House bill (H.R. 2244) also contained a rescission under this heading totalling $2,544,000, including the $794,000 for the Key Largo semi tropical research facility and the $250,000 from the NWS Southern Region Headquarters, but provided that the remaining $1,500,000 be rescinded from funds appropriated in fiscal year 1993 for the Sandy Hook National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) laboratory. GENERAL PROVISION The conference agreement includes language prohibiting grants made with funds provided to the Department of Commerce under Public Law 102-368, the Dire Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1992, for tourism promotion needs arising from Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Iniki, and other disasters, from being subject to any maximum or minimum dollar amount established by regulations of the Department of Commerce. The Senate bill included a provision which would have prohibited the Secretary of Commerce from establishing or enforcing a maximum or minimum dollar amount for any grant made pursuant to P.L. 102-368. Neither House bill contained a provision on this matter. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION SALARIES AND EXPENSES The conference agreement includes language requested by the Administration and proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118), which will enable the Department of Justice to receive reimbursements from agencies referring debt to the Department for collection. The House bills (H.R. 2118 and H.R. 2244) included no such provision. ASSETS FORFEITURE FUND (RESCISSION) The conference agreement includes a rescission, as proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118), of $35,000,000 from the Assets Forfeiture Fund, since those funds are no longer required for the purposes for which they were originally intended. The House bill (H.R. 2244) included a rescission of $5,000,000. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SALARIES AND EXPENSES The conference agreement provides $32,000,000, as proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118), for the FBI's Special program in support of national security. The House bills included no funds for this purpose. The conferees expect the FBI to use these funds to improve their capability to respond to terrorist and extremist acts, and to address critical Special Program requirements, particularly those related to advanced digital communications. FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES (RESCISSION) The conference agreement includes a rescission of $145,000,000 from unobligated amounts appropriated to date for construction of new Federal prison facilities, instead of $94,500,000 as proposed in the House bill (H.R. 2244) and $130,000,000 as proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118). The conference agreement rescinds $84,800,000, as proposed by both the House and the Senate, for construction of a Federal detention center designated for the District of Columbia. The conferees expect the Bureau of Prisons to achieve the remaining rescission of $60,200,000 after a thorough review of projected bedspace needs and planned construction projects. The conferees further expect the Department to notify the Committees on Appropriations, in accordance with standard reprogramming procedures, of the projects proposed for termination or reduction, and the reasons for its decisions. The conferees understand that the Bureau of Prisons has made adjustments to its rated capacity standards. This adjustment, when coupled with the additional space to be provided from new facilities previously funded and under development, will significantly reduce the level of overcrowding in Federal prisons to a more manageable level by the end of fiscal year 1997. The conferees believe the rescission of these unobligated balances should have little impact on the Bureau's ability to incarcerate Federal inmates. OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS JUSTICE ASSISTANCE The conference agreement provides a total of $150,000,000 for discretionary grants to hire additional sworn law enforcement personnel. The House bill (H.R. 2118) provided $200,000,000 and included language making the funds available to the States through the Edward Byrne formula grant program, only for the first year cost of the salaries and benefits of additional sworn law enforcement personnel. The Senate bill also provided $200,000,000 but included language making the funds available through the Edward Byrne discretionary grant program to promote the interaction of law enforcement officers with citizens. The conference agreement includes language making the $150,000,000 available until expended only for the salaries and benefits, excluding overtime, of additional sworn law enforcement officers. The agreement waives the requirement in law that limits to $50,000,000 the amount available for Edward Byrne discretionary grants. The conferees expect the Department to award the discretionary grants competitively to those communities, regardless of size or locality, most in need of sworn law enforcement personnel. The conferees further expect the Department to award the grants as expeditiously as possible in order for the communities to achieve the full benefit, not only of the additional law enforcement resources, but also of the new jobs. The conferees expect that the grants awarded by the Attorney General provide sufficient funds to pay the salaries for these additional police officers over the full term of the grant, which term shall not exceed the time specified in the Department's request. The conferees encourage the Attorney General to require a local match from those localities which can afford to do so. The conference agreement does not include a rescission of $1,000,000 contained in both the House and Senate bills. Based on revised information provided by the Department, the conferees understand that these funds can now be obligated and that the Department is ready to issue a request for grant proposals. THE JUDICIARY COURTS OF APPEALS, DISTRICT COURTS, AND OTHER JUDICIAL SERVICES DEFENDER SERVICES The conference agreement includes $55,000,000 for Defender Services as proposed by the House and the Senate in H.R. 2118. FEES