Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
July 13, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 964 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY July 13, 1999 ELIZABETH MORRA HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS
F2000 APPROPRIATIONS FULL CMTE M/U
BODY:
SUBCOMMITTEE PANEL APPROVES FYOO TREASURY- POSTAL SPENDING BILL FYOO
Chairman's Mark: $13.706 billion ($28.24 billion with mandatories) FYOO
President's Request: $13.926 billion ($28.46 billion with mandatories) FY99
Enacted: $13.465 billion ($27.12 billion with mandatories) Overall, the
Subcommittee's allocation included a modest increase of $240 million - about 2
percent above fiscal year 1999. Combined with savings of nearly $900 million
from non-recurring costs associated with the drug and counter-terrorism
supplemental as well as courthouse construction, the Subcommittee was able to
fully fund all programs and activities at their current levels. Additional
resources were provided for specific critical activities: enforcing our gun and
tobacco laws; supporting workload increases associated with the upcoming
Presidential campaign; implementing reforms required by the IRS Restructuring
and Reform Act of 1998; ensuring Customs trade automation systems remain
functional; and continuing efforts to ensure that the IRS is Y2K compliant. As
compared to the President's request, the Subcommittee faced the task of making
whole" the US Customs Service. The President proposed to fund $312 million in
base operations through a controversial new passenger tax -in reality
under-funding Customs by assuming the tax would become law by July 1, 1999. The
Subcommittee fully funded Customs with a direct appropriation. In part, the $312
million in proposed new taxes came from a moratorium on GSA construction,
including denying the President's request to fund the first stage of a
controversial $500 million new federal complex for the Food and Drug
Administration. Major Amendments Adopted in Subcommittee: Royball-Allard: Bill
language expanding the authority of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
to address underage alcohol use in its drug-free media campaign. Enforcing Gun
and Tobacco Laws: +$12.6 million (over last year) to enforce Brady Law
violations to keep convicted felons from obtaining guns; investigate illegal
firearms dealers; and join forces with state and local law enforcement and
prosecutors to fully investigate and prosecute offenders. Total funding is $12.6
million, the same as the President's request. +$11.2 million (over last year) to
expand the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative to 10 cities (total of 37),
including rapid gun tracing analysis to state and local law enforcement and 60
new ATF agents to work in task force operations with local law enforcement for
illegal firearm investigations. Total funding is $45.2 million, the same as the
President's request. +$5.2 million (over last year) to implement tobacco tax
compliance provisions of the 1997 budget agreement. Total funding is $5.2
million, the same as the President's request. +$5 million over the President's
request ($8 million) to support ATFs Ballistic Identification System. Protecting
our Borders and Children from Drugs and Other Crimes: +$10 million (over last
year) for the Drug Free Communities Act. Total funding is $30 million, $8
million over the President's request. +$10 million (over last year) for ONDCPs
media campaign to reduce and prevent drug use among youth. Total funding is $195
million, the same as the President s request. +$100 million (over last year) for
the US Customs Service, including $4 million for the CyberSmuggling Center
targeted to tracking international child pornography trafficking and child
exploitation via the Internet. Total funding is $1.9 billion, the same as the
President's request. +$1 million (over last year) for support of the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children, including the use of forensic
technologies to reunite families. Total funding is $4.2 million, $1 million over
the President s request. Supporting State and Local Law Enforcement +$6.2
million (over last year) for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program.
Total funding is $192 million, $6.2 million over the President's request. +$10.2
million above the President (total of $13.2 million) for drug technology
transfer, which is $250,000 over last year. +$1.3 million for the Financial
Crime Enforcement Network's Gateway program, providing on line access to
intelligence systems and analytical tools for money laundering investigations.
This funding is $600,000 over last year and the same as the President's request.
Ensuring Customer Service and Revenue Collection within the IRS * +$193 million
(over last year) to continue implementation of the IRS Restructuring and Reform
Act. * +$250 million for the final phase of ensuring IRS information systems are
Y2K compliant. Other Provisions The Committee brings financial accountability to
the White House by authorizing the President to appoint a Chief Financial
Officer. Additional funds of $250,000 are provided to implement these new
requirements, which will bring the White House in line with financial
requirements imposed on the rest of the Federal government. The Committee begins
the process of streamlining operations within the Federal Election Commission,
as recommended by PricewaterhouseCoopers, by requiring electronic filing for
committees with a certain level of financial activity and authorizing
administrative fines for straightforward disclosure violations, and authorizing
candidate committees to report to the FEC on an election cycle basis. The
Committee provides Rarity for Federal employee health benefits by retaining
current law: (1) the prohibition on the use of funds to pay for an abortion
through the providers include coverage for prescreption
contraceptives services, under certain circumstances and with
certain exceptions. Effective at noon on January 20, 2001, provides for
adjustments to Presidential compensation.
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July 14, 1999 
