FEINGOLD-BACKED AMENDMENT HELPING LAW ENFORCEMENT
PASSES BUDGET COMMITTEE
Amendment Would Increase Funding for Byrne Justice Assistance Grant
Program
March 6, 2008
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Budget Committee passed
an amendment to the Budget Resolution, cosponsored by U.S. Senator Russ
Feingold, to increase funding to help law enforcement agencies fight
drugs and violent crime. The amendment, sponsored by U.S. Senator Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), would add funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance
Grant program to bring it up to the fiscal year 2007 funding level,
after the President proposed eliminating the program. Last year Byrne
grants received only $170 million, down from the $524 million the program
received in fiscal year 2007.
“I've met with many police chiefs and sheriffs from across Wisconsin
since the beginning of the year,” Feingold said. “I've held
some 30 town meetings across the state, in truly challenging weather.
And the number of people who have braved that weather to come to me
to talk about Byrne grants is astounding. It demonstrates just how important
this program is.”
Yesterday, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Feingold expressed
to FBI Director Robert Mueller the importance of Byrne grants. In recent
meetings with Wisconsin law enforcement officials, Feingold learned
that the drug heroin is taking the place of methamphetamine in rural
areas of Wisconsin. So Feingold also asked Mueller whether the FBI is
seeing similar patterns nationally and what the FBI is doing about it.
Video of Senator Feingold’s questioning of Mueller is available
here.
The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program is critical in the fight
against violent and drug-related crime. This key program supports multi-jurisdictional
drug task forces, drug courts, drug education and prevention programs,
and many other efforts to reduce drug abuse and prosecute drug offenders.
The money also funds domestic violence prosecutors, community prosecution
programs, crime victim services, and community corrections programs.
|