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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Nathan James, Coordinator
Analyst in Crime Policy
Jennifer D. Williams, Coordinator
Specialist in American National Government
John F. Sargent Jr., Coordinator
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
June 23, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Summary
This report will track and describe actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide
FY2015 appropriations for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2014 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded
as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS.
The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Departments of Commerce and
Justice, the science agencies, and several related agencies. Appropriations for the Department of
Commerce include funding for agencies such as the Census Bureau; the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology. Appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ)
provide funding for agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Prisons;
the U.S. Marshals; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives; along with funding for a variety of grant programs for state, local, and
tribal governments. Funding for the science agencies goes to the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National
Science Foundation (NSF). The annual appropriation for the related agencies includes funding for
agencies such as the Legal Services Corporation and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.
Over the past 10 fiscal years, appropriations for CJS increased from FY2005 to FY2010, and they
have generally declined since. After adjusting for inflation, FY2013 and FY2014 appropriations
for CJS were generally at the same level as in FY2005. The peak in CJS appropriations around
FY2010 was the result of increased appropriations for the Department of Commerce to support
the 2010 decennial census. Since FY2010, total appropriations for CJS have been around $60
billion, with the exception of FY2013 when sequestration cut nearly $4 billion out of the total
FY2013 CJS appropriations. While decreased appropriations for the Department of Commerce
mostly explain the overall decrease in CJS appropriations since FY2010, there have also been
cuts in funding for DOJ and NASA. Recent reductions to NASA’s appropriation have brought it
more in-line with what the agency received in FY2005. In addition, despite recent cuts to DOJ’s
appropriation, Congress still appropriated $6.883 billion more for DOJ in FY2014 than it did in
FY2005.
For FY2014, through P.L. 113-76, Congress appropriated a total of $61.623 billion for CJS, of
which $8.181 billion was for the Department of Commerce, $27.737 billion was for the
Department of Justice, $24.824 billion was for the science agencies, and $881.8 million was for
the related agencies.
For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $62.397 billion for the agencies and bureaus
funded as a part of the annual CJS bill. The Administration’s request for CJS would be 1.3%
greater than the FY2014-enacted appropriation. The Administration’s request includes $8.746
billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.974 billion for the Department of Justice, $24.721
billion for the science agencies, and $956.1 million for the related agencies.
The House-passed CJS bill would provide $62.559 billion for the CJS departments and agencies.
The amount proposed by the House would be 1.5% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and
0.3% more than the Administration’s request. The House-passed bill includes $8.231 billion for
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the Department of Commerce, $28.162 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.296 billion for
the science agencies, and $870.9 million for the related agencies.
There are several issues policy makers might consider while debating the FY2015 funding levels
for CJS agencies and bureaus, including the following:
• Whether the Census Bureau will receive the funds requested to complete the
research and testing necessary for a cost-effective 2020 census design, and to
restore 12-month interviewing and the full American Community Survey sample
size after a one-month break in data collection that was caused by the October
2013 federal government shutdown.
• Whether to fund the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) core
laboratory and construction accounts at a level consistent with the goal of
doubling funding for these and other targeted accounts, as proposed previously
by President Obama and adopted implicitly in the America COMPETES Act
(P.L. 110-69) and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L.
111-358).
• Whether to provide the $147.0 million in gun- and school violence-related grant
funding under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance the
Administration requests as a part of its “Now is the Time” initiative, which is the
Administration’s effort to combat gun violence.
• Whether the Bureau of Prisons has adequate resources to properly manage the
growing number of inmates held in federal prisons.
• Whether the current direction for the U.S. human spaceflight program,
established in October 2010 by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267), can be implemented
successfully in a period of increased budgetary constraint, as well as what the
potential impact of human spaceflight’s funding needs will be on the availability
of funding for other NASA programs, such as science, aeronautics, and
education.
• Whether to adopt the Administration’s proposed government-wide science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program
reorganization and consolidation, including proposed changes at NSF, NASA,
and the Department of Commerce.
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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview of CJS .............................................................................................................................. 1
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations for CJS ................................................................................. 5
Survey of Selected Issues ................................................................................................................ 6
Department of Commerce ......................................................................................................... 6
Department of Justice ................................................................................................................ 7
Science Agencies ....................................................................................................................... 8
Related Agencies ....................................................................................................................... 9
Department of Commerce ................................................................................................................ 9
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations ...................................................................................... 10
International Trade Administration (ITA) ................................................................................ 12
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) .................................................................................... 13
Economic Development Administration (EDA) ...................................................................... 13
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) ................................................................ 15
Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) ..................................................................... 16
Census Bureau ......................................................................................................................... 16
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) ................................ 17
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) ........................................................................... 18
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ......................................................... 19
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ................................................. 21
Department of Justice (DOJ) ......................................................................................................... 22
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations ...................................................................................... 23
General Administration ........................................................................................................... 25
General Administration ..................................................................................................... 25
Administrative Review and Appeals (ARA) ..................................................................... 26
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) .............................................................................. 26
U.S. Parole Commission .......................................................................................................... 27
Legal Activities ........................................................................................................................ 27
General Legal Activities .................................................................................................... 27
Office of the U.S. Attorneys .............................................................................................. 28
Other Legal Activities ....................................................................................................... 28
U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) ............................................................................................... 28
National Security Division (NSD) ........................................................................................... 30
Interagency Law Enforcement................................................................................................. 30
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ..................................................................................... 31
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) .............................................................................. 32
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) ............................................... 33
Federal Prison System (Bureau of Prisons, BOP) ................................................................... 36
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) ........................................................................... 38
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) ............................................................................................ 39
Research, Evaluation, and Statistics .................................................................................. 39
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance................................................................... 40
Juvenile Justice Programs ................................................................................................. 45
Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB) ............................................................. 46
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) ..................................................................... 46
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The Crime Victims Fund ......................................................................................................... 47
Science Agencies ........................................................................................................................... 48
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations ...................................................................................... 48
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) .................................................................. 49
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)....................................................... 50
National Science Foundation (NSF) ........................................................................................ 53
Related Agencies ........................................................................................................................... 57
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations ...................................................................................... 57
Commission on Civil Rights ................................................................................................... 58
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) .......................................................... 59
U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ........................................................................... 59
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) .......................................................................................... 60
Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) .................................................................................... 60
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) .................................................................... 61
State Justice Institute (SJI) ...................................................................................................... 61
Figures
Figure 1. Nominal and Inflation-Adjusted Total Appropriations for CJS, FY2005-FY2014 .......... 3
Figure 2. Nominal Total CJS Appropriations, by Major Component, FY2005-FY2014 ................. 4
Tables
Table 1. CJS Appropriations, FY2014 and FY2015 ........................................................................ 5
Table 2. Funding for the Department of Commerce, FY2014 and FY2015 .................................. 10
Table 3. Funding for EDA Programs and Salaries and Expenses, FY2014 and FY2015 .............. 15
Table 4. Funding for the Department of Justice, FY2014 and FY2015 ......................................... 24
Table 5. Funding for OVW Programs, FY2014 and FY2015 ........................................................ 38
Table 6. Funding for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, FY2014 and FY2015 ......................... 40
Table 7. Funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Programs,
FY2014 and FY2015 .................................................................................................................. 42
Table 8. Funding for Juvenile Justice Programs, FY2014 and FY2015 ........................................ 45
Table 9. Funding for Community Oriented Policing Services Programs,
FY2014 and FY2015 .................................................................................................................. 47
Table 10. Funding for Science Agencies, FY2014 and FY2015 .................................................... 48
Table 11. Funding for NASA, FY2014 and FY2015 ..................................................................... 52
Table 12. NSF Funding by Major Account, FY2014 and FY2015 ................................................ 56
Table 13. Funding for Related Agencies, FY2014 and FY2015 .................................................... 58
Table 14. Funding for CJS Agencies, by Account, FY2005-FY2014 ............................................ 62
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Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 66
Key Policy Staff ............................................................................................................................. 66
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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Introduction
This report tracks and provides an overview of actions taken by the Administration and Congress
to provide FY2015 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)
accounts. It also provides an overview of enacted FY2014 appropriations for agencies and
bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS.
The amounts in this report reflect only new appropriations. Therefore, the amounts do not include
any rescissions of unobligated or de-obligated balances that may be counted as offsets to newly
enacted appropriations, nor do they include any scorekeeping adjustments, such as the balance on
the Crime Victims Fund.
The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L.
113-76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015
requested amounts were taken from the report to accompany H.R. 4660 (H.Rept. 113-448). The
FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and H.Rept. 113-448.
Overview of CJS
The annual CJS appropriations act provides funding for the Departments of Commerce and
Justice, the science agencies, and several related agencies. Appropriations for the Department of
Commerce include funding for agencies such as Census Bureau; the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology. Appropriations for the Department of Justice provide funding for
agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Prisons; the U.S. Marshals;
the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives; along with funding for a variety of grant programs for state, local, and tribal
governments. The vast majority of funding for the science agencies goes to the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. The annual
appropriation for the related agencies includes funding for agencies such as the Legal Services
Corporation and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The mission of the Department of Commerce is to promote “job creation, economic growth,
sustainable development and improved standards of living ... by working in partnership with
businesses, universities, communities and ... workers.”1 The department has wide-ranging
responsibilities including trade, economic development, technology, entrepreneurship and
business development, monitoring the environment, and statistical research and analysis. The
Department of Commerce affects trade and economic development by working to open new
markets for U.S. goods and services and promoting pro-growth business policies. The department
also invests in research in development to foster innovation. The Department of Commerce,
through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, manages and monitors the
nation’s natural resources and assets to support both environmental and economic health. The
department, through the Census Bureau, conducts the constitutionally mandated decennial census.
Finally, the Department of Commerce operates the national patent system.
1 U.S. Department of Commerce, About the Department of Commerce, http://www.commerce.gov/about-department-
commerce.
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The mission of the Department of Justice (DOJ) is to “enforce the law and defend the interests of
the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and
domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just
punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration
of justice for all Americans.”2 The DOJ provides legal advice and opinions, upon request, to the
President and executive branch department heads. The DOJ prosecutes individuals accused of
violating federal laws and it represents the U.S. Government in court. The department enforces
federal criminal and civil laws, including antitrust, civil rights, environmental, and tax laws. The
department, through agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement
Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigates
organized and violent crime, illegal drugs, and gun and explosives violations. The DOJ, through
the U.S. Marshals Service, protects the federal judiciary, apprehends fugitives, and detains
individuals who are not granted pretrial release. It incarcerates individuals convicted of violating
federal laws. The DOJ also provides grants and training to state, local, and tribal law enforcement
agencies.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by the National
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (P.L. 85-568) to conduct civilian space and aeronautics
activities. It has four mission directorates. The Human Exploration and Operations Mission
Directorate is responsible for human spaceflight activities, including the International Space
Station and development efforts for future crewed spacecraft. The Science Mission Directorate
manages robotic science missions, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Mars rover Curiosity,
and satellites for Earth science research. The Space Technology Mission Directorate develops
new technologies for use in future space missions, such as advanced propulsion and laser
communications. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate conducts research and
development on aircraft and aviation systems. In addition to the mission directorates, the Office
of Education manages formal and informal education programs for school children, college and
university students, and the general public.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports basic research and education in the non-medical
sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation as an independent federal agency
in 1950 and directed it to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health,
prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes.”3 The NSF is a
primary source of federal support for U.S. university research. It is also responsible for significant
shares of the federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education
program portfolio and federal STEM student aid and support.
Figure 1 shows the total appropriation, in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars, for the CJS
act for FY2005-FY2014.4 The data show that nominal appropriations for CJS increased starting
with FY2005, peaked in FY2010, and have generally declined since. After adjusting for inflation,
2 U.S. Department of Justice, About DOJ, http://www.justice.gov/about/about.html.
3 The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (P.L. 81-507), Purpose.
4 In FY2005, FY2006, and FY2007, the CJS appropriations act included funding for the Department of State and in
FY2005 the act also included funding for the Judiciary. Appropriations for the Department of State and the Judiciary
are not reflected in the total appropriations for FY2005-FY2007. In addition, between FY2005 and FY2008, the CJS
appropriations act included several “related agencies” (e.g., the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal
Communications Commission, the Small Business Administration) that are no longer funded through the CJS
appropriations act. In order to make the total appropriation each fiscal year as comparable as possible, the total
appropriation only includes appropriations for the “related agencies” that are currently in the CJS appropriations act.
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FY2013 and FY2014 appropriations for CJS were generally at the same level they were at in
FY2005. The data also show that the nominal increases in appropriations for CJS between
FY2005 and FY2008 were generally in-line with inflation.
Figure 1. Nominal and Inflation-Adjusted Total Appropriations for CJS,
FY2005-FY2014
Appropriations in billions of dollars
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Fiscal Year
Nominal CJS Total
Inflation-adjusted CJS Total
Source: FY2005-enacted amounts were taken from S.Rept. 109-188; FY2006-enacted amounts were taken from
H.Rept. 109-520; FY2007-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 110-240; FY2008-enacted amounts were
taken from the House Committee on Appropriations’ Committee Print on the Omnibus Appropriations Act,
2009 (P.L. 111-8), Division B; FY2009-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 111-366; FY2010-enacted
amounts were taken from S.Rept. 111-229; FY2011-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-169;
FY2012-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-284; FY2013 post-sequestration amounts were provided
by the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and each of the respective related
agencies; FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-76,
printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532).
Notes: Inflation-adjusted appropriations are presented in FY2014 dollars. Appropriations were adjusted using
the Gross Domestic Product (Chained) Price Index presented in Table 10.1 of the Historical Tables in the
President’s FY2015 budget submission. The amounts presented in Figure 1 do not include (1) appropriations for
CJS under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5), (2) rescissions of unobligated
balances, or (3) scorekeeping credits (e.g., the balance on the Crime Victims Fund). The amounts in Figure 1
include any rescissions of current year budget authority.
Figure 2 shows total appropriations for CJS for FY2005-FY2014 by major component (i.e., the
Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and
the National Science Foundation). The data show that the increase in CJS appropriations in
FY2009, FY2010, and FY2011 was the result of Congress appropriating more funding for the
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Department of Commerce in support of the 2010 decennial census. Since FY2010, total
appropriations for CJS have been around $60 billion, with the exception of FY2013 when
sequestration cut nearly $4 billion out of the total amount Congress appropriated for CJS for
FY2013. While decreased appropriations for the Department of Commerce mostly explain the
overall decrease in CJS appropriations since FY2010, there have also been cuts in funding for
DOJ and NASA. The DOJ’s FY2014 appropriation is 1.9% below its FY2010 appropriation, and
NASA’s FY2014 appropriation is 5.8% below its FY2010 appropriation. Recent reductions to
NASA’s appropriation has brought it more in-line with what the agency received in FY2005.
