House subpanel OKs $57 billion for Justice, Commerce and State

The House Science, State, Justice and Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday approved $57.5 billion in discretionary funding for federal law enforcement, NASA, trade, science and other programs next year.

The bill would increase funding for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The panel approved the measure by voice vote. Democrats criticized the bill because it would not fully restore funding from the fiscal 2005 spending measure for state and local law enforcement to fight crime. The 2006 bill includes $2.6 billion for police officers -- $400 million less than last year, but $1 billion more the President Bush requested.

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., ranking member on the full committee, said Republicans have cut funding by $1 billion for police officers over the last four years.

"The problem is over time we end up shredding our capabilities," he argued.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., responded that funding for state and local law enforcement is "fundamentally" a state responsibility.

The Department of Justice would receive $21.4 billion -- $1.1 billion above the 2005 level and $790 million above the president's request. That amount includes $5.8 billion for the FBI; $1.7 billion for the DEA; $800 million for the U.S. Marshals Service and $924 million for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

NASA would receive $16.5 billion, $275 million above last year's amount and $15 million above Bush's request. Science, Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf, R-Va., said the panel would attempt to keep earmarks for the agency at a minimum this year.

For the Department of Commerce, the panel approved $5.8 billion -- $831 million below 2005 and $3.7 billion below Bush's request. Wolf said the bill urges the government to file dispute cases against China for violating intellectual property laws. "This Congress, neither party nor the administration, has an affective policy," said Wolf in regard to China.

The legislation did not restore funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Advanced Technology Program (ATP). President Bush did not request any funding for the program in his 2006 budget proposal and has sought to cut funding for the program in previous years. Supporters argue it provides critical funding for innovative science research and development with the private sector. But critics call it corporate welfare.

The National Science Foundation received an $171 million increase over the 2005 level. The agency would receive $5.64 billion -- $4.38 billion for research and $807 million for educational science programs. Wolf said he sent a letter recently to President Bush urging him to triple the budget for science programs in his 2007 budget request.

"We're falling behind," said Wolf referring to the United States research and development competitiveness compared with other countries.

Before approving the bill, Republicans and Democrats exchanged terse words over the House-passed budget allocations for next year's spending bills. Both sides of the aisle were reprimanded by Lewis for using "campaign rhetoric" and said he felt strongly about producing appropriations measures in a bipartisan spirit at the subcommittee level.

Obey immediately objected to Lewis calling his arguments rhetoric, saying the "fundamental reality" of the budget "flows from [the Republican majority's] legislative decisions." Obey started the tiff when he repeated Democrat's argument that the 2006 budget allocation is lower because of last year's tax cuts.

A visibly irritated Lewis responded: "With all due respect, I've heard this speech 17 times." He then excused himself and walked out while Obey responded that the Republicans would hear it numerous times during the budget cycle. "If it gets under the skin of some members, good," he said. "That's the intention."

Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., defended the tax cut, saying appropriators could find other areas to reduce spending such as the millions spent on illegal immigrants. Those comments ignited the ire of Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., who argued illegal immigrants pay a portion of taxes.