Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4603 - Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 1995, and Supplemental Appropriations for FY 1994

(Senate Floor)
(Sponsors: Byrd (D), West Virginia; Hollings (D), South Carolina)

This Statement of Administration Policy provides the Administration's views on H.R. 4603, the FY 1995 Commerce, Justice, State, The Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Administration supports Senate passage of H.R. 4603 as reported by the Committee. The Administration is very pleased with the Committee's efforts to advance the President's program in such critical areas as crime control, "Brady Bill" criminal records upgrades., illegal immigration control, NOAA ocean programs, the Economic Development Administration, NIST programs, funding for peacekeeping operations, and international broadcasting consolidation. The Administration strongly supports these provisions and will work with the Senate to address concerns, the most critical of which are discussed below.

Department of Justice

The Administration commends the Committee for supporting the full funding request of $2.4 billion associated with the pending crime bill. The Administration prefers the funding level provided for formula Byrne grants, as compared to the House version of the bill, and is pleased with the support shown for boot camps, drug courts, and select crime prevention programs. However, the Administration is concerned about the level of resources targeted to hiring more State and local police and assisting States with costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. Specifically, the Senate is urged to fund the President's full $1.7 billion community policing request to ensure that 100,000 new police officers are on the street by FY 1999. This is the President's highest investment priority. The reduction imposed in the Committee bill would mean that over 10,000 new officers could not be hired in FY 1995.

Additional funding for hiring State and local police officers could be provided if the Senate were to approve the Administration's requested funding levels for several Justice agencies.

The Senate is urged to support the separate request for the State Criminal Aliens Assistance Program to ensure that States most affected by the cost of incarcerating criminal aliens receive as much as possible of the $350 million in requested Federal assistance.

In addition, the Administration would strongly prefer that the Senate reserve some crime bill funding for programs in the jurisdiction of other appropriations subcommittees.

Finally, the Administration urges the Senate to include funding for the U.S. Attorneys to monitor the election of officers for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Government received authority to monitor these elections through a consent order that it cannot modify unilaterally.

Department of Commerce

The Administration appreciates the Committee's support of key investment priorities within the Department of Commerce. However, the Administration regrets the Committee's rejection of fees as a means of financing additional NOAA services. The Administration believes that beneficiaries of such services should finance their cost and hopes that the Senate will restore these fees. Establishing these fees will prove to be an essential source of funds for our investment in the restoration of commercial fisheries.

International Programs

The Administration appreciates Senate Committee action to fund the President's FY 1994 peacekeeping supplemental, to provide for estimated new State Department Peacekeeping assessments in FY 1995, and to fund a large portion of the anticipated peacekeeping shortfall. However, the Administration regrets that the Committee has cut $33 million from the peacekeeping request and $41 million from the payment of arrearages to the U.N. regular budget. The Administration urges the Senate to restore funds for these Presidential-priority requests by redirecting funds from other unrequested and earmarked activities in the bill.

The Administration would strongly oppose an amendment that may be offered that would place restrictions on U.N. Peacekeeping funds beyond those contained in the 1994-95 Foreign Relations Act that was enacted in April of 1994 (approved in the Senate by unanimous consent).

Finally, the Administration would strongly oppose any amendment to reduce funding for the National Endowment for Democracy below the level provided by the Senate Committee.

Maritime Administration

The Administration is concerned about the Committee's proposed rescission of the FY 1994 unobligated balances for the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) acquisition program. The RRF is an essential part of the national sealift initiative. Reductions in fleet acquisitions could limit the national sealift program's effectiveness and may not adequately support the Department of Defense's strategic mobility requirements.

Small Business Administration

The Administration is very concerned about the Committee's decision not to provide any funding for the SBA empowerment zone initiative. Under this new program, SBA would provide both technical and financial assistance to firms located in empowerment zones. These are frequently the firms most in need of Federal assistance to facilitate business start-up or growth. Further, the Administration is concerned that the Committee has provided funding for SBA loan guaranty and equity finance programs at levels below the President's request.

Other Related Agencies

The Administration is very concerned about the Committee's lack of support for the Legal Services corporation. The Administration believes that additional funds could be provided for the Corporation if the Senate were to eliminate increases provided by the Committee for programs not requested by the Administration. The Administration would oppose an amendment that may be offered that would prohibit the Legal Services Corporation from representing poor people in lawsuits against States concerning their welfare benefits.

The Administration understands that an amendment may be offered that would prevent the FCC from relocating certain incumbent spectrum users to alternative frequencies in order to provide spectrum for personal communications services (PCS). Such an amendment would substantially devalue the 2,100 PCS licenses that will soon be auctioned, and thus reduce revenues to the government by billions of dollars over the next several years. The Administration would oppose such an amendment.

The Administration would oppose an amendment that may be offered that would prematurely restrict its ability to implement a ban on the importation of munitions from China.

The Administration believes that the funding increases requested by the Administration could be offset through the elimination of increases that the Committee has provided above the President's request. Examples of specific increases that could be eliminated include $63 million for NOAA's construction account, $100 million for INS's construction account, and $19 million for the Public Telecommunications and Facilities Program.