However, even with recent cuts to DOJ’s appropriation, Congress still appropriated $6.883 billion
more for DOJ in FY2014 than it did in FY2005. Appropriations for DOJ increased because
Congress appropriated a growing amount for federal law enforcement and counter-terrorism
efforts (e.g., the Federal Bureau of Investigation), and Congress appropriated increasing amounts
for the Office of the Federal Detention Trustee5 and the Bureau of Prisons to cover expenses
associated with a rising number of federal detainees and prisoners.
Figure 2. Nominal Total CJS Appropriations, by Major Component, FY2005-FY2014
Appropriations in billions of dollars
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Fiscal Year
Commerce
Justice
NASA
NSF
Other agencies
Source: FY2005-enacted amounts were taken from S.Rept. 109-188; FY2006-enacted amounts were taken from
H.Rept. 109-520; FY2007-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 110-240; FY2008-enacted amounts were
taken from the House Committee on Appropriations’ Committee Print on the Omnibus Appropriations Act,
2009 (P.L. 111-8), Division B; FY2009-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 111-366; FY2010-enacted
amounts were taken from S.Rept. 111-229; FY2011-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-169;
FY2012-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-284; FY2013 post-sequestration amounts were provided
5 Starting in FY2013, Congress moved funding for the Office of the Federal Detention Trustee to the Federal Prisoner
Detention account under the U.S. Marshals Service.
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by the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and each of the respective related
agencies; FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-76,
printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532).
Notes: “Other agencies” includes the Office of Science and Technology Policy; the Commission on Civil Rights;
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Marine
Mammal Commission; the Legal Services Corporation; the International Trade Commission; and the State Justice
Institute.
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations for CJS
For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $62.397 billion for the agencies and bureaus
funded as a part of the annual CJS bill. The Administration’s request is 1.3%, or $774.4 million,
more than the FY2014-enacted appropriation of $61.623 billion. The Administration’s request
includes $8.746 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.974 billion for the Department of
Justice, $24.721 billion for the science agencies, and $956.1 million for the related agencies.
On January 17, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2014 (P.L. 113-76). The act provided a total of $61.623 billion for CJS, of which $8.181 billion
was for the Department of Commerce, $27.737 billion was for the Department of Justice, $24.824
billion was for the science agencies, and $881.8 million was for the related agencies.
On May 15, 2014, the House Committee on Appropriations reported the Commerce, Justice,
Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 4660). The bill was passed by the
House on May 30, 2014. The bill would provide $62.559 billion for CJS, an amount that would
be 1.5% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 0.3% more than the Administration’s request.
The House-passed bill includes $8.231 billion for the Department of Commerce, $28.162 billion
for the Department of Justice, $25.296 billion for the science agencies, and $870.9 million for the
related agencies.
Table 1 shows the FY2014-enacted appropriations, the Administration’s FY2015 request, and the
amounts recommended by the House for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the science
agencies, and the related agencies. Table 14 shows enacted appropriations for these agencies, in
detail, for FY2005 through FY2014 (the FY2013 amounts shown in Table 14 reflect
sequestration).
Table 1. CJS Appropriations, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
Departments and
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Related Agencies
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Department of Commerce
$8,180.6 $8,746.5 $8,230.7
Department of Justice
27,736.6
27,973.5
28,161.7
Science
Agencies
24,824.0 24,721.2 25,295.8
Related
Agencies
881.8 956.1 870.9
Total
61,622.9a 62,397.3b 62,559.1b
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
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taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Notes: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. This amount does not include $219.3 million in rescissions of prior year unobligated balances.
b. This amount does not include a proposed $469.1 million in rescissions of prior year unobligated balances.
Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative
The Obama Administration added to its FY2015 budget a new government-wide proposal
referred to as the Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative (OGSI). The OGSI
proposes an additional $56 billion in spending that would be divided equally between
defense and nondefense expenditures. The cost of the initiative would be offset largely with
targeted spending cuts and closed tax loopholes. According to the Administration, this
initiative, if passed, would provide additional funding to CJS agencies and bureaus beyond
the $62.428 billion the Administration requests for FY2015 in its main budget proposal.
The OGSI, if funded by Congress, would support several initiatives under the CJS agencies
and bureaus, including the following:
• a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation with up to 45 manufacturing
innovation institutes across the country;
• the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s efforts to create advances in its
top research priorities including advanced manufacturing, forensics, cybersecurity and
disaster resilience; and
• weather and ocean research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
• additional funding for grants to hire law enforcement officers, the Comprehensive
School Safety program, and grants to offer alternatives to incarceration for juveniles;
• investigating and prosecuting financial fraud;
• additional funding for science, the Space Launch System/Orion, space technology, the
International Space Station, and commercial development of U.S. crew transportation
systems under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and
• an estimated 1,000 additional standard awards from the National Science Foundation
and additional traineeship opportunities for approximately 3,000 graduate students
over the next five years through the NSF Research Trainee program.
The FY2015 requested amounts presented in the tables in this report do not include any of
the Administration’s proposed funding under the OGSI.
Survey of Selected Issues
Some of the issues Congress might consider while debating the FY2015 funding levels for the
departments and agencies funded as a part of the CJS appropriations bill include the following:
Department of Commerce
• Whether to rename the International Trade Administration (ITA) the International
Trade and Investment Administration, as proposed by the President, to emphasize
the agency’s role in the complementary missions of export and business
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investment promotion, using both international advocacy and support for U.S.
businesses at home.
• Whether to double funding for the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC)
to $15.0 million, as requested in the ITA budget proposal, for the purpose of
accelerating the operations of the ITEC.
• Whether to reduce funding for the Economic Development Administration’s most
highly funded program, public works grants, from $96.0 million in FY2014 to
$85.0 million in FY2015, and increase funding to support regional innovation
clusters and science parks from $10.0 million in FY2014 to $25.0 million in
FY2015.
• Whether the Census Bureau will receive the funds requested to complete the
research and testing necessary for a cost-effective 2020 census design, and to
restore 12-month interviewing and the full American Community Survey sample
size after a one-month break in data collection caused by the October 2013
federal government shutdown.
• Whether to fund the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) core
laboratory and construction accounts at a level consistent with the goal of
doubling funding for these and other targeted accounts, as proposed previously
by President Obama and adopted implicitly in the America COMPETES Act
(P.L. 110-69) and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L.
111-358).
• Whether to provide $2.400 billion in funding to NIST for the President’s
proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), included in
the President’s Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative, to support the
establishment of up to 45 centers to help accelerate innovation by investing in
industrially relevant manufacturing technologies with broad applications, and to
support manufacturing technology commercialization by bridging the gap
between the laboratory and the market.
• Whether the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will receive, in
addition to the funding requested for the FY2015 budget, $180.0 million from the
Administration’s Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative and $75.0 million
from the Climate Resilience Fund.
Department of Justice
• Whether to fund the Administration’s request for $22.6 million under the
Administrative Review and Appeals account to assist the Executive Office of
Immigration Review with managing its increasing caseload.
• Whether to provide the $147.0 million in gun- and school violence-related grant
funding under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance the
Administration requests as a part of its “Now is the Time” initiative, which is the
Administration’s effort to combat gun violence.
• Whether Congress should provide the funding the Administration requested for
DOJ for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty process reform.
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• Whether the U.S. Marshals Service, in light of an increasing number of
responsibilities, has the resources it needs to properly carry-out its mission.
• Whether the Bureau of Prisons has adequate resources to properly manage the
growing number of inmates held in federal prisons.
• Whether to eliminate funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
(SCAAP), as proposed by the Administration.
• Whether to adopt the Administration’s proposal to consolidate funding for the
drug, mental health, and veterans treatment courts programs into a “problem
solving courts” program.
• Whether to fund the Administration’s request for $35.0 million for Community
Teams to Reduce the Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog and Improve Sexual
Assault Investigations.
• Whether Congress should, as requested by the Administration, reinstate funding
for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program, a program Congress
defunded last fiscal year.
• Whether to accept the Administration’s proposed $65.0 million increase in the
obligation cap for the Crime Victims Fund for (1) enhancing formula-based
awards to states to support victims’ programs and provide additional funding for
national scope training and technical assistance and demonstration programs; (2)
enhancing services for domestic victims of human trafficking; and (3) supporting
the implementation strategies outlined in the Vision 21: Transforming Victim
Services report.6
Science Agencies
• Whether the current direction for the U.S. human spaceflight program,
established in October 2010 by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-267), can be implemented
successfully in a period of increased budgetary constraint, as well as the potential
impact of human spaceflight’s funding needs on the availability of funding for
other National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, such as
science, aeronautics, and education.
• Whether and how to prioritize research initiatives at the National Science
Foundation (NSF).
• Whether to continue efforts to double funding at NSF and other targeted accounts
as previously proposed by the Administration and authorized by Congress, and if
so, at what pace.
• Whether to adopt the Administration’s proposed government-wide science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program
reorganization and consolidation, including proposed changes at NSF, NASA,
and the Department of Commerce.7
6 The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services report was released in May 2013: http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/vision21/.
7 For more information see, CRS Report IF00013, The President’s FY2015 Budget and STEM Education (In Focus), by
(continued...)
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• Whether to continue to restrict the Office of Science and Technology Policy
(OSTP) from engaging in certain activities with China or any Chinese-owned
company by prohibiting, with limited exceptions, the use of appropriated funds
for such activities.
Related Agencies
• Whether Congress should, per the Administration’s proposal, eliminate the
restriction that prevents the Legal Services Corporation’s funding from being
used for class action suits.8
• Whether the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has the resources it
needs to carry out its mission in light of increased workloads for investigators
that resulted from furloughs and a hiring freeze in FY2013.
• Whether Congress should adopt the Administration’s proposal to focus the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission’s funding on technical innovation and
hiring of new staff to help reduce backlogs for pending discrimination cases.
Department of Commerce9
The Department of Commerce (Commerce Department) originated in 1903 with the
establishment of the Department of Commerce and Labor.10 The separate Commerce Department
was established on March 4, 1913.11 The department’s responsibilities are numerous and quite
varied; its activities center on five basic missions: (1) promoting the development of U.S.
business and increasing foreign trade; (2) improving the nation’s technological competitiveness;
(3) encouraging economic development; (4) fostering environmental stewardship and assessment;
and (5) compiling, analyzing, and disseminating statistical information on the U.S. economy and
population.
The following agencies within the Commerce Department carry out these missions:
• International Trade Administration (ITA) seeks to develop the export potential of
U.S. firms and improve the trade performance of U.S. industry;
• Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) enforces U.S. export laws consistent with
national security, foreign policy, and short-supply objectives;
• Economic Development Administration (EDA) provides grants for economic
development projects in economically distressed communities and regions;
(...continued)
Heather B. Gonzalez.
8 The Administration’s proposal also would eliminate the restriction that prevents the Legal Services Corporation’s
funding from being used for attorneys’ fees. However, the attorneys’ fee restriction was already eliminated by Section
533 of P.L. 111-117.
9 This section was coordinated by Jennifer D. Williams, Specialist in American National Government, CRS
Government and Finance Division.
10 32 Stat. 825.
11 15 U.S.C. 1501.
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• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) seeks to promote private- and
public-sector investment in minority businesses;
• Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), excluding the Census Bureau,
provides (1) information on the state of the economy through preparation,
development, and interpretation of economic data and (2) analytical support to
department officials in meeting their policy responsibilities;
• Census Bureau, a component of ESA, collects, compiles, and publishes a broad
range of economic, demographic, and social data;
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) advises the
President on domestic and international communications policy, manages the
federal government’s use of the radio frequency spectrum, and performs research
in telecommunications sciences;
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) examines and approves
applications for patents for claimed inventions and registration of trademarks;
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) assists industry in
developing technology to improve product quality, modernize manufacturing
processes, ensure product reliability, and facilitate rapid commercialization of
products on the basis of new scientific discoveries; and
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides scientific,
technical, and management expertise to (1) promote safe and efficient marine and
air navigation; (2) assess the health of coastal and marine resources; (3) monitor
and predict the coastal, ocean, and global environments (including weather
forecasting); and (4) protect and manage the nation’s coastal resources.
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations
Table 2 presents the following funding information for the Department of Commerce as a whole
and for each of its agencies or bureaus: the amounts provided under the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76) and the Administration’s request for FY2015. For
FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $8.746 billion for the Department of Commerce, a
proposed 6.9% increase over the FY2014-enacted appropriation of $8.181 billion. The House
recommends a total of $8.231 billion for the Department of Commerce. The House’s proposal is
0.6% greater than the FY2014 appropriation, but it is 5.9% less than the Administration’s request.
Table 2. Funding for the Department of Commerce, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Bureau or Agency
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
International Trade
$460.6 $497.3 $460.0
Administration
Bureau of Industry and
101.5 110.5 103.5
Security
Economic Development
246.5 248.2 247.5
Administration
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Bureau or Agency
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Economic Development
(209.5) (210.0) (210.5)
Assistance Programs
Salaries and Expenses
(37.0)
(38.2)
(37.0)
Minority Business
28.0 28.3 30.0
Development Agency
Economics and Statistics
99.0 111.0 99.0
Administration (excluding
Census)
Census Bureau
945.0
1,211.4
973.5
Salaries and Expenses
(252.0)
(248.0)
(248.0)
Periodic Censuses and
(693.0) (963.4) (725.5)
Programs
National Telecommunications
46.0 51.0 36.7
and Information
Administration
U.S. Patent and Trademark
3,024.0 3,458.0 3,458.0
Office (USPTO)a
Offsetting Fee Receipts
-3,024.0 -3,458.0 -3,458.0
(USPTO)
National Institute of Standards
850.0 900.0 855.8
and Technology
Scientific and Technical
(651.0) (680.0) (670.5)
Research and Services
Industrial Technology
(143.0) (161.0) (130.0)
Services
Manufacturing
(128.0) (141.0) (130.0)
Extension
Partnerships
Advanced
(15.0) (15.0)
—
Manufacturing
Technology
Manufacturing
— (5.0) —
Innovation Institutes
Coordination
Construction of
(56.0) (59.0) (55.3)
Research Facilities
National Oceanic and
5,314.6 5,488.7 5,337.1
Atmospheric Administration
Operations, Research,
(3,157.4) (3,238.0) (3,101.5)
and Facilitiesb
Procurement,
(2,022.9) (2,206.4) (2,176.3)
Acquisition, and
Construction
Other Fishery Activities
(140.4)
(50.4)
(65.4)
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Bureau or Agency
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Fisheries Finance
(-6.0) (-6.0) (-6.0)
Program Account
Departmental Management
89.5
100.0
87.6
Total: Department of
8,180.6 8,746.5 8,230.7
Commerce
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Notes: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is fully funded by user fees. The fees col ected but not
obligated during the current fiscal year are available for obligation in the following fiscal year and do not
count toward the appropriation totals. Only newly appropriated funds count toward the annual
appropriation totals. Total figures for the Department of Commerce exclude the USPTO.
b. The amount for the Operations, Research, and Facilities account reflects the transfer out for the Promote
and Develop Fund.
