House Committee Restores Administration's Cuts to Community Policing

March 26, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today Congresswoman Gillibrand announced that House Budget Committee has restored vital funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

"The COPS program is widely recognized as a very effective program that makes a real difference in our community," said Gillibrand, a member of the Armed Services Committee."

This important funding was placed in jeopardy when the President’s budget cut funding for the COPS program by $510 million compared with the 2007 level. Earlier last week Congresswoman Gillibrand had urged Budget Committee Chairman Spratt to restore the funds for the vital program.

"I am pleased to see the COPS funding restored in the House budget," added Gillibrand. "Our budget is a reflection of our priorities and values and community policing contributes to the character and safety of our community."

While the additional funds for the COPS Program in the House Budget Resolution is a good sign, no funding will be final until an appropriations bill with the funding passes both the House and

Senate and is signed by the President.

The text of the letter is below:

March 19, 2007

The Honorable John M. Spratt

Chairman

House Committee on the Budget

207 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Spratt:

As you develop a Fiscal Year 2008 budget resolution, I urge you to reject the President’s proposal to cut funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.  The COPS program is vital to providing highly trained new police to our cities and towns and ensuring community policing includes prevention, problem-solving and community engagement. Further, COPS grants have funded 11,281 additional police officers and 403 local and state law enforcement agencies have directly benefited in New York State alone.

While I certainly recognize that the nation faces a difficult budget situation, I believe it is critical that these funds are restored in order to ensure that our communities have the police they need and that new police officers are well trained.  As you know, the President’s budget cut funding for the COPS program by $510 million compared with the 2007 level and I would ask you to restore this essential funding when you develop the FY08 budget.

I look forward to working with you to ensure that we adopt a budget that makes needed investments in important programs such as the COPS program. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Gillibrand

Member of Congress

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