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Crime and Homeland Security Committee Resolutions
July 14, 2008
The Cops Program calls for full maintenance of the COPS program in FY 2009 and beyond through the appropriations process, and for Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation to reauthorize the COPS program with significant resources to address the critical needs of local law enforcement, allow for greater program flexibility, continue the COPS Office as an independent component within the Department of Justice, and preserve within COPS all of its current functions.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program registers strong support for the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and calls on Congress to fund it at no less than the FY 2005 level of $634 million.
Common Sense Measures in Support of Efforts to Fight Illegal Guns calls on Congress to enact legislation that would prevent guns from getting into the hands of criminals by closing the gun show loophole, ending the gun dealer fire sales provision, requiring gun dealers to perform background checks on their employees, and closing the terror gap. It further calls on Congress to reject legislative proposals such as the Tiahrt amendment and others that limit cities’ ability to solve and prevent crime in our communities.
Microstamping: In Support of Efforts to Fight Illegal Gun Trafficking and Increase the Ability of Law Enforcement to Close Gun Related Cases calls on Congress to enact the National Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007 which would require all new semi-automatic firearms manufactured or sold after January 1, 2010 to be microstamp-enabled.
Comprehensive Gang Abatement Legislation calls on Congress to immediately pass comprehensive legislation that will provide resources to cities seeking to reduce gang activity and violence; for such legislation to include assistance to implement strategies that prevent and deter gang activity among at-risk youth populations, support community-based positive youth development programs, promote ex-offender reintegration to reduce gang recidivism, provide necessary resources to law enforcement authorities, and help local governments in enforcing laws that keep communities safe from gangs; and for Congress to address gang activity by giving greater attention to and support for evidenced-based methods proven to reduce youth violence and delinquency, such as early childhood education, home visiting for parent training, after'school mentoring, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment services.
In Support of Full Funding and ‘Best Practice’ Implementation of the Second Chance Act calls upon Congress to fund the Second Chance Act for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 at the full authorized amount and to begin discussions on a reauthorization of the Second Chance Act at the start of the 111th Congress for an additional period of more than a two years. It further calls on the Conference of Mayors’ Ex-Offender Task Force to work in close coordination with the Second Chance Act’s National Resource Center, assisting the Center in meeting its mandate of collecting data and information on best practices in reentry programming and partnering with the Center in disseminating ‘best practice’ knowledge to state and local governments. It also calls on mayors to commit to assessing and reducing the barriers that exist in their own municipal regulations to hiring, promoting, and providing increased compensation opportunities for ex-offenders in city-paid positions; and on the U.S. Department of Labor to assess each state’s obstructions to employing ex-offenders and list those obstructions in a timely publication that can be used by state and local governments to reduce such impediments.
Ending Homelessness of Ex-Offenders Through Second Chance endorses the new Second Chance Act legislation, commends the President and Congress for passage and signing into law of "The Second Chance Act, " and encourages them to support the provision of budget resources to implement the Second Chance Act.
Calling for Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act calls upon Congress to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act with specific increased spending flexibility and amounts for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program, Title II Grants, and New Initiatives and Programs Grant; and for that reauthorization to include at least programs supporting job training, education, employment, housing, substance abuse treatment, mental health services and recreation to help youth realize their true potential. It further calls on mayors and Congress to support youth programs with intervention targets for at-risk youth ages 14 to 25 through outreach and service connection and for attempts to link the community as a whole through a media campaign and community mobilization efforts.
Supporting Legislation Encouraging Donations of Surplus Fire Equipment and Material First be Offered to Volunteer Fire Departments within the United States supports and appreciates the sacrifice and patriotic duty exemplified by the brave men and women in United States volunteer fire departments and supports legislation that requires that surplus fire equipment and material from local, state and federal government that was purchased or acquired with public funds – including taxes, grants, or other public funds – be donated to volunteer fire departments in the United States.
Interoperable Communications Funding calls upon Congress to provide FY 2009 appropriations for the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program at the fully authorized funding level of $400 million, and urges Congress and the Department of Homeland Security to assure that allocation of interoperable communications resources are prioritized for projects that provide the maximum benefit to the most people in areas at greatest risk.
Mayors Call on FCC to Preserve 700 Mhz D-Block for Public Safety calls upon the FCC to find that preservation of the public/private partnership to create nationwide, interoperable broadband public safety network would serve public safety and homeland security needs; that preservation of the spectrum for first responder use must be the leading goal of any actions taken in this docket; and calls upon the FCC to meet with local government representatives as a means to best answer to the operational issues posed by the FCC in its NPRM.
Increasing Customs and Border Protection Staffing and Improving Infrastructure at International Ports of Entry supports enactment of legislation that would increase funding to assure adequate U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff resources and improve border entry infrastructure, and calls on Congress to increase FY 2009 funding levels for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, specifically requiring use of those funds to hire full-time CBP Officers, CBP Agriculture Specialists, and security support personnel solely to meet the needs at international air, land, and sea ports of entry.
Coastwise Cruises Interpretive Rule calls on Customs and Border Protection to rescind the proposed Interpretive Rule on Hawaiian Coastwise Cruises.
Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform which Promotes the Reunification of Families, Provides Legal Status with a Path to Earned Citizenship, and a Plan for Current and Future Immigrant Workers calls on the President of the United States to issue an executive order to cease and desist in the execution of all raids and deportations that do not relate to national security or to criminal activity until comprehensive immigration reform is completed and to suspend immediately all deportations of parents with U.S. citizen children; and supports comprehensive immigration reform which promotes the reunification of families, provides legal status with a path to earned citizenship to the estimated 12 million undocumented workers and designs a plan for current and future immigrant workers.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Worksite Enforcement calls upon U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement to develop a national policy for its workforce enforcement activities that focuses on employers with a demonstrated history or reasonable suspicion of engaging in exploitative practices, such as violation of wage, hour or occupational safety laws and regulations; not to prioritize responsible employers for worksite enforcement activities before accurate verification systems are available or comprehensive immigration reform regularizes the status of workers on whom they rely; and to strive to keep in close communication with the nation’s mayors when conducting worksite enforcement activities in their cities.
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