International Trade Administration (ITA)12
The International Trade Administration (ITA) provides export promotion services, works to
ensure compliance with trade agreements, administers trade remedies such as antidumping and
countervailing duties, and provides analytical support for ongoing trade negotiations. ITA’s
mission is to improve U.S. prosperity by strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry,
promoting trade and investment, and ensuring compliance with trade laws and agreements. It
strives to accomplish this through several organizational units. ITA went through a major
organizational change in October 2013 in which it consolidated four organizational units into
three more functionally aligned units. The new organizational units consist of the following: (1)
the Industry and Analysis unit, which brings together ITA’s industry, trade, and economic experts
to advance the competitiveness of U.S. industries through the development and execution of
international trade and investment policies and export promotion strategies; (2) the Enforcement
and Compliance unit, which is responsible for safeguarding and enhancing the competitiveness of
U.S. industries against unfair trade practices through the enforcement of U.S. trade laws and for
ensuring compliance with U.S. free trade agreements; and (3) the Global Markets unit, which
assists and advocates for U.S. businesses in international markets to help foster U.S. economic
prosperity. ITA’s fourth organizational unit, the Executive and Administrative Directorate, is
responsible for providing policy leadership, information technology support, and administration
services for all of ITA. To emphasize the agency’s role in the complementary missions of export
and business investment promotion, using both international advocacy and support for U.S.
businesses at home, the Administration’s FY2015 budget proposes to rename the agency the
International Trade and Investment Administration (ITIA).
12 This section was written by M. Angeles Villarreal, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, CRS Foreign
Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.
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ITA received $460.6 million in direct appropriations for FY2014. The Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014, anticipated the collection of $9.4 million in user fees, resulting in
$470.0 million in total resources for ITA programs in FY2014. The Administration’s FY2015
request for ITA in direct appropriations is $497.3 million, a proposed increase of 8.0%. The
request proposes to double funding for the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) to
$15.0 million, for the purpose of accelerating ITEC operations. The Administration anticipates
the collection of $9.4 million in user fees, which would raise total available funds for ITA to
$506.7 million. The House recommends $460.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, an
amount 7.5% less than the Administration’s request and 0.1% less than the enacted amount for
FY2014. The House anticipates the collection of $10.0 million in user fees, which would raise
total available funds to $470.0 million.
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)13
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) administers export controls on dual-use goods and
technology through its licensing and enforcement functions. It cooperates with other nations on
export control policy and provides assistance to the U.S. business community to comply with
U.S. and multilateral export controls. BIS also administers U.S. anti-boycott statutes and is
charged with monitoring the U.S. defense industrial base. Authorization for the activities of BIS,
the Export Administration Act (50 U.S.C. App. 2401, et seq.), last expired in August 2001. On
August 17, 2001, President George W. Bush invoked the authorities granted by the International
Economic Emergency Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1703(b)) to continue in effect the system of controls
contained in the act and in the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R., Parts 730-799), and
these authorities have been renewed yearly.
BIS received $101.5 million for FY2014. The Administration’s request for FY2015 is $110.5
million, a proposed 9.0% increase. The House recommends $103.5 million, a 2.0% increase from
the FY2014 enacted amount, but a 6.4% decrease from the Administration’s FY2015 request. The
House recommendation includes $56.5 million for export administration, $41.5 million for export
enforcement, and $5.5 million for policy coordination. The recommendation includes funding for
the placement of additional control officers in Germany, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates
Economic Development Administration (EDA)14
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was created pursuant to the enactment of the
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965,15 with the objective of fostering growth
in economically distressed areas characterized by high levels of unemployment and low per-
capita income levels. Federally designated disaster areas and areas affected by military base
realignment or closure (BRAC) are also eligible for EDA assistance. EDA provides grants for
public works, economic adjustment in case of natural disasters or mass layoffs, technical
assistance, planning, and research.16
13 This section was written by Ian F. Fergusson, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, CRS Foreign Affairs,
Defense, and Trade Division.
14 This section was written by Eugene Boyd, Analyst in Federalism and Economic Development Policy, CRS
Government and Finance Division.
15 P.L. 89-136; 42 U.S.C. 3121.
16 For additional information on EDA’s statutory history, see CRS Report R41241, Economic Development
(continued...)
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EDA received $246.5 million for FY2014, including $209.5 million for EDA programs and
activities and $37.0 million for salaries and expenses. The Administration’s FY2015 budget
request for FY2015 is $248.2 million, including $210.0 million for EDA program and activities
and $38.2 million for salaries and expenses. The President’s budget request would shift funding
priorities among program activities, while leaving total EDA funding relatively unchanged. The
proposed budget would reduce what is EDA’s most highly funded program, public works grants,
from $96.0 million in FY2014 to $85.0 million in FY2015. It would also reduce funding for
Trade Adjustment Assistance from $15.0 million in FY2014 to $10.0 million in FY2015.
The proposed budget for FY2015 would place greater emphasis on projects intended to support
job creation through regional innovation clusters and economic adjustment assistance. For
FY2015, the Administration proposes a $15.0 million increase in funding for the Regional
Innovations Strategies and Science Park Loan Guarantee Program, from $10.0 million in FY2014
to $25.0 million in FY2015. The Administration also is requesting a $5.5 million increase in
funding for Economic Adjustment Assistance grants, from $42.0 million in FY2014 to $47.5
million in FY2015. The specific programs and their requested funding levels for FY2015, as well
as the enacted FY2014 amounts, are shown in Table 3.
The House-passed version of H.R. 4660 recommends a marginal increase in funding for EDA
programs and activities. Specifically, the bill recommends $1.0 million more than the $209.5
million appropriated for FY2014, and $0.5 million more than the $210.0 million requested by the
Administration. The bill does not recommend funding for the Regional Innovation Program
(RIP), which received an appropriation of $10.0 million in FY2014, although the Administration
has requested $25.0 million for FY2015 for RIP activities. Consistent with the amount
appropriated in FY2014, the bill recommends $37.0 million for salaries and expenses, $1.2
million less than requested by the Administration.
In addition, the report (H.Rept. 113-448) accompanying H.R. 4660 includes language that would
• direct EDA to address documentation deficiencies in the award selection process
identified in a 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report;17
• include $10.0 million for EDA to develop a comprehensive strategy designed to
assist coal mining communities that have experienced significant job losses since
2011;
• direct EDA to use $5.0 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance to continue
encouraging U.S. firms to relocate manufacturing and services jobs back to the
United States;
• provide $5.0 million to fund innovative manufacturing loan guarantees; and
• encourage EDA to support global competitiveness of small and medium-sized
manufacturers through improved access to information technology, education,
and training.
(...continued)
Administration: A Review of Elements of Its Statutory History, by Eugene Boyd.
17 U.S. Government Accountability Office, EDA: Documentation of Award Selection Decisions Could Be Improved,
GAO-14-131, February 2014, http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/660722.pdf.
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Table 3. Funding for EDA Programs and Salaries and Expenses, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Economic Development
$209.5
$210.0
$210.5
Assistance Programs
Public Works
(96.0)
(85.0)
(101.0)
Economic Adjustment
(42.0)
(47.5)
(40.0)
Assistance
Planning
Grants
(29.0)
(29.0)
(31.0)
Technical
Assistance
(11.0)
(12.0)
(12.0)
Research and Evaluation
(1.5)
(1.5)
(1.5)
Trade Adjustment
(15.0)
(10.0)
(10.0)
Assistance
Innovative
(5.0)
—
(5.0)
Manufacturing Loans
Regional Innovation
(10.0)
(25.0)
—
Program
Assistance to Coal
—
—
(10.0)
Mining Communities
Salaries and Expenses
37.0
38.2
37.0
Total
246.5
248.2
247.5
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Fiscal Year 2015
Congressional Budget Request. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from H.Rept. 113-448.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)18
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), established by Executive Order 11625 on
October 13, 1971, is charged with the lead role in coordinating all of the federal government’s
minority business programs.19 As part of its strategic plan, MBDA seeks to develop an industry-
focused, data-driven, technical assistance approach to give minority business owners the tools
essential for becoming first- or second-tier suppliers to private corporations and the federal
government in the new procurement environment. Progress is measured in increased gross
receipts, number of employees, and size and scale of firms associated with minority business
enterprise.
18 This section was written by Eugene Boyd, Analyst in Federalism and Economic Development Policy, CRS
Government and Finance Division.
19 36 Federal Register 19967; 3 C.F.R., 1971-1975 Comp. 9. 616.
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The Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2014, provided $28.0 million for the MBDA account.
For FY2015, the Administration is requesting $28.3 million, a 1.0% increase, in MBDA funding.
According to the budget justification document, this proposed funding level would assist in the
creation of 7,500 new jobs and $3.000 billion in contracts and financing. The House-passed bill,
recommends $30.0 million for MBDA activities. This is $2.0 million more than appropriated for
FY2014, and $1.7 million more than requested by the Administration.
Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA)20
The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) provides economic data, analysis, and
forecasts to government agencies and, when appropriate, to the public. ESA includes the Census
Bureau (discussed separately) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). ESA has three core
missions: to maintain a system of economic data, to interpret and communicate information about
the forces at work in the economy, and to support the information and analytical needs of the
executive branch. Funding for ESA includes two primary accounts: ESA headquarters and BEA.
ESA headquarters staff provide economic research and policy analysis in support of the Secretary
of Commerce, as well as oversight of the Census Bureau and BEA. The BEA account funds BEA
activities, among which are producing estimates of national gross domestic product and related
measures.
ESA received $99.0 million in FY2014. The Administration’s FY2015 request for ESA is $111.0
million, a proposed $12.0 million (12.2%) increase over the FY2014-enacted amount. As passed
by the House, H.R. 4660 recommends $99.0 million for ESA, an amount identical to that enacted
for FY2014 and 10.8% less than requested.
Census Bureau21
The U.S. Constitution requires a population census every 10 years, to serve as the basis for
apportioning seats in the House of Representatives.22 Decennial census data also are used for
within-state redistricting and in certain formulas that determine the annual distribution of more
than $450 billion in federal funds to states and localities. The Census Bureau, established as a
permanent office on March 6, 1902,23 conducts the decennial census under Title 13 of the U.S.
Code, which also authorizes the bureau to collect and compile a wide variety of other
demographic, economic, housing, and governmental data.
The Census Bureau’s enacted FY2014 appropriation was $945.0 million, divided between the
bureau’s two major accounts: $252.0 million for salaries and expenses, and $693.0 million for
periodic censuses and programs.
The Administration’s FY2015 requested appropriation for the bureau is $1.211 billion, including
$248.0 million under salaries and expenses, and $963.4 million under periodic censuses and
20 This section was written by Jennifer D. Williams, Specialist in American National Government, CRS Government
and Finance Division.
21 This section was written by Jennifer D. Williams, Specialist in American National Government, CRS Government
and Finance Division.
22 See Article 1, Section 2, clause 3, as modified by Section 2 of the 14th Amendment.
23 32 Stat. 51.
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programs. Although the total request is 28.2% greater than the FY2014-enacted amount, the
request for salaries and expenses is 1.6% less than this account received in FY2014, largely due
to expected administrative savings. Periodic censuses and programs would receive 39.0% more
than in FY2014, but $1.6 million of the appropriation for this account would be transferred to the
Office of Inspector General for activities related to audits and investigations of the bureau.
Under periodic censuses and programs, the 2020 decennial census program would receive $689.0
million, with $443.2 million for the 2020 census itself and $245.8 million for the American
Community Survey (ACS).24 In FY2015, the bureau expects to complete the research and testing
necessary to contain the cost of the next census. The ACS request “includes funding to restore
field data collection costs associated with a one-month break in data collection at the beginning of
... FY2014, as well as ... to conduct research on content, quality, efficiency, and reducing
respondent burden and intrusiveness.”25 Also funded under the periodic censuses and programs
account are the economic census and the census of governments, which would receive $119.3
million and $9.1 million, respectively. In FY2015, the bureau expects to analyze and release
products from the 2012 economic census, and begin planning for the 2017 economic census and
census of governments.
The House approved $973.5 million in FY2015 funding for the Census Bureau under H.R. 4660.
Of this total, salaries and expenses would receive the requested $248.0 million, 1.6% less than
enacted for FY2014. Periodic censuses and programs would receive $725.5 million, 4.7% more
than in FY2014. House action on H.R. 4660, however, including the adoption of five
amendments26 that would transfer funds from periodic censuses and programs to accounts outside
the Census Bureau, would leave periodic programs with 24.7% less than requested. H.R. 4660
passed the House with an additional amendment (H.Amdt. 752, Poe) that would prohibit the use
of funds to enforce Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 221, with respect to the ACS. Currently, anyone
who, for example, refused to answer ACS questions could face a possible penalty under this
section.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA)27
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the executive
branch’s principal advisory office on domestic and international telecommunications and
24 For more information about the ACS, including its relation to its predecessor, the long-form, sample-survey part of
the decennial census, see CRS Report R41532, The American Community Survey: Development, Implementation, and
Issues for Congress, by Jennifer D. Williams.
25 U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Estimates as Presented to Congress,
March 2014, p. CEN-5.
26 H.Amdt. 692 (Reichert) would reduce funding for periodic censuses and programs by $110.0 million and increase
funding for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) by a similar amount. H.Amdt. 697 (Gibson) would reduce
funding for periodic programs by $4.0 million and increase funding for Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement by a
similar amount. H.Amdt. 698 (McNerney) would reduce funding for periodic programs by $3.0 million and increase
COPS funding by a similar amount. H.Amdt. 699 (Bridenstine) would reduce funding for periodic programs by $12.0
million and increase weather-research funding for NOAA by a similar amount. H.Amdt. 700 (Nugent) would reduce
funding for periodic programs by $4.0 million and increase funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance,
mental health courts program and veterans treatment courts program, by $2.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively.
27 This section was written by Linda K. Moore, Specialist in Telecommunications and Spectrum Policy, CRS
Resources, Science, and Industry Division.
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information technology policies. Its mandate is to provide greater access for all Americans to
telecommunications services, support U.S. attempts to open foreign markets, advise on
international telecommunications negotiations, and fund grants for new technologies and their
applications. Its role in federal spectrum management includes acting as a facilitator and mediator
in negotiations among the various federal agencies regarding usage, priority access, causes of
interference, and other radio spectrum questions. In recent years, one of the responsibilities of the
NTIA has been to oversee the transfer of some radio frequencies from the federal domain to the
commercial domain. Many of these frequencies have subsequently been auctioned to the
commercial sector and the proceeds paid into the U.S. Treasury.
As part of the Administration’s Wireless Initiative, the NTIA is charged with identifying
electromagnetic spectrum that might be transferred from the federal sector to commercial wireless
use.28 This spectrum might be auctioned as licenses for exclusive commercial use, made available
for sharing between federal and commercial users, or repurposed in some other way that meets
the stated goal of the Wireless Initiative to add 500 MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband.29
Congress also has required the NTIA to take actions to release spectrum from federal to
commercial use and to ensure the efficient use of federal spectrum.30 The NTIA proposes creating
a Center for Advanced Communications as a cooperative effort with the National Institute for
Standards and Technology.31 The new center would conduct activities intended to provide a base
from which to advance spectrum sharing and innovation.
