bodies, it would be sent to the White House to be signed into law.