IACP Capitol Report. President Releases FY 2009 Budget. IACP, Senators Call for Restoration of Byrne-JAG Funds. February 8, 2008 Volume 7 Issue 1

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1 IACP Capitol Report February 8, Volume 7 Issue 1 President Releases FY 2009 Budget I NSIDE T HIS I SSUE 1 President Releases FY 2009 Budget 1 IACP, Senators Call for Restoration of Byrne-JAG Funds 4 IACP Supports Gun Show Background Check Act of 5 Day on the Hill On February 5, 2007, the Administration released its Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal to Congress. Unfortunately, as in years past, the budget proposal included sweeping cuts to law enforcement assistance programs. As outlined in the chart below, in total, the Administration s proposed budget slashes just over $1.1 billion from existing law enforcement assistance and other anti-crime programs. This is a 45 percent cut when compared to FY estimated funding levels. Please see Budget on page 2 IACP, Senators Call for Restoration of Byrne-JAG Funds On January 30, the IACP joined a group of key Senators in a press conference to address the shortage of Byrne-Justice Assistance Grant funds in the FY Omnibus and to encourage lawmakers to add additional funds in a supplemental spending bill. The proposed budget slashes just over $1.1 billion from existing law enforcement assistance and other anti-crime programs. In the FY Omnibus, which the President signed in late December, Byrne-JAG was funded at just $170 million, a 68 percent decrease when compared to the FY level of $520 million. In response to this cut, the IACP, along with several members of Congress, have been fighting to secure additional funding for state, tribal, and local law enforcement. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Kit Bond (R-MO), Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and Joe Biden (D-DE) have spearheaded this effort in the Senate and participated in the Please see Byrne-JAG on page 3

2 Page 2 IACP Capitol Report Budget from page 1 IN MILLIONS: FY passed Administration FY 2009 Change from FY Percentage change from FY COPS $587.2 $0 -$ % Byrne-JAG $170 $0 -$ % SHSG (State Homeland Security Grant) UASI (Urban Areas Security Initiative) LETPP (Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program) VCRPI (Violent Crime Reduction Partnership Initiative) BPSPP (Byrne Public Safety and Protection Program) Grand Total $712.5 $200* -$ % $615 $825 +$ % $442 $0 -$ % -NEW PROGRAM- -NEW PROGRAM- 2,526.7 billion $178 N/A N/A $178 N/A N/A 1,381 billion -1,145.7 billion -45% *the total line item amount for SHSG is $310 million, however $110 million of that total is earmarked for the REAL ID Program and the Buffer Zone Program. The Administration did propose two new initiatives The Violent Crime Reduction Partnership Initiative (VCRPI) and the Byrne Public Safety and Protection Program (BPSP). The VCRPI is intended to help communities suffering from high rates of violent crime by forming and developing effective multi-jurisdictional law enforcement partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The BPSP would consolidate a number of existing programs to fund programs that intend to reduce violent crime, address substance abuse, clean up methamphetamine labs, promote law enforcement information sharing efforts, and improve services to victims of crime. Unfortunately, the proposed funding levels for these new programs did little to offset the massive reductions elsewhere in the budget. In addition to the proposed reductions at the DOJ, the Administration has slated key programs at the Department of Homeland Security to be cut. Specifically, the Administration has proposed reducing funding for critical state, tribal, and local homeland security assistance programs by nearly $745 million. This is a 42 percent cut when compared to FY funding levels. Please see Budget on page 3

3 IACP Newsletter Page 3 Budget from page 2 The President s submission of his budget proposal represents the first step in the federal budget process. Over the next several weeks, the House and Senate Budget Committees will begin work on drafting the Congressional Budget Resolution. This non-binding document serves as a statement of Congress s priorities in the budget process. At the same time, the various subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will begin their efforts to craft the annual appropriation bills that fund the federal government. Clearly, these proposed reductions would severely undermine the ability of state, tribal, and local law enforcement to protect communities from both crime and the threat of terrorism. Therefore, the IACP will be working closely with Congress to ensure that state, tribal, and local law enforcement assistance programs are fully funded in the FY 2009 budget. Byrne-JAG from page 2 January 30 event. In the press conference, Sen. Chambliss said, If we re serious about protecting our communities, keeping drugs off our streets, and preventing future crime, then we have to give our local law enforcement personnel the resources they need to carry out their duties. Sen. Feinstein continued, This program is a pillar of law enforcement in California. It funds a broad range of law-enforcement programs, from drug and gang task forces, to programs that assist victims of crime, including children. I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that this funding is restored. If we re serious about protecting our communities, keeping drugs off our streets, and preventing future crime, then we have to give our local law enforcement personnel the resources they need to carry out their duties. --Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Those Senators, along with nearly 30 other Senators also circulated a Dear Colleague letter on February 1 calling for an additional $490 million in funding in a supplemental appropriations bill this year. The IACP has also held meetings and briefings with many members of the House of Representatives and is encouraged by the response in that Chamber. The IACP will continue to work with the House and Senate to restore funding for Byrne-JAG in a supplemental spending bill.

4 Page 4 IACP Capitol Report IACP Supports Gun Show Background Check Act of The IACP recently announced support for S. 2577, the Gun Show Background Check Act of, introduced by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI). The ATF estimates that between 25 to 50 percent of firearm vendors at gun shows are unlicensed. Current federal law requires prospective purchasers of firearms sold by federal firearms licensees like gun and pawn shops to undergo a background check. However, a loophole in current law allows people to purchase guns from unlicensed dealers at gun shows without going through a background check. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) estimates that between 25 to 50 percent of firearm vendors at gun shows are unlicensed. As a result of this loophole, many who are prohibited by federal law from owning guns are able to purchase firearms at gun shows. Specifically, S would: Define gun shows as any event at which 50 or more firearms are offered or exhibited for sale. This definition includes not only those events where firearms are the main commodity sold, but also other events where a significant number of guns are sold, such as flea markets or swap meets; Require gun show promoters to register with the ATF, maintain a list of vendors at all gun shows, and ensure that all vendors acknowledge receipt of information about their legal obligations; Require that all firearms sales at gun shows go through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). If a nonlicensed person is selling a weapon, they would use an FFL at the gun show to complete the transaction. The FFL would be responsible for conducting a Brady check on the purchaser and maintaining records of the transaction. Please see S on page 5

5 IACP Newsletter Page 5 S from page 4 Require FFLs to submit information including the manufacturer/importer, model, and serial number of firearms transferred at gun shows to the ATF s National Tracing Center (NTC). S was introduced on January 30 and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Day on the Hill The IACP s bi-ennial Day on the Hill has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 4 in conjunction with the mid-year meetings of both the Division of State and Provincial Police and the Division of State Associations of Chiefs of Police Divisions. On this day, IACP members will have an opportunity to meet with their elected officials on issues important to the law enforcement community. Please note, on March 3, there will be a briefing on Legislative Issues at 1:30 p.m. at the Sheraton National Hotel: 900 S. Orme Street, Arlington, VA. If you are interested in joining us for the Day on the Hill, please contact Meredith Mays for more information: mays@theiacp.org. The IACP Capitol Report is prepared by Meredith Mays. If you have any questions, please contact Meredith at THE-IACP or Mays@theiacp.org. If you would like to have the IACP Capitol Report ed to you as soon as it published, send an to join-capreport@iacplist.org.