For FY2015, the Administration proposes $51.0 million for NTIA salaries and expenses. This
would be an increase of $5.0 million (10.9%) over the enacted FY2014 budget amount of $46.0
million. The increase is attributed by the NTIA to an increased focus on policy oversight in two
key areas: formulating domestic and international policies, and expanding the availability of
broadband communications.32 For FY2015, the House proposes a budget of $36.7 million, $14.3
million or 28.0% less than what the Administration requests. This amount is 20.2% below the
enacted appropriation for FY2014.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)33
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) examines and approves applications for patents
on claimed inventions and administers the registration of trademarks. It also helps other federal
departments and agencies protect U.S. intellectual property in the global marketplace. The
28 The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, “Presidential Memorandum: Unleashing the Wireless Broadband
Revolution,” June 28, 2010, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-unleashing-
wireless-broadband-revolution; and “President Obama Details Plan to Win the Future Through Expanded Wireless
Access,” Fact Sheet, February 10, 2011, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/02/10/president-obama-
details-plan-win-future-through-expanded-wireless-access.
29 Spectrum is segmented into bands of radio frequencies and typically measured in cycles per second, or hertz.
Standard abbreviations for measuring frequencies include kHz—kilohertz or thousands of hertz; MHz—megahertz, or
millions of hertz; and GHz—gigahertz, or billions of hertz.
30 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, P.L. 112-96, Title VI, “Spectrum Act,” Sections 6401, 6410,
and 6701.
31 U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, FY2015 Budget as
Presented to Congress, March 2014.
32 Ibid.
33 This section was written by Glenn J. McLoughlin, Section Research Manager, CRS Resources, Science, and Industry
Division.
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USPTO has a somewhat unique funding mechanism—it is funded by user fees paid by customers
that are designated as “offsetting collections” and subject to spending limits set by Congress.
For FY2015, the Administration has requested the authority to spend fee collections of $3.441
billion, which would fund daily operations of $3.220 billion and deposit the remainder into the
USPTO’s operating reserve. The $3.458 billion would be a 14.4% increase from the enacted
USPTO budget of $3.024 billion in fee collections for FY2014. The USPTO contends that the
increase in fee authority would reduce patent pendency and backlog, increase efficiencies in
examination capacity, and enhance patent and trademark quality of measurement, as well as yield
other benefits. The House bill, H.R. 4660, agrees with the Administration’s request and approves
$3.458 billion in budget authority for USPTO for FY2015.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)34
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a laboratory of the Department of
Commerce with a mandate to increase the competitiveness of U.S. companies through appropriate
support for industrial development of pre-competitive, generic technologies and the diffusion of
government-developed technological advances to users in all segments of the American economy.
NIST research also provides the measurement, calibration, and quality assurance techniques that
underpin U.S. commerce, technological progress, improved product reliability, manufacturing
processes, and public safety.
P.L. 113-76 appropriated $850.0 million in FY2014 funding for NIST. Of this amount, $651.0
million is for in-house research under the Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS)
account; $128.0 million funds the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program; $15.0
million is for the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech); and $56.0 million
supports construction.
The President’s FY2015 budget request would provide $900.0 million for NIST, a proposed
increase of $50.0 million (5.9%). Included in the requested amount is $680.0 million for the
STRS account, up 4.5%; $141.0 million for the MEP program, up 10.2%; $15.0 million for
AMTech, the same as in FY2014; $59.0 million for construction, up 5.4%; and $5.0 million in
new funding for coordination of manufacturing innovation institutes.
Proposed STRS funding includes an additional $3.5 million for measurement science standards
for forensic science infrastructure, $7.5 million for cyber-physical systems, $5.0 million for
advanced materials, $7.0 million for synthetic biology, and $6.0 million for a lab-to-market
initiative focused broadly on mechanisms to improve federal technology transfer.
The NIST STRS and construction accounts have been targeted for doubling in recent years by
President George W. Bush and President Obama, and implicitly in authorization levels established
in the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
of 2010 (P.L. 111-358).
Funding for coordination of manufacturing innovation institutes is intended to support sharing of
best practices, reduction of redundant start-up operations, and strengthening of cross-institute
34 This section was written by John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources,
Science, and Industry Division.
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collaborations. Though the President’s proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation
(NNMI)35 program has not been authorized or funded, four NNMI-like institutes have been
awarded funding; five have agency funding commitments; and five more are proposed in the
FY2015 budget.36 These centers are being led by the Department of Defense and the Department
of Energy, with additional funding and/or support being provided by NIST, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies.
In addition to the appropriations requested in the base budget,37 the Administration has proposed
an Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative (OGSI), which it describes as a “fully paid ...
roadmap for how and where additional investments should be made in both domestic priorities
and national security.”38 The $56.000 billion proposal includes $2.400 billion in NIST funding for
the President’s proposed NNMI to establish up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes.39 In his
FY2013 and FY2014 budgets, the President proposed $1.000 billion in mandatory funding for the
NNMI to establish up to 15 institutes. The OGSI also seeks an additional $115.0 million in
funding for NIST research and development capabilities and facilities.
Under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96), NIST is
authorized $300.0 million from the proceeds of spectrum auctions devoted to the Wireless
Innovation (WIN) Fund. These funds are to be used to conduct public safety wireless
communications research and development. According to NIST, the laboratory would receive the
first $100.0 million after successful spectrum auction of $7.200 billion or more, and would
receive an additional $200.0 million if spectrum auctions net more than $27.600 billion.
H.R. 4660, as passed by the House, recommends $855.8 million for NIST in FY2015, $5.8
million (0.7%) more than in FY2014, and $44.2 million (4.9%) less than the President’s request.
The House-passed bill would fund the STRS account at $670.5 million, $19.5 million (3.0%)
more than the FY2014 level and $9.5 million (1.4%) below the request. Funding for the MEP
program would be $130.0 million, $2.0 million (1.6%) more than in FY2014 and $11.0 million
(7.8%) below the request. The House-passed bill would provide no funding for the AMTech
program, a reduction of $15.0 million from FY2014 and the FY2015 request, and no funding for
the coordination of manufacturing innovation institutes, which was not funded in FY2014 and for
which the President is requesting $5.0 million in FY2015. The House recommends $55.3 million
for the construction account, $0.7 million (1.3%) below the FY2014 level, and $3.7 million
(6.3%) below the FY2015 request level.
35 For additional information on the NNMI, see CRS Report R42625, The Obama Administration’s Proposal to
Establish a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, by John F. Sargent Jr.
36 U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, “NIST’s FY2015 Budget Request
Focuses on Innovation, Expands Technology Transfer and Economic Growth Priorities,” press release, March 13,
2014, http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/fy15_budgetrequest_3-13-2014.cfm.
37 The term “base budget” is used in the President’s budget to distinguish the main request from additional funding
requested as part of the Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative.
38 Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government: FY2015, March 4, 2014, p. 1,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2015/assets/budget.pdf.
39 Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government: FY2015, March 4, 2014, p. 51,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2015/assets/budget.pdf.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)40
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts scientific research in
areas such as ecosystems, climate, global climate change, weather, and oceans; supplies
information on the oceans and atmosphere; and manages coastal and marine resources. NOAA
was created in 1970 by Reorganization Plan No. 4. The reorganization plan was designed to unify
a number of the nation’s environmental activities and to provide a systematic approach for
monitoring, analyzing, and protecting the environment. NOAA’s current administrative structure
has evolved into five line offices, which include the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and
Information Service (NESDIS); the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); the National
Ocean Service (NOS); the National Weather Service (NWS); and the Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research (OAR). In addition to NOAA’s five line offices, Program Support (PS), a
cross-cutting budget activity, includes the NOAA Education Program, Corporate Services,
Facilities, and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO).
For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $5.489 billion for NOAA. This amount is
3.3% more than the FY2014-enacted amount of $5.315 billion.41 The House recommends $5.337
billion for NOAA. This amount is 0.4% more than the FY2014-enacted funding level and 2.8%
less than the Administration’s request. The NOAA budget is divided into two main accounts:
Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction (PAC); and Operations, Research, and Facilities
(ORF).42 For FY2015, the Administration requests $3.361 billion for the ORF account. This
proposed amount is 2.7% more than FY2014-enacted amount of $3.272 billion. The House
recommends $3.101 billion for the ORF account, which is 1.7% less than the FY2014-enacted
funding level and 4.3% less than the Administration’s request. The Administration requests
$2.206 billion for the PAC account. This amount would be 9.1% more than the FY2014 funding
level of $2.023 billion. The House recommends $2.176 billion for the PAC account, which is
7.6% more than the FY2014-enacted funding level, but 1.4% less than the Administration’s
request. The Administration is also requesting funding for Other Fisheries Activities ($50.4
million) and the Fisheries Finance Program Account (-$6.0 million).43 The House recommended
funding Other Fisheries Activities at $65.4 million and the Fisheries Finance Program Account at
-$6.0 million.
The Administration’s FY2015 request for NESDIS satellite systems acquisition and construction
is $2.057 billion, which is 93.2% of the Administration’s request for PAC funding and 37.5% of
the total request for NOAA. The FY2015 request is 8.5% greater than the FY2014-enacted level
of $1.896 billion. The increase in systems acquisition funding would support geostationary
systems-R (+$38.9 million); joint polar satellite systems (+$95.4 million); solar irradiance, data
and rescue (+$15.0 million); Jason-3 (+$7.2 million); COSMIC 2/GNSS RO44 (+$4.8 million);
40 This section was written by Harold F. Upton, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy, CRS Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
41 There were also two relatively small items in the NOAA discretionary budget that were funded in FY2014, including
Other Fisheries Activities ($140.4 million) and the Fisheries Finance Program Account (-$6.0 million), which was a
negative subsidy.
42 The amounts for the ORF account reflect the transfer out for the Promote and Develop Fund.
43 Loans provided under the Fisheries Finance Program provide a negative subsidy estimated at -$6.0 million for
FY2015.
44 The COSMIC 2/GNSS RO (Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation) obtains global atmospheric
profiles to determine atmospheric temperature profiles.
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and satellite ground services (+$3.0 million).45 The House recommends funding NESDIS satellite
systems acquisition and construction at $2.032 billion, which is 7.2% more than the FY2014-
enacted funding level, but 1.2% less than the Administration’s request.
In addition to the funding requested for the FY2015 budget, NOAA would receive funding from
the Administration’s Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative and the Climate Resilience
Fund (CRF).46 The initiative would provide $180.0 million for expanded weather, climate, and
oceans observations and research. The CRF would provide $25.0 million for oceanic and
atmospheric research grants to improve understanding of the effects of climate change on various
sectors, and $50.0 million to improve coastal resilience by awarding competitive grants to state,
local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations.47
Department of Justice (DOJ)48
Established by an act of 187049 with the Attorney General at its head, DOJ provides counsel for
the government in federal cases and protects citizens through law enforcement. It represents the
federal government in all proceedings, civil and criminal, before the Supreme Court. In legal
matters, generally, the department provides legal advice and opinions, upon request, to the
President and executive branch department heads. The major functions of DOJ agencies and
offices are described below.
• United States Attorneys prosecute criminal offenses against the United States;
represent the federal government in civil actions; and initiate proceedings for the
collection of fines, penalties, and forfeitures owed to the United States.
• United States Marshals Service (USMS) provides security for the federal
judiciary, protects witnesses, executes warrants and court orders, manages seized
assets, detains and transports unsentenced prisoners, and apprehends fugitives.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates violations of federal criminal
law; helps protect the United States against terrorism and hostile intelligence
efforts; provides assistance to other federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies; and shares jurisdiction with Drug Enforcement Administration over
federal drug violations.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigates federal drug law
violations; coordinates its efforts with state, local, and other federal law
enforcement agencies; develops and maintains drug intelligence systems;
45 NOAA, NOAA Science, Service, Stewardship, FY2015 Budget Summary, Washington, DC, March 2014, p. 52,
http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/~nbo/fy15_bluebook/FY2015BudgetSummary-small.pdf.
46 The Administration’s FY2015 Budget Request includes a $56.000 billion Opportunity, Growth, and Security
Initiative and a $1.000 billion Climate Resilience Fund.
47 NOAA, Budget Estimates Fiscal Year 2015, Congressional Submission, Washington, DC, March 2014, p. x,
http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/nbo/docs/NOAA_FY15_CJ_508%20compliant.pdf.
48 This section was written by Nathan James, Analyst in Crime Policy; Kristin M. Finklea, Specialist in Domestic
Security; William J. Krouse, Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy; and Lisa N. Sacco, Analyst in Illicit
Drugs and Crime Policy; CRS Domestic Social Policy Division.
49 28 U.S.C. §501.
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regulates legitimate controlled substances activities; and conducts joint
intelligence-gathering activities with foreign governments.
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) enforces federal law
related to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of alcohol, tobacco,
firearms, and explosives. It was transferred from the Department of the Treasury
to DOJ by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296).
• Federal Prison System (Bureau of Prisons, BOP) provides for the custody and
care of the federal prison population, the maintenance of prison-related facilities,
and the boarding of sentenced federal prisoners incarcerated in state and local
institutions.
• Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) coordinates legislative and other
initiatives relating to violence against women and administers grant programs to
help prevent, detect, and stop violence against women, including domestic
violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
• Office of Justice Programs (OJP) manages and coordinates the activities of the
Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of
Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office of
Victims of Crime.
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) advances the practice of
community policing by awarding grants to law enforcement agencies to hire and
train community policing professionals, acquire and deploy crime-fighting
technologies, and develop and test innovative policing strategies.
Most crime control has traditionally been a state and local responsibility. With the passage of the
Crime Control Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-351), however, the federal role in the administration of
criminal justice has increased incrementally. Since 1984, Congress has approved five major
omnibus crime control bills, designating new federal crimes, penalties, and additional law
enforcement assistance programs for state and local governments.50
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations
The FY2014-enacted appropriation for DOJ was $27.737 billion. The Administration requests a
total of $27.974 billion for DOJ for FY2015 (see Table 4), which is a proposed 0.9%, or $237.0
million, increase over the FY2014-enacted appropriation. The Administration notes that DOJ
would receive additional funding, though it did not specify what amount, under the proposed
OGSI for the following purposes:
• investments in state and local justice assistance grants, including additional
resources for the Comprehensive School Safety program and a new youth
investment initiative;
• activating newly constructed or purchased prisons; and
50 See, for example, the Crime Control Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-473); the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-570); the
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-690); the Crime Control Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-647); and the Violent Crime
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322).
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• investigating and prosecuting financial fraud.
The House-passed bill would provide a total of $28.162 billion for the DOJ, an amount that
would be 1.5% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 0.7% greater than the Administration’s
request.
