Feingold-Backed Amendments To Fund Crime-Fighting Programs Pass Senate

Amendments Support Additional Funding for Byrne and COPS Grant Programs

March 14, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate passed two amendments to the 2009 budget, both cosponsored by U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, to include additional funding in the budget for two programs instrumental in helping state and local law enforcement agencies fight violent crime. Feingold cosponsored an amendment by Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to provide $906 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program.

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Byrne Grants have assisted the creation of drug task forces, drug courts, education and prevention programs, community prosecution programs, and many other efforts to reduce violent crime and drug abuse. Feingold also cosponsored an amendment, sponsored by Joe Biden (D-DE), to provide $1.15 billion for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to train new officers, invest in crime-fighting technologies, and fight methamphetamine abuse. Feingold, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, said last week that funding for local law enforcement was one of his top priorities for the budget. The Senate passed the budget late last night.

“Day in and day out, communities depend on our law enforcement professionals to keep them safe and be fully prepared to respond in emergencies,” Feingold said. “The dedicated service they provide cannot happen without support from the federal government. We must provide adequate funding for successful programs like the COPS program and the Byrne program in order to provide the tools, technology, and training our law enforcement professionals need to protect our communities.”

The president’s proposed budget recommends eliminating funding for these programs entirely, replacing them with new, untested, and underfunded programs. Over the past several years, the President’s budget proposals have consistently sought to slash funding for Byrne and COPS grants. Feingold has fought these cuts because law enforcement officials in Wisconsin have told him these programs provide essential resources to help them better protect Wisconsin communities.

“Unfortunately, the President’s proposal to cut funding for these successful crime-fighting programs is nothing new,” Feingold said. “Congress has rightly rejected the President’s cuts to these programs in the past, and I’m working with my colleagues to include this critical funding in the 2009 budget.”

Source: Senator Russ Feingold