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Two FY2010 Appropriations Measures Clear House; Provisions on Violence Against Women, Child Care Included

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

On June 18, the House approved, 259-147, the FY2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 2847). The House Appropriations Committee approved the bill on June 9 (see The Source, 6/12/09).

During debate on the measure, the House adopted the following amendments:

  • an amendment by Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Ted Poe (R-TX) to increase funding by $4 million for legal assistance to domestic violence victims, offset by a $4 million reduction to the Commerce Department’s management fund, 414-0;
  • an amendment by Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and Michael Michaud (D-ME) to increase funding by $5 million for grants to state and local government DNA collection and analysis systems, offset by a reduction to the Office of Justice Programs general fund, 418-3; and
  • an amendment by Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) to increase by $2.5 million the Office of Violence Against Women program supporting teen victims of dating violence, offset by a reduction to the Commerce Department’s management fund, by voice vote.

The following amendments were defeated:

  • an amendment by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) to remove funding for the Legal Services Corporation, 105-323; and
  • an amendment by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to reduce the discretionary spending in the bill by five percent, 177-248.

The committee report details a number of programs of interest to women and families:

Agency/Program FY2009 FY2010 President’s Request FY2010 House Level

Department of Justice

Office of Violence Against Women (VAWA) $415 million; an additional $225 million was appropriated via the American Recovery and Reivestment Act (ARRA) (P.L. 111-5) $414 million $400 million (p. 75)*
Grants to Combat Violence Against Women (STOP Grants) $190 million $190 million $200 million (p. 75)
Transitional Housing $18 million $18 million $18 million (p. 76)
Violence on College Campuses $9.5 million $9.5 million $9.5 million (p. 76)
Civil Legal Assistance for Victims $37 million $37 million $37 million (p. 76)
Elder Abuse Grant Program $4.25 million $4.25 million $4.25 million (p. 77)
Safe Haven Program $14 million $14 million $14 million (p. 77)
Protections and Services for Disabled Victims $6.75 million $6.75 million $6.75 million (p. 77)
Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention $3 million $3 million $3 million (p. 77)
Court Training Program $3 million $3 million $3 million (p. 77)
Rural Domestic Violence Grants $41 million $41 million $41 million (p. 76)
Sexual Assault Victims Services $12 million $12 million $13 million (p. 76)
National Tribal Sex Offender Registry $1 million $1 million $1 million (p. 77)
National Resource Center on Workplace Responses $1 million $1 million $1 million (p. 77)
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance $1.329 billion; an additional $2 billion was appropriated via the ARRA, P.L. 111-5 $728 million $1.313 billion (p. 81)
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants $519 million $519 million $529 million (p. 81)
Prison Rape Prevention Programs $12.5 million $12.5 million $15 million (p. 81)
Victims of Trafficking Grants $10 million $10 million $10 million (p. 81)
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) $550.5 million $761 million $802 million (p. 108)
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) $15 million $15 million $15 million (p. 81)
Training for Judicial Personnel (child abuse) $2.5 million $2.5 million $2.5 million (p. 81)
Stalking Database $3 million $3 million $3 million (p. 81)
Research on Violence Against Indian Women $1 million $1 million $1 million (p. 81)
DNA Analysis $156 million $151 million $151 million (p. 109)
Child Predator Elimination/Sex Offender Management $18 million; an additional $50 million for the Internet Crimes Against Children Regional Task Force was appropriated via the ARRA, P.L. 111-5 $18 million $28 million (p. 109)
Juvenile Justice Programs $374 million $317 million $385 million (p. 96)
Victims of Child Abuse Programs $20 million $20 million $20 million (p. 97)

Related Agencies

Legal Services Corporation $390 million $435 million $440 million (p. 162)
Commission on Civil Rights $8.8 million $9.4 million $9.4 million (p. 160)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission $343.925 million $367.303 million $367.303 million (p. 161)
National Science Foundation $6.49 billion $7.045 billion $6.937 billion (p. 5)
Education and Human Resources $845.26 million $857.760 million $862.9 million (p. 5)

The committee “is aware that an estimated one in six women in the United States will experience a sexual assault in her lifetime, and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation ranks rape as the second most violent crime, second only to murder. The Department of Justice is encouraged to continue supporting programs, including hotline programs, which facilitate the delivery of confidential recovery services to rape victims.” (p. 78)

*“The recommended level does not include funding for programs that were funded through this account in FY2009 that are administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). For FY2009, funding for each of these OJP-administered programs is appropriated directly to OJP at the FY2009 level…These include: the CASA Special Advocates program; the Training for Judicial Personnel program; the Stalking Database program; the Research on Violence Against Women program; Training Programs to Assist Probation and Parole Officers; and the Closed Circuit Television program.”

Legislative Branch

On June 19, the House approved, 231-178, the FY2010 Legislative Branch spending bill (H.R. 2918). The House Appropriations Committee approved the bill on June 12 (see The Source, 6/12/09); the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill on June 18 (see The Source, 6/19/09). 

The bill would provide $3.68 billion in discretionary spending for the legislative branch. The bill funds only House operations and would provide $237 million above FY2009 and $282 million below the administration’s request. Included in that amount is “$1 million for child care benefits for lower-paid employees in [congressional] offices and committees.”

More information will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.