Table 4. Funding for the Department of Justice, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
General Administration
$533.2
$590.3
$536.6
General Administrationa (135.8) (154.7) (116.6)
Administrative Review &
(311.0) (347.0) (332.0)
Appeals
Office of the Inspector
(86.4) (88.6) (88.0)
General
U.S. Parole Commission
12.6
13.3
13.3
Legal Activities
3,180.8
3,267.1
3,230.1
General legal activities
(867.0)
(935.9)
(884.1)
United States Attorneys
(1,944.0)
(1,955.3)
(1,971.0)
Other legal activitiesb (369.8)
(375.9)
(374.9)
United States Marshals
2,727.8 2,790.1 2,804.1
Service
National Security Division
91.8
91.8
94.8
Interagency Law Enforcement
514.0
505.0
519.0
Federal Bureau of
8,343.3 8,347.2 8,467.8
Investigation
Drug Enforcement
2,018.0 2,018.0 2,048.3
Administration
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
1,179.0 1,201.0 1,114.0
Firearms and Explosives
Federal Prison System
6,861.7
6,896.7
6,973.0
Office on Violence Against
417.0 422.5 429.5
Women
Office of Justice Programs
1,643.3
1,566.5
1,721.7
Research, Evaluation,
(120.0) (136.9) (120.0)
and Statistics
State and Local Law
(1,171.5) (1,032.9) (1,290.9)
Enforcement Assistance
Juvenile Justice Programs
(254.5)
(299.4)
(223.5)
Public Safety Officers
(97.3) (87.3) (87.3)
Benefits
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Community Oriented
214.0 274.0 209.5
Policing Services
Crime Victims Fund (CVF)
745.0
810.0
770.0
Offsetting Receipts (CVF)
-745.0
-810.0
-770.0
Total: Department of
27,736.6 27,973.5 28,161.7
Justice
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. Includes funding for Salaries and Expenses for DOJ administration as well as for Justice Information Sharing
Technology.
b. “Other legal activities” includes accounts for the Antitrust Division, Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust
Fund, U.S. Trustee System Fund, Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, Fees and Expenses of Witnesses,
Community Relations Service, and the Asset Forfeiture Fund.
General Administration
The General Administration account provides funds for salaries and expenses for the Attorney
General’s office, the Inspector General’s office, and other programs designed to ensure that the
collaborative efforts of DOJ agencies are coordinated to help represent the government and fight
crime as efficiently as possible. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $533.2
million for the General Administration Account. The Administration’s FY2015 request includes
$590.3 million for General Administration, 10.7% more than the FY2014 appropriation. The
House-passed bill would provide $536.6 million for General Administration, 0.6% more than the
FY2014 enacted amount but 9.1% less than the Administration’s request.
General Administration
The General Administration account includes funding for Salaries and Expenses for DOJ
administration as well as for Justice Information Sharing Technology. Prior to the National Drug
Intelligence Center’s (NDIC’s) closure, it was funded through the General Administration
account. In addition, this account previously funded Law Enforcement Wireless Communications
before funding for related activities was shifted to the FBI.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $135.8 million for Salaries and Expenses
for DOJ administration and for Justice Information Sharing Technology. The Administration’s
FY2015 request includes nearly $154.7 million for these activities, 13.9% more than the FY2014
appropriation. The House-passed bill would provide $116.6 million for this account, 14.1% less
than the FY2014 enacted amount and 24.6% below the Administration’s requested level.
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Administrative Review and Appeals (ARA)
Administrative Review and Appeals (ARA) includes the Executive Office of Immigration Review
(EOIR) and the Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA). The Attorney General is responsible for the
review and adjudication of immigration cases in coordination with the Department of Homeland
Security’s (DHS’s) efforts to secure the nation’s borders. The EOIR handles these matters, and the
OPA receives and reviews petitions for executive clemency.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $311.0 million for ARA. The
Administration’s FY2015 request includes $347.0 million for these activities, a proposed increase
of 11.6% over the FY2014 appropriation. The Administration’s request includes an increase of
$22.6 million to help the EOIR adjudicate an increasing immigration court caseload. The DOJ
reports that the number of matters pending adjudication rose 57% from the end of FY2009 to the
end of FY2013.51 Also, there were 249 EOIR immigration judges at the end of January 2014,
down from a high of 272 in mid-December, 2010.52 In addition, DOJ reports that about one-third
of immigration judges will be eligible to retire in FY2014.53 The proposed increase includes
$17.0 million to support an additional 35 Immigration Judge Teams and 15 Board of Immigration
Appeals attorneys to help adjudicate rising immigration court caseloads; $2.8 million to expand
EOIR’s Legal Orientation Program (LOP), which improves immigration court proceedings by
educating detained alien’s about their rights and the overall process; and another $2.8 million to
allow EOIR to continue the development and expansion of its pilot program that provides counsel
to vulnerable populations, such as unaccompanied alien children.
The House-passed bill would provide $332.0 million for ARA, 6.8% greater than the FY2014
appropriation, but 4.3% less than the Administration’s request. In the report to accompany H.R.
4660, the House Committee on Appropriations notes that the recommended funding for ARA will
allow the EOIR to reduce backlogs by increasing the number of immigration judge teams; support
and expand the LOP; and to continue pilot efforts for assisting minors and other persons with
special needs. The House-passed bill includes language that would prohibit the DOJ from using
funds to transfer or temporarily assign employees to the OPA for the screening of clemency
applications.54
Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for detecting and deterring waste, fraud,
and abuse involving DOJ programs and personnel; promoting economy and efficiency in DOJ
operations; and investigating allegations of departmental misconduct. The Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $86.4 million for the OIG. The Administration’s FY2015
request includes nearly $88.6 million for the OIG, 2.5% more than the amount provided through
51 U.S. Department of Justice, FY 2015 Congressional Budget Submission, Administrative Review and Appeals, p. 5.
52 Ibid., p. 4.
53 Ibid.
54 In April, Attorney General Holder announced that the DOJ would expand its criteria for clemency applications to
allow non-violent drug offenders incarcerated in federal prisons to seek a reduction in their sentences. The DOJ
announced that it was planning to move additional attorneys to the Office of the Pardon Attorney in order to prepare for
the expected influx of clemency applications. U.S. Department of Justice, “Attorney General Holder: Justice
Department Set to Expand Clemency Criteria, Will Prepare for Wave of Applications from Drug Offenders in Federal
Prison,” press release, April 21, 2014, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-ag-409.html.
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the FY2014 appropriation. The House-passed bill would provide $88.0 million for the OIG, 1.9%
more than the FY2014 enacted amount but 0.7% less than the Administration’s request.
U.S. Parole Commission
The U.S. Parole Commission adjudicates parole requests for prisoners who are serving felony
sentences under federal and District of Columbia code violations. The commission received $12.6
million for FY2014. The Administration’s request for the commission for FY2015 is $13.3
million, a proposed increase of 5.6%. The House-passed bill includes $13.3 million for the
commission, which is equal to the Administration’s request and 5.6% greater than the FY2014
appropriation.
Legal Activities
The Legal Activities account includes several subaccounts: general legal activities, U.S.
Attorneys, and other legal activities. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided nearly
$3.181 billion for Legal Activities. The Administration’s FY2015 request includes almost $3.267
billion for this account, 2.7% more than the FY2014 appropriation. The House-passed bill would
provide $3.230 billion for Legal Activities. This would be 1.5% more than the FY2014 enacted
amount but 1.1% less than the Administration’s request.
General Legal Activities
The General Legal Activities account funds the Solicitor General’s supervision of the
department’s conduct in proceedings before the Supreme Court. It also funds several
departmental divisions (tax, criminal, civil, environment and natural resources, legal counsel,
civil rights, INTERPOL, and dispute resolution). The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014
provided $867.0 million for General Legal Activities. The Administration’s FY2015 request
includes nearly $935.9 million for this account, 7.9% over the FY2014 appropriation. The House-
passed bill would provide $884.1 million for General Legal Activities, 2.0% more than the
FY2014 enacted amount but 5.5% below the Administration’s requested level.
As a part of its FY2015 budget request for this account, the Administration proposed a $2.6
million increase for the criminal division for 25 new positions to help the division combat
cybercrime. According to the Administration, the additional funding would increase the criminal
division’s capabilities in four areas: “cybercrime investigations and prosecutions; advice and
advocating legal tools and authorities; international cooperation and outreach; and forensic
support.”55
The Administration also requests a $19.6 million increase for the criminal division as a part of the
Administration’s Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) reform efforts. MLAT requests are the
way in which countries request assistance in obtaining evidence located in a foreign country for
criminal investigations and proceedings located in another country, and, according to the
Administration, difficulties in obtaining evidence through the MLAT process is starting to
55 U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, FY 2015 President’s Budget & Performance Submission, p. 12.
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frustrate many of the United States’ foreign law enforcement partners.56 The Administration is
concerned that continued delays with processing MLAT requests could have adverse
consequences for U.S. law enforcement, including, but not limited to, foreign countries reducing
their compliance with MLAT requests and their cooperation with U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The requested funding for the criminal division would be used to centralize the handling of
MLAT requests, primarily through the division’s Office of International Affairs (OIA);
eliminating the backlog of pending cases; and enhancing the technological resources supporting
the MLAT process and OIA’s core functions.
Office of the U.S. Attorneys
The U.S. Attorneys enforce federal laws through prosecution of criminal cases and represent the
federal government in civil actions in all of the 94 federal judicial districts. For FY2015, the
President’s budget request includes $1.955 billion for the U.S. Attorneys, a proposed increase of
0.6% over the Office’s FY2014 appropriation ($1.944 billion). Under the Administration’s “Smart
on Crime Initiative,” the FY2015 budget request includes $15.0 million in reallocated resources
to leverage efforts to lower recidivism through reentry courts, drug or other specialized courts,
diversion programs, and prevention outreach. The request also includes $1.3 million for MLAT
reform. The objective of this reform is to strengthen law enforcement and administration of
justice partnerships with foreign government, especially with regard to cyber security threats.
The House-passed bill would provide the U.S. Attorneys with $1.971 billion for FY2015. This
amount is 1.4% more than the FY2014 enacted appropriation and 0.8% more than the
Administration’s FY2015 request. House report language emphasized that the U.S. Attorneys
should prioritize their efforts to enforce intellectual property rights and prosecute prescription
drug abuse cases. Although opposed by the Administration, the House Committee on
Appropriations has maintained language in the bill that would direct each U.S. Attorney to lead a
regional human trafficking task force.
Other Legal Activities
Other Legal Activities includes the Antitrust Division, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust
Fund, the U.S. Trustee System Fund (which is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the
U.S. bankruptcy system by, among other things, prosecuting criminal bankruptcy violations), the
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, the Community
Relations Service, and the Assets Forfeiture Fund. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014
provided $369.8 million for the Other Legal Activities account. The Administration’s FY2015
request includes $375.9 million for this account, 1.6% more than the FY2014 appropriation. The
House-passed bill would provide $374.9 million for Other Legal Activities, 1.4% more than the
FY2014 enacted amount, but 0.3% less than the Administration’s request.
U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is responsible for the protection of the federal judicial
process, including protecting judges, attorneys, witnesses, and jurors. In addition, the USMS
56 U.S. Department of Justice, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Process Reform, FY 2015 Budget Fact Sheet.
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provides physical security in courthouses, safeguards witnesses, transports prisoners from court
proceedings, apprehends fugitives, executes warrants and court orders, and seizes forfeited
property.57
The USMS received a total of $2.728 billion under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, of
which $1.185 billon was for the Salaries and Expenses (S&E) account and $1.533 billion was for
the Federal Prisoner Detention account. For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of
$2.790 billion for the USMS, which is 2.3% greater than the FY2014-enacted appropriation. The
entire proposed increase for the USMS is the result of the Administration requesting $1.595
billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account. The proposed increase in funding for the
Federal Prisoner Detention account reflects the increased cost of the federal detention population.
The Administration requested additional funding to help ensure that the USMS can pay for
housing, medical, and transportation costs for the USMS detainee population.58 The USMS notes
that expansion of illegal immigration enforcement activities along the southwest border has
increased the service’s workload in the region.59
The House-passed bill would provide a total of $2.804 billion for the USMS, an amount that is
2.8% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 0.5% greater than the Administration’s request.
The House recommends $1.199 billion for the USMS’s S&E account (1.2% greater than the
Administration’s request) and $1.595 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account, which is
equal to the Administration’s request.
One issue Congress might consider while it debates FY2015 funding for the USMS is whether it
has the resources it needs in light of its expanded mission. As discussed previously, for FY2015
the Administration did not request an increase in funding for the number of positions funded by
the USMS’s Salaries and Expenses account. In addition to the increased workload along the
Southwest border, the USMS reports that since 2000, it has been required to assist state and local
law enforcement agencies with apprehending dangerous fugitives; has faced increasing demand
for high-level security related to more federal terrorism-related prosecutions; and has been
required to assist with the location and apprehension of individuals who fail to register as sex
offenders.60 Policy makers might consider whether the USMS can continue to effectively conduct
its operations related to the federal criminal justice system while assisting state and local law
enforcement with tracking and apprehending fugitives and unregistered sex offenders without
additional resources.
57 Under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (P.L. 113-6), Congress eliminated funding for
the Office of the Federal Detention Trustee account and instead provided funding for a Federal Prisoner Detention
account under the USMS. Funding under this account will be used to cover the costs associated with the care of federal
detainees.
58 According to DOJ, detention funding requirements are determined using a population forecasting model that
incorporates factors such as population, demographic trends, average processing time per type of case, and the
authorized positions of federal law enforcement, U.S. attorneys and U.S. district court judges. The DOJ estimates that
the average daily detention population in FY2015 will be 59,949. U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Service
(USMS), FY2015 Budget Request At A Glance.
59 U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Services, FY 2015 Performance Budget, Salaries and Expenses and
Construction Appropriations, p. 8.
60 Ibid., p. 5.
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National Security Division (NSD)
The National Security Division (NSD) coordinates DOJ’s national security and terrorism
missions through law enforcement investigations and prosecutions. The NSD was established in
DOJ in response to the recommendations of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of
the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD Commission), and authorized
by Congress on March 9, 2006, in the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of
2005 (P.L. 109-177). Under the NSD, DOJ resources of the Office of Intelligence Policy and
Review and the Criminal Division’s Counterterrorism and Counterespionage Sections were
consolidated to coordinate all intelligence-related resources and to ensure that criminal
intelligence information is shared, as appropriate. For FY2015, the President’s budget request
includes $91.8 million for the NSD, the same amount as appropriated by Congress for FY2014.
The House-passed bill would provide the NSD with $94.8 million for FY2015. This amount is
3.3% more than either the FY2014 enacted appropriation or the Administration’s FY2015 request.
House report language indicated that this $3.0 million increase would help the NSD meet its
growing workload under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)61 and the Lobbying
Disclosure Act.62
Interagency Law Enforcement
The Interagency Law Enforcement account reimburses departmental agencies for their
participation in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.