OF JURORS AND COMMISSIONERS The conference agreement includes $5,500,000 for Fees of Jurors and Commissioners as proposed by the House and the Senate in H.R. 2118. RELATED AGENCIES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MARITIME ADMINISTRATION MILITARY USEFUL VESSEL OBLIGATION GUARANTEES (INCLUDING RESCISSION) The conferences agreement includes a rescission and an appropriation of $52,000,000, originally provided under this heading in Public Law 102-395, and language making these funds available until expended. This amount includes $48,000,000 in subsidy amounts for the Title XI Military Useful Vessel loan guarantee program, and $4,000,000 for administrative costs associated with this program. The Senate bill included similar rescission and appropriations language making only the $48,000,000 in loan subsidy amounts available until expended. Neither House bill contained a provision on this matter. The conferees recognize the job creation potential of this loan guarantee program and concur with the Senate report language urging the expeditious resolution of disagreements within the Administration on the approval of loan guarantee applications. BOARD FOR INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING ISRAEL RELAY STATION (RESCISSION) The conference agreement includes a rescission of $180,000,000 for the Israel Relay Station, as proposed by the Senate. These funds were appropriated in prior years for construction of a joint Broad for International Broadcasting and Voice of America radio relay station in Israel-a project which the Administration has decided to cancel. The House bills contained no provision on this mat ter. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SALARIES AND EXPENSES The conference agreement includes $11,500,000, as proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118), to allow the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to begin implementing the requirements of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. The House bills (H.R. 2118 and H.R. 2244) included no funds for this purpose. The Administration requested $12,000,000 for the FCC to implement the Cable Act in fiscal year 1993, with followon expenses to be derived from the collection of user fees. The conferees understand that, due to funding delays, the Commission extended the June 21, 1993 implementation date of the Cable Act to October 1, 1993. The conferees expect the Commission to begin to implement the Cable Act immediately upon enactment of this Act. In addition, the conferees intend that the Commission shall establish a date as soon as possible after enactment of this Act, but that date shall be no later than September 1, 1993, as the date from which consumers may obtain refunds of excessive rates for the basic service tier of cable television service and for cable programming services. The conferees further understand that, due to the delay in providing these funds, the FCC has reestimated its overall Cable Act funding requirements for fiscal year 1993. The FCC has requested that funds originally intended for personnel expenses instead be used for program support and one-time construction costs for "permanent space" for the new employees. Since the Commission is still undecided on its plans for the permanent location for the FCC headquarters, the conferees agrees that it is inappropriate for the FCC to expend funds for "permanent space" for those personnel implementing the Cable Act. The conferees expect the FCC to house personnel in temporary GSA space until such time as a decision has been made on a site for a permanent headquarters. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION SALARIES AND EXPENSES (RESCISSION) The conference agreement includes a rescission of $11,700,000, as proposed by the Senate bill (H.R. 2118), from excess offsetting fee collections made available to the Securities and Exchange Commission for fiscal year 1993. The House bills (H.R. 2118 and H.R. 2244) included no such rescission. The conferees agree, based on information provided by the Commission, that this rescission of surplus fee collections will have no negative impact on the programs and activities of the SEC. THOMAS JEFFERSON COMMEMORATION COMMISSION SALARIES AND EXPENSES (RESCISSION) The conference agreement includes a rescission of $100,000 from unobligated amounts appropriated to date for activities of the Thomas Jefferson Commemoration Commission, instead of $200,000 as proposed in the House bill (H.R. 2244) and $200,000 as proposed in the Senate bill (H.R. 2118). The conferees understand that the President has now appointed Commissioners and that the Commission is planning several activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth. Although the anniversary was on April 13, 1993, the Commission plans the celebration to continue for the remainder of the year. Since the fiscal year is more than half over, the conferees believe half the funds originally appropriated will be sufficient to carry out the activities of the Commission in fiscal year 1993. OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE SALARIES AND EXPENSES The Conference agreement provides an additional $500,000 for the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and makes these funds available until expended, as proposed by the Senate. These funds were not included in either House bill. The conferees have provided these funds to cover travel, printing, and support requirements associated with ongoing trade negotiations, and for the consolidation of space at USTR's Geneva Office. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SALARIES AND EXPENSES (RESCISSION) The Conference agreement rescinds $2,000,000 in the Salaries and Expenses account, as proposed by the Senate. These funds, which were appropriated in the fiscal year 1993 Appropriations Act for the White House Conference on Small Business, are no longer required because preparatory activities for the conference have been delayed and the conference will not take place during the current fiscal year. The House bills contained no provision on this matter. (BY TRANSFER) The conference agreement includes $14,000,000, as proposed by the House in H.R. 2244, for the Small Business Administration's |