Today, Rep. Henry Cuellar voted in favor of the passage of H.R. 3093, the FY 2008 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill, which includes a $50,000 provision requested by Congressman Cuellar that will help the Starr County Sheriff’s Department combat drug trafficking.

If this provision is included in the final version of the bill, Starr County will be eligible to receive $50,000 to establish a drug task force to help fight drug trafficking, particularly methamphetamine production. This is part of $100,000 that Congressman Cuellar was able to obtain to be shared evenly with Jim Hogg County.

“This is great news for the County of Starr. This provision will improve security and help keep our citizens safe.  Securing the safety of my constituents in an efficient manner is important to me,” said Congressman Cuellar, who is the Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response.

The FY 2008 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill invests a total of $53.8 billion, an increase of almost $3.2 billion over last year’s budget and $2.3 billion over the President’s request. Some of the key provisions of the bill include:

Law Enforcement/Justice Department:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation: Provides funding to fill an additional 391 positions
• Drug Enforcement Administration: Provides funding to assist with the removal and disposal of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in the southwest border
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Includes funding to restart the hiring process for the (COPS) program and for the purchase of bulletproof vests and for the creation of anti-gang initiatives
• U.S. Attorney’s Office: Funds additional positions for child exploitation and obscenity investigations and for gang-related prosecution
• Additional funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Includes funding for victims of slave and sex trafficking
• Southwest Border Prosecutors: Includes funding for the handling and processing of drug and alien cases referred from federal arrests along the southwest border

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• Drug Courts: Provides state, local and tribal governments with grants, technical support, and training to create dedicated drug courts for non-violent offenders and develop an integrated mix of treatment, drug testing, incentives and sanctions
• State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP): Will assist state and local governments with the costs of jailing undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes not related to their immigration status
• Violence Against Women Office: Provides funding for the arrests in domestic violence cases and for prosecuting cases involving violence against women

Commerce Department:

• International Trade Administration: Provides funding for the ITA, whose mission is to create economic opportunity for U.S. workers and firms by promoting trade, opening foreign markets, and supporting U.S. commercial interests at home and abroad
• Economic Development Administration: Includes funding measures for communities that are struggling with long-term economic problems, as well as those that are experiencing sudden, severe economic decline
• Minority Business Development Agency: Includes funding to foster the creation, growth and expansion of minority-owned businesses

“Commerce and international trade have always been extremely important for the 28th Congressional District of Texas, and with this bill, we will continue moving forward with the many initiatives that make this area a thriving hub for economic growth,” said Congressman Cuellar.

Funding has also been allocated for science-related agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation. Funding of new strategies to combat global warming is addressed in the bill.

The bill will now go to the Senate for approval.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.

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