Judd Gregg

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I am pleased the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary directed the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to examine the proposal for a Rapid Response Program for children living in Hancock and Washington Counties and to provide a grant for the program if warranted.

Mr. GREGG. I am aware of the good work St. Louis has done in the past when defense downsizing has affected the city's economy. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing funding for the Commerce Department and the EDA, I will work with the distinguished Senator from Missouri to assist the city.

Mr. GREGG. I agree that this technology could have useful applications to our law enforcement system. I look forward to working with the Senator from Alabama in the future as we explore technological developments and other useful tools that can aid our law enforcement community.

Mr. GREGG. I am aware of the Byrne grant program and its importance, as well as the fact that the Administration's budget cut Byrne by over $90 million, not to mention the Administration's ``zero-funding'' of the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant--which this Subcommittee funded at $400 million. As Chairman of the subcommittee that provides funds for law enforcement, I am intimately familiar with the need to fund effective and successful law enforcement programs. I join with the Senator from Arizona in recognizing the importance of the Byrne Grant. As this bill moves to conference, I look forward to working with you to address your concerns.

Mr. GREGG. I understand the Senator's interest in this area.

Mr. GREGG. I welcome the comments by the Senator from Pennsylvania and look forward to continuing to work with him on this request. I am well aware of the importance he places on the Harbor Gardens project. I would strongly urge the EDA to consider a proposal by the Business and Industrial Development Corporation within applicable procedures and guidelines and provide a grant if warranted. the byrne grant

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I thank my friends from California, Arizona, and New York for their excellent observations. I know that they have been tireless in their efforts to secure both an end to illegal immigration and to ensure that the federal government assume a share of the financial responsibility for its inability to control illegal immigration. I know, as well, that the senator from California and the senator from Arizona were two of the principal authors of the SCAAP program when it was created by the 1994 Crime bill, and that they both worked very hard to help secure the $585 million which was appropriated last year and in fiscal year 1998 for this important program. Knowing of the great need for adequate funding for SCAAP, it pains me that the Committee was unable to fund it at the level it deserves. I assure the senators that I will make it a high priority during the conference between the House and Senate to secure adequate funding for this program, that does so much for all of our states that are burdened by the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens.

Mr. GREGG. I thank the Senator from Alabama for his interest in this legislation and in improving our law enforcement efforts. I agree that we should explore new techniques that can improve the capabilities of the law enforcement community.

Mr. GREGG. The Idaho and Montana Coldwater Fishery Enhancement Program is an important element in the concerted effort to help native fish throughout the Pacific Northwest. This year's appropriations bills place a priority on stabilizing the native fish populations throughout the region, and this program fills a niche previously left unmet by other recovery efforts. SCAAP Funding

Mr. GREGG. I would be pleased to engage in such a discussion with my friend the senior Senator from Idaho.

Mr. GREGG. I want to make one further clarification regarding the $2.5 million earmarked for research by the Office of Advocacy. It was our intention that this amount be spent on research contracts and other initiatives by the Office of Advocacy. The Subcommittee did not intend that any of these funds would be transferred to the general operating account for the Agency nor would any of these funds be used to pay the costs of maintaining the full-tme staff of the Office of Advocacy.

Mr. GREGG. I appreciate the time and effort spent by Senator Bond and Senator Kerry working with the Subcommittee in developing the FY 2000 budget for SBA. The Subcommittee approved the increase in the budget for the Office of Advocacy to enable it to assess the economic contributions made by small businesses, to determine the impact of federal regulations and tax policies on small businesses, to dedicate sufficient resources to help carry out its responsibilities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and to undertake reviews of interpretative regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury and rules issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor. It was further our intention to direct SBA to add 5 full-time equivalent employees to the Office of Advocacy for a total of 54 full- time employees for FY 2000. It is our belief this number of full-time staff is reasonable to address the burgeoning responsibilities of this important office.

Mr. GREGG. The Senator raises excellent points. The resources of the National are better served in working to resolve these types of problems rather than to continue in a litigation strategy for years and years. All parties should work to resolve the problems in the Coeur d'Alene Basin and the Committee will work with the Senator from Idaho to see if further direction is appropriate in the Conference Report. development of a habitat conservation plan

Mr. GREGG. My colleague from Idaho is correct. In setting the funding priorities for the Bureau of Arms Control, within the State Department, the Committee has clearly directed that the $10,000,000 provided be used for the purpose of verification technology. The Committee further specifies that verification technology will include systemization of promising non-intrusive nuclear topographic techniques including the Fission Assay tomography System and the Gamma Neutron Assay Technique, which together will provide the ability to detect and characterize special nuclear materials while at the same time ensuring that design information is not revealed. The President's budget request is just that--a request for the Committee's consideration--but Congress, within its prerogatives, sets agency funding levels, and sets priorities within those levels.

Mr. GREGG. I am pleased to consider the request of the Senator for Rhode Island. I have discussed this with my distinguished colleague from South Carolina, and we have agreed to a provision in the manager's amendment that directs NMFS to take $1 million from available funds within its budget and apply it to the Community-Based Habitat Restoration Program.

Mr. GREGG. That is correct. The Administration's budget proposal included the program as part of a larger and new initiative that did not receive any funds.

Mr. GREGG. I am aware of the program and agree with the Senator from Rhode Island. It is an excellent program that supports worthwhile projects with limited funding. Last year, $450,000 was appropriated for the program.

Mr. GREGG. That is correct. Community-Based Habitat Restoration Program

Mr. GREGG. I agree with the Senator from Iowa. While the Committee was unable to provide new funding as the Administration requested, nothing in the bill or the report language prohibits the Department from using generally appropriated funds, including funds from the Fees and Expenses of Witnesses Account, to pursue this litigation if the Department concludes such litigation has merit under existing law.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I applaud Senator Jeffords' work on these important issues. He is correct that the FY 2000 Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill provides $100,000 for the establishment of a teen center in Colchester, Vermont and $100,000 to Prevent Child Abuse-VT to evaluate the SAFE-T program, a comprehensive child abuse prevention program for middle school communities. department of justice funding

Mr. GREGG. I share the Senator's strong support for the work of the International War Crimes Tribunals. The Subcommittee, with the Senators help, provided more than $40 million for the War Crimes Tribunals in the fiscal year 1999 bill. The full committee, again with the Senator's assistance, made an additional $28 million available to the tribunals as part of the fiscal year 1999 emergency supplemental that passed in May. Just two weeks ago, the Subcommittee approved yet another $2 million for FBI forensic teams investigating massacre sites in Kosovo under the tribunal's direction. I look forward to working with the Senator during the Conference on this bill to ensure that full funding is provided. child abuse prevention program

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I appreciate Senator Jeffords bringing the needs of these three police departments to my attention, and will work with him to ensure that the money for technology grants to these three Vermont towns are distributed in the way he has described. International War Crimes Tribunals

Mr. GREGG. It is the intent of the Committee to direct $2.0 million in carry-over funds for the ATP be used for new grants under the Technology Administration's EPSCoT program. I look forward to working with the Senator from Louisiana to ensure that the $2.0 million in ATP carry-over funds are provided to the EPSCoT program for new grants in Fiscal Year 2000.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I would be happy to yield to the Senator from Louisiana and engage in a colloquy.

Mr. GREGG. I thank the Senator from Florida for bringing this issue to my attention. The Committee is aware of Barry University's efforts and I would strongly urge the Economic Development Administration to consider its application within applicable procedures and guidelines and provide a grant if warranted.