Organized into nine regional task forces, this program combines the expertise of federal agencies
with the efforts of state and local law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle major narcotics-
trafficking and money-laundering organizations. From DOJ, the federal agencies that participate
in OCDETF are the DEA; the FBI; the ATF; the USMS; the Tax and Criminal Divisions of DOJ;
and the U.S. Attorneys. From the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard participate in OCDETF. In addition, from the Department
of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Office of Enforcement also participate
in OCDETF. Moreover, state and local law enforcement agencies participate in approximately
90% of all OCDETF investigations.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $514.0 million for the Interagency Law
Enforcement account. For FY2015, the Administration is requesting $505.0 million for this
account, 1.8% less than the FY2014 appropriation. The House-passed bill would provide $519.0
million for this account, 1.0% greater than the FY2014 enacted level and 2.8% greater than the
Administration’s requested amount. The language in the House report accompanying the bill
urges DOJ to increase the use of task forces to combat the threats posed by prescription drug and
heroin abuse.
61 50 U.S.C. §1801 et seq.
62 2 U.S.C. §1601 et seq.
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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The FBI is the lead federal investigative agency charged with defending the country against
foreign terrorist and intelligence threats; enforcing federal laws; and providing leadership and
criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement
agencies and partners. Since the September 11, 2001 (9/11), terrorist attacks, the FBI has
reorganized and reprioritized its efforts to focus on preventing terrorism and related criminal
activities. From FY2001 through FY2013, Congress has more than doubled direct appropriations
for the FBI from $3.32 billion to $8.343 billion, or a 151.3% increase.
For FY2015, the President’s budget request includes $8.347 billion for the FBI, a slight increase
(< 0.1%) over the Bureau’s FY2014 appropriation ($8.343 billion). This request includes $8.278
billion for salaries and expenses (S&E) and $69.0 million for construction. In addition, through
miscellaneous reductions, the request anticipates an increase of $18.2 million in reallocated
funding to improve the MLAT process ($3.2 million) and Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical
Center (TEDAC) operations and maintenance ($15.0 million). Located at Redstone Arsenal in
Huntsville, Alabama, TEDAC supports federal efforts to prevent and mitigate improvised
explosive device attacks both in the United States and abroad.
The House-passed bill would provide the FBI with $8.468 billion for FY2015. This amount is
1.5% more than the amount Congress appropriated for the FBI for FY2014, and it is 1.4% more
than the Administration’s FY2015 request.
In addition, the FY2015 request would carry over FY2014 budget increases to improve
background checks for firearms and cyber security. For example, the FY2015 budget would carry
over and continue to provide $13.0 million to bolster the FBI-administered National Instant
Criminal Background Check System (NICS), especially in light of Senate proposals to require
“universal background checks,” that is, extending federal firearms background check
requirements to intrastate firearms transfers between private persons.63 While the amount carried
over to sustain the FBI’s Next Generation Cyber Initiative was not given in DOJ budget summary
and submission documents, the Attorney General testified to both the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations that, across all departmental agencies and initiatives, the FY2015
budget includes $722 million to fight cybercrime.64
According to the FBI Director James Comey, the most important thing done in this area in the last
couple of years was the establishment of a National Cyber Crime Investigative Joint Task Force
(NCIJTF).65,66 In report language, the House Committee on Appropriations noted that the House-
passed bill would provide sufficient funding to ensure that the FBI could continue to develop and
63 For further information on the “universal background check” proposal, see CRS Report R42987, Gun Control
Legislation in the 113th Congress, by William J. Krouse.
64 Testimony of Attorney General Eric Holder, in U.S. Congress, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, “The Department of Justice FY2015 Budget Request,” Nexis Congressional
Documents and Publications, April 4, 2014.
65 Testimony of FBI Director James Comey, in U.S. Congress, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, “FBI Budget for FY2015 and Post-9/11 Reform, Panel 1,” CQ Transcriptions,
March 26, 2014.
66 For a CRS compilation of reports and other resources on cybersecurity, see CRS Report R42507, Cybersecurity:
Authoritative Reports and Resources, by Topic, by Rita Tehan. For additional selected CRS reports relevant to
cybersecurity, see CRS Issues Before Congress: Cybersecurity.
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implement its Next Generation Cyber (NGC) approach, a comprehensive “whole of government”
approach to investigating computer intrusions and defeating cyber threat actors, through a
national network of task forces. The House Committee also raised concerns about state and local
efforts to make gun-related prohibiting records accessible to the FBI for NICS background check
purposes, and report language would require the FBI to report back to the Committee about gaps
in its accessibility to those records for all classes of prohibited persons. The House bill would also
provide $1.0 million to support an ongoing review of the FBI’s implementation of the 9/11
Commission recommendations. In addition, report language addressed several other issues,
including, but not limited to, FBI support of Department of Justice investigations of human rights
violations, human trafficking, violent domestic extremists, violent gangs, counterintelligence and
insider threats, and money laundering and other financial crime, as well as efforts to improve
DNA analysis.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the only single-mission federal agency tasked
with enforcing the nation’s controlled substance laws in order to reduce the availability and abuse
of illicit drugs and the diversion of licit drugs for illicit purposes. DEA’s enforcement efforts
include the disruption and dismantling of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations
through drug interdiction and seizures of illicit revenues and assets derived from these
organizations. DEA continues to face evolving challenges in limiting the supply of illicit drugs as
well as reducing drug trafficking from Mexico across the Southwest border into the United States.
DEA plays a key role in the Administration’s Southwest Border Initiative to counter drug-related
border violence, focusing on the convergent threats of illegal drugs, drug-related violence, and
terrorism in the region. DEA also has an active role in the Administration’s Prescription Drug
Abuse Prevention Plan, targeting improper prescribing practices and promoting proper disposal of
unused prescription drugs.
The DEA received $2.018 billion for FY2014. The Administration’s FY2015 budget request for
the DEA proposes to maintain FY2014 appropriation levels at $2.018 billion. The House
recommends $2.048 billion for the DEA which represents a proposed 1.5% increase over both the
FY2014 enacted amount and the Administration’s FY2015 requested amount.
Of note, while the DEA highlights the recent rise in heroin abuse in the United States in their
FY2015 Congressional budget submission,67 the Administration does not request additional
funding to address this issue. The DEA combats the nation’s supply of heroin through
international and domestic enforcement and state and local assistance. In the report to accompany
H.R. 4660, the House Committee on Appropriations expresses concern over the increase in
prescription drug and heroin abuse, and specifies the following:
• DOJ shall report within 90 days after enactment of H.R. 4660 “on potential ways
to address this problem, such as prevention, law enforcement strategies,
prescription drug disposal site expansion, and other evidence-based
approaches.”68
67 U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, FY2015 Performance Budget Congressional
Submission, p. 18, http://www.justice.gov/jmd/2015justification/pdf/dea-justification.pdf.
68 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 113-448 - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2015, report to accompany H.R. 4660, 113th Cong., 2nd sess., May 15, 2014.
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• The committee urges the DEA to intensify its use of task forces to address the
rise in heroin abuse.
• The committee directs DEA to report no later than 60 days after enactment of
H.R. 4660 “on the numbers of actual and estimated heroin investigations in fiscal
years 2013 through 2015, the amounts and street value of heroin associated with
such investigations, and prosecutions resulting from investigations.”69
The House-passed bill would prohibit DOJ from using funds to prevent states from implementing
their laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.70
Policy makers may debate as to how to interpret this language. While it may prevent DOJ from
using funds to preempt state medical marijuana laws, it may also be interpreted as an attempt to
prevent DEA and other agencies from investigating and prosecuting private citizens, who are
otherwise in compliance with state law, in states that make allowances for medical marijuana for
violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA).71
The House specifies another change that would possibly affect the DEA’s operations. The House-
passed bill would prohibit the use of funds “in contravention of section 7606 ("Legitimacy of
Industrial Hemp Research”) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79) by the Department of
Justice or the Drug Enforcement Administration.”72 Under the CSA, hemp is considered a
Schedule I controlled substance, and there are strict controls on its production and the security
conditions under which it may be grown; it is illegal to grow without a DEA permit. The
Agricultural Act of 2014 included a provision allowing certain research institutions and also state
departments of agriculture to grow industrial hemp, if allowed under state laws where the
institution or state department of agriculture is located.73
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
The ATF enforces federal criminal law related to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of
alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives. ATF works independently and through partnerships
with industry groups; international, state, and local governments; and other federal agencies to
investigate and reduce crime involving firearms and explosives, acts of arson, and illegal
trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. From FY2001 through FY2014, Congress has
increased the direct appropriation for ATF, from $771.0 million to $1.179 billion, a 52.9%
increase.
For FY2015, the President’s budget request for ATF is $1.201 billion, an increase of 1.9% over
the amount appropriated by Congress for FY2014 ($1.179 billion). According to DOJ, this
increase ($22.0 million) would allow ATF to improve its firearms enforcement and regulatory
69 Ibid.
70 As specified in Sec. 558 of H.R. 4660, these states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
71 Title 21, U.S.C., Chapter 13. For discussion of this House language, see CRS Report WSLG957, House Seeks to
Curb Federal Interference with State Medical Marijuana Laws, by Todd Garvey.
72 H.R. 4660, Sec. 560.
73 For further discussion of this law and the industrial use of hemp, see CRS Report RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural
Commodity, by Renée Johnson.
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efforts. According to the Attorney General, DOJ is “taking a hard look” at federal laws and
enforcement priorities to ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent drug traffickers
and other criminals from acquiring firearms.74
The House-passed bill would provide ATF with $1.114 billion for FY2015. This amount is 5.5%
less than the amount appropriated by Congress for FY2014, and is 7.2% less than the
Administration’s FY2015 request. Report language indicated that the House Committee on
Appropriations has yet to receive a briefing and a report that are required as part of ATF’s
FY2014 appropriation. The briefing is to be on appropriations allocated by ATF for gun law
enforcement in the following areas:
1. violent crime enforcement,
2. firearms regulatory efforts,
3. firearms tracing, and
4. ballistic imaging.
The report is to be on ATF’s tobacco law enforcement posture and related appropriations
allocations. Finally, the Committee voiced concern about increasing processing times (backlogs)
for applications submitted under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA),75 and applications for
dealer, manufacturer, and importer licenses submitted under the Gun Control Act of 1968
(GCA).76
Also, the FY2015 budget request collapses the ATF budget decision units from three to two. For
example, the ATF Congressional Budget Submission shows the FY2012 appropriation included
$1.113 billion, which was allocated as follows:
1. Firearms ($876.7 million);
2. Arson & Explosives ($224.4 million); and
3. Alcohol & Tobacco ($12.0 million).
By comparison the FY2014 appropriation ($1.179 billion) and FY2015 request ($1.201 billion)
are shown allocated as follows:
1. Law Enforcement Operations ($1.019 billion for FY2014, and $1.039 billion for
FY2015); and
2. Investigative Support Services ($159.5 million for FY2014, and $162.5 million
for FY2015).
Arguably, this new budget decision unit alignment could make it much more difficult for
Congress to determine ATF’s budget priorities for regulating the industries under its purview.
74 Testimony of Attorney General Eric Holder, in U.S. Congress, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, “The Department of Justice FY2015 Budget Request,” April 4, 2014.
75 The NFA (26 U.S.C. §5801 et seq.), as amended, limits the availability of machine guns, short-barreled rifles and
shotguns, silencers, and a “catch-all” class of other “concealable” firearms identified as “any other weapon.”
76 The GCA (18 U.S.C. §921 et seq.), as amended, requires all persons manufacturing, importing, or selling firearms as
a business to be federally licensed. It requires those federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to maintain records of all
commercial gun sales.
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In addition, the House passed bill includes several domestic gun control provisions directly
related to ATF operations. These provisions include the following:
• Section 215 would prohibit any federal agent from facilitating the transfer of an
operable firearm to any individual associated with a drug cartel, unless that
firearm were to be continuously monitored or under the federal agent’s control at
all times;77
• Section 517 would address the export of certain firearms parts and accessories to
Canada;78
• Section 518 would address the importation of “curios or relics” firearms, parts, or
ammunition;79
• Section 533 would prevent ATF from levying new restrictions on the importation
of shotguns;80 and
• Section 539 would prohibit the Attorney General from collecting multiple rifle
and shotgun sales reports.81
Like last year, the House-passed bill includes “futurity” language (“in the current fiscal year and
any fiscal year thereafter”) in sections 517 and 518 that appears to be intended to make them
permanent law. However, last year such “futurity” language was not included in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76), nor was a similar House version of section 539 included
in that act.
On July 31, 2013, the Senate confirmed B. Todd Jones, the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, as ATF’s
Director. This confirmation ended a seven-year period, during which ATF was headed by five
acting directors. In the area of firearms enforcement, ATF has been the subject of congressional
77 This provision has been included in the CJS appropriations since FY2012. It is a response to a badly managed ATF
gun trafficking investigation in Arizona known as “Operation Fast and Furious.”
78 This provision has been included in the CJS appropriations since FY2006. It is a response to regulations
promulgated during the Clinton Administration that were based on the Organization of American States (OAS) Model
Regulations for the Control of the International Movement of Firearms. These regulations arguably have made it cost
prohibitive to export certain firearms parts and accessories to Canada.
79 This provision has also been included in the CJS appropriations since FY2006. It is designed to prevent the
Department of State from denying applications to import certain firearms, parts, or ammunition that were previously
provided by the United States as military aid to foreign governments. Examples of such firearms could include World
War Two-era, semiautomatic M-1 Carbines and 1911 Colt pistols. ATF has generally opposed the importation of such
firearms back into the United States.
80 Congress first included this provision in the FY2012 CJS appropriations law in response to an ATF study, which
characterized certain shotguns as “non-sporting,” because they include certain “military-style” features (e.g., pistol
grips, folding or collapsible stocks, laser sights, as well as the ability to accept large capacity ammunition feeding
devices). See U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Firearms and
Explosives Industry Division, ATF Study on the Importability of Certain Shotguns, January 2011.
81 On July 11, 2011, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved an ATF information collection initiative
under the Paperwork Reduction Act for a three-year period (ending July 31, 2014). Under this multiple rifle sales
reporting requirement, federal firearms licensees (FFLs) are required to report to ATF whenever they make multiple
sales or other dispositions of more than one rifle within five consecutive business days to an unlicensed person. Such
reporting was to be limited to firearms that are (1) semiautomatic, (2) chambered for ammunition of greater than .22
caliber, and (3) capable of accepting a detachable magazine. This requirement is also limited to FFLs operating in
Southwest border states (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California). The House CJS appropriations bills for
FY2012, FY2013, and FY2014 have included similar provisions, but these provisions were not included in enacted
appropriations laws for those fiscal years.
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and departmental oversight for a Southwest border gun trafficking operation known as Fast and
Furious and, more recently, several storefront undercover operations. The DOJ Office of
Inspector General has issued reports on these matters.82
Federal Prison System (Bureau of Prisons, BOP)
The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was established in 1930 to house federal inmates, to professionalize
the prison service, and to ensure consistent and centralized administration of the federal prison
system.83 The mission of the BOP is to protect society by confining offenders in prisons and
community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and
that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities for inmates so that they can become
productive citizens after they are released.84 The BOP currently operates 119 correctional
facilities across the country.85 The BOP also contracts with Residential Re-entry Centers (RRCs)
(i.e., halfway houses) to provide assistance to inmates nearing release. RRCs provide inmates
with a structured and supervised environment along with employment counseling, job placement
services, financial management assistance, and other programs and services.86
Congress funds the BOP’s operations through two accounts under the Federal Prison System
heading: Salaries and Expenses (S&E) and Buildings and Facilities (B&F). The S&E account
(i.e., the operating budget) provides for the custody and care of federal inmates and for the daily
maintenance and operations of correctional facilities, regional offices, and BOP’s central office in
Washington, DC. It also provides funding for the incarceration of federal inmates in state, local,
and private facilities. The B&F account (i.e., the capital budget) provides funding for the
construction of new facilities and the modernization, repair, and expansion of existing facilities.
