This
two-day effort was in response to the steep cut in funding the
Byrne-JAG program received in the fiscal 2008 omnibus appropriations
bill. In order to meet the President’s budget demands,
lawmakers decided to slash funding for this important program
by more than two-thirds – from $520 million in fiscal 2007 to
$170 million for fiscal 2008.
Never before has this program been funded at such a low
level. NAPO met with members of the House and Senate leadership, as well as members
of the Appropriations and Judiciary Committees, in order to convey
the dire consequences such a huge cut in funding will have to
law enforcement efforts across the country.
The
loss of needed federal support through the Byrne- JAG program
will result in the closing of many drug and gang task forces across
the country, at a time when tremendous strides are being made
in the fight against methamphetamine.
States and municipalities will have to lay off law enforcement
officers because of tightened budgets due to the lack of Byrne-JAG
money. Additionally, cold case units, identity theft
investigations, school violence prevention programs, victims and
witness protection services will all feel the strain of this cut.
“We
are doing everything in our power to force Congress to act now
in order to ensure that we do not lose ground on the significant
progress law enforcement has made in reducing crime with the support
of the Byrne-JAG program,” said Bill Johnson, NAPO Executive Director.
The
Congressional meetings culminated with a press conference on January
29, where NAPO joined with Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Christopher Bond (R-MO), Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and Joseph Biden
(D-DE) to urge lawmakers to meet the needs of our nation’s law
enforcement community by restoring funding to the Byrne-JAG program.
NAPO finds it disappointing that, when the House and the Senate approved fiscal
2008 appropriations for the Byrne-JAG program at $600 and $660
million, respectively, it received so little support in the final
fiscal 2008 spending measure.
This severe cut in funding comes at a time when violent
crime rates are at their highest level in fifteen years.
Law enforcement officers and the agencies they work for
need the full support of the federal government to continue fighting
the war on drugs, protect our neighborhoods from gangs and crime,
and defend against terrorist threats.
NAPO will work to ensure that Congress reverses its decision to cut funding
for such an important program and will make supporting our nation’s
state and local law enforcement a priority.
If
you have any questions or would like further information about
this issue, please contact Andy Mournighan, NAPO’s Director
of Governmental Affairs, at (703) 549-0775.
