Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013

Floor Speech

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, Aloha. I rise today in support of the Lee-Pascrell-Pierluisi-Welch-Sherman-Hirono-DeLauro-Israel-Himes amendment, which reverses the $126 million cut to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program in H.R. 5326, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013. While I am a proud cosponsor of this amendment, last night I voted for the Grimm amendment to restore this important funding to keep our neighborhoods safe, which passed by two votes.
COPS grants provide funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire, preserve and/or rehire career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity. COPS has been an unqualified success. Since this program was established, back when President Clinton was in office, violent crimes have declined throughout the country.

Our state and local law enforcement agencies in Hawaii and across the country have had to make tough choices and tough cuts to weather this economy. To date, COPS grants have funded over 500 additional law enforcement officers in the State of Hawaii, contributing to additional community patrols and other crime prevention efforts to protect lives and property. The restoration of COPS Program funding is critical to ensuring the safety of all our communities, while also protecting and creating jobs for the American people.
I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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