WASHINGTON, DC - Today the Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to advance the fiscal year 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill.  The legislation provides a total of $56.3 billion in discretionary funding to enhance public safety, economic development, and scientific innovation.  The bill includes funds for more than 40 federal agencies and programs, such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA). 

“This legislation makes key investments in public safety, economic development, and scientific research.  It includes critical funding for law enforcement and cybersecurity, as well as NSF funding that can advance scientific research and commercial breakthroughs,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a member of the CJS Subcommittee.  “This bill will help protect the American people and wisely invests in innovation and economic growth.”

The CJS bill invests in a wide range of programs that are critical for Rhode Island, including:

•  $29.2 billion for the U.S. Department of Justice to help fight crime and terrorism, protect communities and families, and provide critical grant funding for local law enforcement initiatives.  This includes nearly $2.4 billion funding for key operational grant programs that benefit Rhode Island, such as the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grants.  The bill also contains $481.5 million, the highest funding level ever, for grants provided by the Office on Violence Against Women and approximately $170 million for initiatives to address Rape Kit and other DNA evidence backlogs.  And to help the Rhode Island State Police solve crimes, it increases the Regional Information Sharing System program to $36 million and provides $13 million for the Coverdell Forensic Science program. 

•   $7.51 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help spark innovation through NSF’s research and development programs to support today’s scientists, engineers, and innovators, while also supporting education and training programs to build tomorrow’s high tech workforce.  Senator Reed included language to strengthen public-private partnerships to help companies work with university researchers to successfully commercialize their ideas.  It also provides $159 million for the NSF to build three (rather than two) regional class research vessels.

•   $5.7 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a $33.5 million increase above the FY2016 enacted level for core NOAA operations including: ocean monitoring; fisheries management; coastal grants to states; aquaculture research; and severe weather forecasting.  The bill includes an additional $1.5 million to help with the permanent homeporting of the Fisheries Survey Vessel Henry Bigelow at Newport.  The bill also includes:  $75 million for NOAA vessel recapitalization; $70 million for Coastal Zone Management Grants and $15 Regional Coastal Resilience Grants; $23.9 million for National Estuarine Research Reserves (including Prudence Island); and $52.5 million for NOAA habitat conservation programs.  It increases the set-aside for Saltonstall-Kennedy competitive fisheries research grants and funding for fisheries management councils and interstate commissions to $34.25 million, supporting the adoption of electronic monitoring in New England.  It provides $9.3 million under the National Marine Fisheries Service aquaculture program and $10 million for aquaculture under Sea Grant.  It provides $64 million of the base Sea Grant program and $27 million for NOAA Ocean Education (including $7.5 million for the B-WET program and $5 million for competitive grants).

•   $132 million to help our communities combat heroin and illegal distribution of opioids.  In terms of enforcement, the anti-heroin task force program within the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office is provided $10 million and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is provided their full request level of $12.5 million for four new heroin enforcement squads.  The bill also provides funding for Justice Department grant programs that provide prevention and treatment opportunities including residential drug treatment ($14 million), prescription drug monitoring ($14 million), and drug courts ($43 million).

•   $974 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which helps provide technical resources to promote the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and aspiring start-ups.  NIST’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) will help manufacturers accelerate development and adoption of cutting-edge manufacturing technologies for making new, globally competitive products. 

•   $254 million for Economic Development Assistance (EDA) programs.  Funding for EDA includes $20 million for the Regional Innovation Program to promote and strengthen regional innovation clusters and place-based business startups. 

Now that it has been approved by the full Appropriations Committee, the bill must now be considered and voted on by the full U.S. Senate and then reconciled with a similar measure working its way through the U.S. House of Representatives.