In addition to appropriations for the S&E and B&F accounts, Congress usually places a cap on
the amount of revenue generated by the Federal Prison Industries (FPI)87 that can be used for
administrative expenses in the annual CJS appropriations bill. Although Congress does not
appropriate funding for the administrative expenses of FPI, the administrative expenses cap is
scored as enacted budget authority.
The BOP received a total of $6.862 billion for FY2014, the vast majority of which was for the
S&E account ($6.769 billion). For FY2015, the Administration requests $6.897 billion, a
proposed increase of 0.5%. All of the proposed increase in the BOP’s funding is the result of the
Administration requesting more for the BOP’s S&E account ($6.804 billion). The Administration
is requesting a $193.0 million base adjustment for the S&E account, of which $158.0 million
would be offset by “proposed miscellaneous program and administrative reductions.” The
82 U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Audit of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives’ Use of Income-Generating Undercover Operations, Audit Report 13-36, September 2013, 66 pp., and A
Review of ATF’s Operation Fast and Furious and Related Matters, September 19, 2012, 514 pp.
83 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, About the Bureau of Prisons, http://www.bop.gov/about/index.jsp.
84 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, About Our Agency, Mission, http://www.bop.gov/about/agency/
agency_pillars.jsp.
85 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, About the Bureau of Prisons, Federal Prisons, http://www.bop.gov/
about/facilities/federal_prisons.jsp.
86 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, About Our Facilities, Reentry Centers, http://www.bop.gov/about/
facilities/residential_reentry_management_centers.jsp.
87 For more information on FPI, see CRS Report RL32380, Federal Prison Industries: Overview and Legislative
History, by Nathan James.
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proposed increase in the S&E account is to pay for the increased costs associated with managing
a growing federal prison population (e.g., increased pay and benefits for the current BOP
workforce, higher rents, and increasing costs associated with providing for the care and
management of inmates). The BOP is not requesting any additional full-time equivalents (FTEs)
for FY2015; however, the BOP is focusing on filling previously authorized positions.
The House-passed bill would provide a total of $6.973 billion for the BOP. The amount
recommended by the House is 1.6% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 1.1% greater than
the Administration’s request. The House-passed bill includes $6.863 billion for the BOP’s S&E
account (0.9% more than the Administration’s request) and $107.3 million for the B&F account.
In the report to accompany H.R. 4660, the House Committee on Appropriations reported that it
continues to prioritize staffing levels at fully activated institutions and the continuation of
activation activities at the BOP’s two most recently completed prisons. The committee also
reports that the bill does not include funding for the activation of the prison the BOP purchased in
Thomson, IL.
A recurring issue is whether the BOP has adequate resources, both in terms of personnel and
infrastructure, to properly manage the burgeoning federal prison population.88 Prison population
growth and prison crowding continue to be a major concern for the BOP. The number of inmates
held in BOP facilities grew from 125,560 in FY2000 to 176,849 in FY2014.89 During that same
time period, prison crowding grew from 32% over rated capacity to 36% over rated capacity,
even though the BOP’s capacity increased by approximately 35,000 beds.90 The BOP estimates
that by FY2019 the federal prison system will be operating at 41% over rated capacity.91
However, despite the problem the BOP has with overcrowding, the Administration did not request
funding under the B&F account to start work on any new prison construction.92 In addition, the
BOP did not request any additional funding to expand the amount of contract bedspace.
The growing federal prison population has not only resulted in more crowded prisons, but it has
also strained the BOP’s ability to properly manage and care for federal inmates. The BOP reports
that the staff-to-inmate ratio has increased from 3.6 to 1 in FY1997 to 4.8 to 1 in FY2013.93 The
growing federal prison population has also required the BOP to dedicate more resources to caring
(e.g., providing health care, food, and clothing) and providing programming (e.g., substance
abuse treatment, educational programming, and work/vocational opportunities) for inmates. The
BOP is statutorily required (18 U.S.C. §3621) to provide residential drug abuse treatment to all
inmates who volunteer and are eligible for the program. Prisoners who are convicted of
nonviolent crimes and who successfully complete a residential substance abuse treatment
program are eligible to have their sentence reduced by not more than one year; as such, the BOP
88 For more information on the issues related to the growing federal prison population, see CRS Report R42937, The
Federal Prison Population Buildup: Overview, Policy Changes, Issues, and Options, by Nathan James.
89 Data provided to CRS from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons.
90 Ibid.
91 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, FY2015 Performance Budget, Congressional Submission, Federal
Prison System, Salaries and Expenses, p. 4.
92 The BOP has seven new prisons in the early stages of planning. The BOP would need to request funding in the future
to build those prisons. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, FY2015 Performance Budget, Congressional
Submission, Buildings and Facilities, p. 45.
93 As a point of comparison, in FY2009 the five states with the highest prison populations had an average inmate-to-
staff ratio of 3.1 to 1. Ibid., pp. 12-13.
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notes, inmates are strongly motivated to participate.94 The BOP reports that due to limited
capacity, inmates receive, on average, only a 10 month reduction.95 The BOP’s budget request
preserves funding Congress provided for FY2014 to expand the residential drug treatment
program. The BOP reports that the expanded residential substance abuse treatment program will
allow the BOP to treat all eligible inmates and extend sentence reductions for those who qualify
from the current 10 months average to the full 12 months allowed by statute.96
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) was created to administer programs created
under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and subsequent legislation. These
programs provide financial and technical assistance to communities around the country to
facilitate the creation of programs, policies, and practices designed to improve criminal justice
responses related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
In FY2014, OVW received $417.0 million. The President’s FY2015 budget request for OVW
includes $422.5 million, or a proposed 1.3% increase from the FY2014 enacted appropriation.
The FY2015 request includes a proposal to increase funds for the Legal Assistance for Victims,
Grants to Support Families in the Justice System (+ $1.0 million), Campus (+ $2.0 million), and
Transitional Housing (+ $0.25 million) programs and decrease funds (- $0.25 million) for
Research and Evaluation of Violence Against Women. The House recommends $429.5 million for
OVW which is 3.0% more than the FY2014-enacted amount and 1.7% more than the
Administration’s FY2015 request.
Table 5. Funding for OVW Programs, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
STOP
Grants
$193.0 $193.0 $195.0
Research and Evaluation on
3.3 3.0 3.0
Violence Against Women
Transitional Housing Assistance
24.8
25.0
25.0
Grants to Encourage Arrest
50.0 50.0 50.0
Policies
Homicide Reduction
(4.0) (4.0) (4.0)
Initiative
Rural Domestic Violence and
36.0 33.0 33.5
Child Abuse Enforcement
Assistance Grants
Violence on Col ege Campuses
9.0
11.0
12.5
94 Ibid., p. 6.
95 Ibid.
96 Ibid.
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Civil Legal Assistance
37.0
42.5
42.5
Sexual Assault Victims Services
27.0
27.0
29.5
Elder Abuse Grant Program
4.3
4.3
4.3
Education and Training for
5.8 5.8 5.8
Disabled Female Victims
Research on Violence Against
1.0 1.0 1.0
Indian Women
Consolidated Youth Oriented
10.0 10.0 10.0
Program
National Resource Center on
0.5 0.5 0.5
Workplace Responses
Indian Country Sexual Assault
0.5 0.5 0.5
Clearinghouse
Family Civil Justice Program
15.0
16.0
16.0
Total: OVW
417.0
422.5
429.5a
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the appendix to the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015. The FY2015 House-
passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. An amendment (H.Amdt. 722) adopted by the House during floor debate of H.R. 4660 added $0.5 mil ion
to the OVW account, but the amendment did not add the $0.5 mil ion to a specific program under the
account.
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) manages and coordinates the National Institute of Justice,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of
Victims of Crimes, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and related grant programs. The FY2014-
enacted appropriation for OJP was $1.643 billion. For FY2015, the Administration requests
$1.567 billion, which is 4.7% less than the FY2014-enacted appropriation. H.R. 4660 includes
$1.722 billion for OJP, which would be 4.8% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 10.6%
greater than the Administration’s request.
Research, Evaluation, and Statistics
The Research, Evaluation, and Statistics account (formerly the Justice Assistance account),
among other things, funds the operations of the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National
Institute of Justice. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $120.0 million for this
account. The Administration requests $136.9 million for the Research, Evaluation, and Statistics
account, an amount that is 14.1% greater than the FY2014-enacted appropriation. The House-
passed bill would provide $120.0 million for this account, which would be the same as the
FY2014 appropriation, and 12.3% less than the Administration’s request.
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Table 6. Funding for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Bureau of Justice Statistics
$45.0
$55.4
$45.0
National Institute of Justice
40.0
47.5
40.0
Regional Information Sharing
30.0
25.0
35.0
System
Evaluation
Clearinghouse 1.0
3.0
—
Forensic Science
4.0
6.0
—
Improvement
Total: Research,
120.0
136.9
120.0
Evaluation, and Statistics
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the appendix to the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015. The FY2015 House-
passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance
The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (S&LLEA) account includes funding for a
variety of grant programs to improve the functioning of state, local, and tribal criminal justice
systems. Some examples of programs that have traditionally been funded under this account
include the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, the Drug Courts
program, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), and DNA backlog reduction
grants. Congress appropriated $1.172 billion for the S&LLEA account for FY2014. The
Administration’s request for FY2015 is $1.033 billion, which is 11.8% less than the FY2014-
enacted appropriation. The House recommends $1.291 billion for the S&LLEA account, which
would be 10.2% greater than the FY2014 appropriation and 25.0% greater than the
Administration’s request.
For FY2015, the Administration proposes to eliminate several grant programs, including, the
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). SCAAP provides partial reimbursement to
states and localities for prior year costs of incarcerating illegal aliens with at least one felony or
two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law, and who are incarcerated at least
four consecutive days. In justifying the proposal to eliminate SCAAP, the Administration notes
that the program does not promote correctional reforms or offer strategies or tools that will help
jurisdictions reduce corrections costs or improve public safety. However, this is the one source of
federal funding to help state correctional systems and county jails offset the cost of incarcerating
individuals who are not legally in the country. The House did not accept the Administration’s
proposal and instead recommends $210.0 million for SCAAP for FY2015.
The Administration has also proposed to consolidate funding for the drug and mental health
courts into a “problem solving justice” program. The Administration requests $44.0 million for
this program. The proposed program would assist state, local, and tribal governments with
developing and implementing strategies, including specialized courts, which can divert offenders
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with drug, mental health, and special needs away from prosecution and incarceration. The House
chose to propose funding for individual problem-solving court programs, including $13.0 million
for mental health courts, $44.0 million for drug courts, and $15.0 million for veterans’ treatment
courts.
For FY2015, the Administration requests $35.0 million for Community Teams to Reduce the
Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog and Improve Sexual Assault Investigations (hereinafter,
“Community Teams program”). Proposed funding under this program could be used for a wide
variety of purposes, including the following:
• supporting law enforcement to conduct inventories of untested kits;
• assessment of current sexual assault investigation practices and identification of
law enforcement training needs to improve current practices;
• strategic planning to determine the extent to which the kits need to be tested;
• development and/or implementation of evidence-tracking systems;
• sexual assault kit testing;
• enhancement of investigative and prosecutorial resources needed to follow up on
the outcomes of increased sexual assault testing and/or implement new
investigative or prosecutorial practices in sexual assault;
• development or strengthening of cold case units and systems for communication
between laboratories, prosecutors, and law enforcement regarding the status of
evidence;
• law enforcement training on recent findings in neurobiology of trauma to help
them work more effectively with victims of sexual assault;
• development of victim notification procedures; and
• enhancement of victim services for past and current victims of sexual assault.
Funding from the Community Teams program may also be used to support further research by the
National Institute of Justice on issues related to preventing sexual assault and improving the
system’s response to sexual assault victims. The House recommends $41.0 million for the
Community Teams program.
The Administration also requests a total of $147.0 million under the State and Local Law
Enforcement Assistance account for grants to support its “Now is the Time” initiative, which
focuses on decreasing gun violence across the country. This amount includes $15.0 million for the
VALOR program (a set-aside under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
program), $75.0 million for the comprehensive school safety program, $5.0 million for NICS Act
Record Improvement Program (NARIP) Grants, and $50.0 million for the National Criminal
History Improvement Program (NCHIP). The House-passed bill includes the $15.0 million set-
aside under the JAG program for the VALOR program and $75.0 million for the comprehensive
school safety program. The House-passed bill also includes $78.0 million for a National Instant
Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Initiative (which would combine the NCHIP and
NARIP programs) and a $6.0 million set-aside under the JAG program for grants for firearms
safety materials and gun locks.
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The Administration requests funding for several programs that could be used to address issues
related to drug abuse. As previously discussed, the Administration requested funding for drug
courts under its proposed problem solving justice program. In addition, the Administration
requests $14.0 million for the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program, which
provides funding to state and local governments for substance abuse treatment for prison and jail
inmates, and $7.0 million for prescription drug monitoring programs. The House recommends
$12.0 million for RSAT and $16.0 million for prescription drug monitoring programs.
The Administration did not request funding for a tribal assistance grant program for FY2015.
However, the Administration’s request for OJP includes a proposal to set aside 7% of the amount
made available for grant or reimbursement programs under the State and Local Law Enforcement
Assistance, Juvenile Justice Programs, and Research, Evaluation, and Statistics accounts for tribal
justice assistance. The House rejected the Administration’s proposal and instead provides $35.0
million under the S&LLEA account for tribal assistance programs.
Table 7. Funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Programs,
FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Byrne Memorial Justice
$376.0
$376.0
$380.3
Assistance Grants
State and Local
(1.0)
(2.0)
—
Intelligence Training
Bulletproof Vests Grant
—
(22.5)
—
Program
State and Local
(1.0)
(2.0)
—
Assistance Help Desk and
Diagnostic Center
VALOR
Initiative
(15.0)
(15.0)
(15.0)
Evidence-based Policing
(5.0)
(10.0)
—
Initiative
Prosecutorial Decision-
(2.5)
(5.0)
—
making Initiative
Voter Education and
(2.5)
—
—
Plebiscite in Puerto Rico
Domestic Radicalization
(4.0)
—
(4.0)
Research
Juvenile Indigent Defense
—
—
(2.5)
Grants for Firearms
—
—
(6.0)
Safety Materials and Gun
Locks
Byrne
Incentive
Grants
—
15.0
—
Byrne Competitive Grants
13.5
15.0
5.5
John R. Justice Grant Program
2.0
—
—
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Tribal
Assistance
30.0
—
35.0
State Criminal Alien
180.0
—
210.0
Assistance Program
Victims of Trafficking Grants
14.3
10.5
45.4
Residential Substance Abuse
10.0
14.0
12.0
Treatment
Mentally Ill Offenders Act
8.3
—
13.0
Drug
Courts
40.5
—
44.0
Problem Solving Justice
—
44.0
—
Program
Veterans’ Treatment Courts
4.0
—
15.0
Prescription
Drug
Monitoring
7.0
7.0
16.0
Prison Rape Prevention and
12.5
10.5
15.0
Prosecution
Capital Litigation/ Wrongful
2.0
2.0
2.0
Conviction Review
Missing Alzheimer’s Patient
0.8
—
1.0
Grants
Economic, High-tech and
10.0
15.0
10.0
Cybercrime Prevention
CASA-Special
Advocates
6.0
6.0
6.0
Second Chance Act
67.8
115.0
65.5
Smart
Probation
(6.0)
(10.0)
—
Children of Incarcerated
(2.0)
(5.0)
—
Parents Demonstration
Grants
Pay for Success
(7.5)
(30.0)
—
Violent Gang and Gun Crime
8.5
5.0
—
Reduction (Project Safe
Neighborhoods)
NICS Act Record
12.0
5.0
—
Improvement Program
(NARIP) Grants
National Criminal History
46.5
50.0
—
Improvement Program
(NCHIP)
National Instant Criminal
—
—
78.0
Background Check System
(NICS) Initiative
Paul Coverdell Forensic
12.0
—
Science Grants
Implementation of the Adam
20.0
20.0
21.0
Walsh Act
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
National Sex Offender
—
—
(1.0)
Public Website
Programs for Children
8.0
23.0
—
Exposed to Violence
Byrne Criminal Justice
10.5
29.5
—
Innovation Program
National Sex Offender Public
1.0 1.0 —a
Website
Bulletproof Vests Grant
22.5 —b
22.3
Program
DNA
Initiatives
125.0
100.0
125.0
Debbie Smith DNA
(117.0)
—
(117.0)
Backlog Grants
Post-conviction DNA
(4.0)
—
(4.0)
Testing Grants
Sexual Assault Nurse
(4.0)
—
(4.0)
Examiners
Rape Kit Backlog
—
(20.0)
—
Reduction
Grants for Community Teams
—
35.0
41.0
to Reduce the Sexual Assault
Kit Backlog
Campus Public Safety
2.0
—
2.0
Justice Reinvestment Initiative
27.5
30.0
30.0
HOPE Model Implementation
4.0
10.0
—
Grants
Vision
21
12.5
—
—
Ensuring the Right to Counsel
—
5.4
—
for All Individuals
Competitive Grant Program
—
5.0
—
to Incentivize Statewide Civil
Legal Aid Planning
Program to Promote Fairness
—
9.0
—
in the Criminal Justice System
Comprehensive School Safety
75.0
75.0
75.0
Initiative
Consolidated Evidence-based
—
—
21.0
Activities Initiative
Total: State and Local Law
1,171.5
1,032.9
1,290.9
Enforcement
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the appendix to the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015. The FY2015 House-
passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660.
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Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. The House proposes to fund the National Sex Offender Website though a $1.0 million set-aside from
funding for Implementation of the Adam Walsh Act.
b. For FY2015, the Administration requested funding for the bul etproof vests grant program under the
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program.
Juvenile Justice Programs
The Juvenile Justice Programs account includes funding for grant programs to reduce juvenile
delinquency and help state, local, and tribal governments improve the functioning of their
juvenile justice systems.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provided $254.5 million for juvenile justice
programs. For FY2015, the Administration’s request includes $299.4 million for this account, a
proposed increase of 17.6% over the FY2014 level. Of note, the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2014 had eliminated funding for the long-funded Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG)
Program. The Administration’s FY2015 request would reinstate funding for JABG. The House-
passed bill would provide $223.5 million for juvenile justice programs. This would be 12.2% less
than the FY2014 enacted amount and 25.4% less than the Administration’s request. The House-
passed bill would not reinstate funding for JABG as requested by the Administration. Further, the
bill would eliminate funding for a number of competitive and incentive grants that have been
targeted toward issues such as gang and alcohol prevention as well as community-based violence
prevention.
Table 8. Funding for Juvenile Justice Programs, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Part B—State Formula
$55.5
$50.0
$45.0
Emergency Planning—
(0.5) — —
Juvenile Detention
Facilities
Youth Mentoring Grants
88.5
58.0
90.0
Title V—Incentive Grants
15.0
42.0
—
Tribal
Youth
(5.0) — —
Gang
Prevention
(2.5) — —
Alcohol Use Prevention
(2.5)
—
—
Juvenile Justice and
(5.0)
(10.0)
—
Education Col aboration
Assistance
Investigation and Prosecution
19.0 11.0 19.0
of Child Abuse Programs
Juvenile Accountability Block
—
30.0
—
Grants
Juvenile Justice Realignment
—
10.0
—
Incentive Grants
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Community-based Violence
5.5
18.0
—
Prevention Initiative
Training for Judicial Personnel
1.5
1.5
1.5
Missing and Exploited Children
67.0 67.0 68.0
Programs
National Forum on Youth
1.0
4.0
—
Violence Prevention
Competitive Grants Focusing
1.0
2.0
—
on Girls in the Juvenile Justice
System
Children of Incarcerated
0.5
0.5
—
Parents Web Portal
Improving Juvenile Indigent
—
5.4
—
Defense Program
Total: Juvenile Justice
254.5 299.4 223.5
Programs
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the appendix to the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015. The FY2015 House-
passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB)
The Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) program provides three different types of benefits to
public safety officers and their survivors: death, disability, and education. The PSOB program is
intended to assist in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and
first responders and to offer peace of mind to men and women who choose careers in public
safety. The FY2014-enacted appropriation for PSOB was $97.3 million. The Administration
requests $87.3 million for PSOB for FY2015, an amount that is 10.3% below the FY2014
appropriation. The House’s recommendation for the PSOB program is equal to the
Administration’s request.
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office awards grants to state, local, and
tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire and train law
enforcement officers to participate in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-
fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies. Congress
appropriated $214.0 million for the COPS program for FY2014. The Administration’s proposes a
$60.0 million, or 28.0%, increase in funding for the COPS program for FY2015. Language in the
Administration’s FY2015 request would allow up to $50.0 million of the $247.0 million
requested for the COPS hiring program to be used for hiring non-sworn law enforcement
personnel (such as crime and intelligence analysts).
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The House-passed bill includes $209.5 million for the COPS account, which would be 2.1% less
than the FY2014 appropriation and 23.5% less than the Administration’s request. The House-
passed bill does not include language that would allow funds under the hiring program to be used
to hire non-sworn personnel.
Table 9. Funding for Community Oriented Policing Services Programs,
FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Program
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
COPS Hiring Program
$180.0
$247.0
$180.0
Transfer to the Tribal
(16.5)
(15.0)
(16.5)
Resources Grant Program
Community Policing
(7.5)
(15.0)
—
Development
Training and Technical
(5.0)
(10.0)
—
Assistance on the
Col aborative Reform
Model
Regional Gang Task
—
—
(10.0)
Forces
Transfer to the Drug
10.0
7.0
10.0
Enforcement Administration
for Methamphetamine Lab
Clean-up
Tribal Resources Grant
16.5
20.0
16.5
Program
Anti-methamphetamine Task
7.5
—
—
Forces
Total: Community
214.0 274.0 209.5a
Oriented Policing Services
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from the appendix to the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2015. The FY2015 House-
passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. An amendment (H.Amdt. 698) adopted by the House during floor debate of H.R. 4660 added $3.0 mil ion
to the COPS account, but the amendment did not add the $3.0 mil ion to a specific program under the
account.
The Crime Victims Fund
The Crime Victims Fund (CVF) was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-
473, VOCA). It is administered by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and provides funding
to the states and territories for victim compensation and assistance programs. This account does
not receive appropriations but instead is largely funded by criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds,
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penalties, and special assessments that are collected by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, U.S. courts, and
the BOP.97
In FY2014, the obligation cap on the CVF was set at $745.0 million. In the FY2015 Budget
Request, the Administration requests to raise the cap by $65.0 million to a total of $810.0
million.98 The House recommends $770.0 million which is 3.4% greater than the FY2014 amount
and 4.9% less than the Administration’s FY2015 request.
The Administration proposed an increase for the Crime Victims Fund in order to (1) enhance
formula-based awards to states to support victims’ programs and provide additional funding for
national scope training and technical assistance and demonstration programs; (2) enhance
services for domestic victims of human trafficking; and (3) support the implementation strategies
outlined in the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services report.99 In the report to accompany H.R.
4660, the House Committee on Appropriations states that OVC may implement Vision 21 within
available resources.
Science Agencies100
The Science Agencies fund and otherwise support research and development (R&D) and related
activities across a wide variety of federal missions, including national competitiveness, energy
and the environment, and fundamental discovery.
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations
The science agencies received a total of $24.824 billion under the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76). For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $24.721 billion for
the science agencies, a proposed 0.4% reduction. The House-passed bill includes a total of
$25.296 billion for the science agencies, which would be 1.9% greater than the FY2014
appropriation and 2.3% more than the Administration’s request.
Table 10. Funding for Science Agencies, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Office of Science and
$5.6 $5.6 $5.5
Technology Policy
National Aeronautics and
17,646.5 17,460.6 17,896.0
Space Administration
97 U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, About OVC, Crime Victims Fund,
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/about/victimsfund.html.
98 U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, FY2015 Performance Budget, http://www.justice.gov/jmd/
2015justification/pdf/ojp-justification.pdf.
99 The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services report was released in May 2013: http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/vision21/.
100 This section was coordinated by John F. Sargent, Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, CRS Resources,
Science, and Industry Division.
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
National Science Foundation
7,171.9
7,255.0
7,394.2
Total: Science Agencies
24,824.0
24,721.2
25,295.8
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)101
Congress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) through the National
Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-282). The act
states that “the primary function of the OSTP director is to provide, within the Executive Office
of the President, advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of issues that
require attention at the highest level of Government.” The OSTP director, often referred to
informally as the President’s science advisor, also manages the National Science and Technology
Council (NSTC),102 which coordinates science and technology policy across the executive branch
of the federal government, and co-chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology (PCAST),103 a council of external advisors that provides advice to the President on
matters related to science and technology policy. OSTP is one of two offices in the Executive
Office of the President (EOP) that is funded in the CJS appropriations bill.104
The Administration’s request for FY2015 is $5.6 million, the same as appropriated for FY2014.
According to the Administration, its request would enable “OSTP to carry out its significant
national security emergency preparedness communications responsibilities that must be
performed in times of national crisis,” and support the director of OSTP, the federal Chief
Technology Officer, three Senate-confirmed associate directors, and other professional staff
members.105
The House-passed bill would provide $5.6 million for OSTP, the same as the Administration’s
request and the FY2014 appropriation. The report accompanying the House-passed bill would
urge OSTP to begin implementing key recommendations made by the Interagency Working
Group on Neuroscience and to brief the House Committee on Appropriations within 120 days on
the prioritization and implementation status of these recommendations. It also would urge OSTP
to promote and encourage international collaboration in neuroscience and to brief the House
Committee on Appropriations within 180 days on the results of these efforts. In addition, the
101 This section was prepared by Dana A. Shea, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
102 Executive Order 12881 established the National Science and Technology Council.
103 Executive Order 13539 established the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
104 The other EOP office funded under the CJS appropriations bill is the Office of the United States Trade
Representative.
105 Executive Office of the President, Executive Office of the President, Fiscal Year 2015 Congressional Budget
Submission, March 2014, http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/files/docs/2015-eop-budget_03132014.pdf.
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report would also encourage OSTP to establish a committee to coordinate federal investments in
medical imaging research and develop a roadmap for the full scope of imaging research and
development. Finally, the report would direct OSTP to report semiannually to the House
Committee on Appropriations regarding the progress made by each major federal research agency
in developing, finalizing and implementing its plan to enable public access to federally funded
research findings.
Congress has for several years restricted OSTP from engaging in certain activities with China or
any Chinese-owned company by prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for these activities.
The OSTP may proceed with activities that it certifies pose no risk of transferring technology or
information with security implications to China and will not involve knowing interactions with
officials who have been determined by the United States to have direct involvement with
violations of human rights. Such certification must be submitted to the House and Senate
Committees at least 30 days prior to such activities. Congress may continue its interest in the
debate over its ability to restrict the activities of OSTP and the scope of such restrictions. The
House-passed bill would continue this restriction through FY2015.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)106
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958 by the National
Aeronautics and Space Act (P.L. 85-568) to conduct civilian space and aeronautics activities.
Congress appropriated $17.647 billion for NASA for FY2014. The Administration’s request for
FY2015 is $17.461 billion, a proposed decrease of 1.1%. In addition to the regular budget
request, NASA would receive $885.5 million under the President’s proposed Opportunity,
Growth, and Security Initiative (OGSI).107 The House-passed bill would provide $17.896 billion.
See Table 11 for a breakdown of these amounts by appropriations account.108 There is no
authorized level for NASA funding in FY2015; the most recent authorization act (the NASA
Authorization Act of 2010, P.L. 111-267) authorized appropriations through FY2013.109
The FY2015 request for Science is $4.972 billion, a decrease of 3.5%. In Planetary Science, the
request of $1.280 billion, down from $1.345 billion in FY2014, includes $15.0 million for
continued study of a potential future mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa. Congress provided $69.7
million in FY2013 and $80.0 million in FY2014 for formulation of a Europa mission, which was
a high priority of the 2011 National Research Council (NRC) decadal survey of planetary
science.110 The NRC expressed reservations, however, at the mission’s estimated a cost of $4.7
billion, and in April 2014, NASA issued a request for information seeking Europa mission
concepts costing less than $1 billion.111 The House-passed bill for FY2015 would provide $100.0
106 This section was prepared by Daniel Morgan, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, Resources, Science, and
Industry Division.
107 The President’s budget uses the term “base budget” to distinguish the main budget request from the additional
funding proposed under the OGSI.
108 For a more detailed breakdown, see tables in CRS Report R43419, NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A
Fact Sheet, by Daniel Morgan.
109 Bills that would authorize FY2015 appropriations for NASA include H.R. 2687, H.R. 2616, and S. 1317.
110 National Research Council, Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 (National
Academies Press, 2011). Available online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13117.
111 National Aeronautics and Space Administration, “Europa Mission Concepts Costing Less than $1 Billion,”
solicitation NNH14ZDA008L, April 28, 2014. Available at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/.
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million for “a mission that meets the science goals outlined for the Jupiter Europa mission in the
most recent planetary science decadal survey,” plus an additional $18.0 million for assessment
and development of related technologies. The House report states that “the Committee has not
seen any credible evidence” that a $1 billion cost is feasible and directs NASA “not to use further
project resources in pursuit of such an unlikely outcome.” In Astrophysics, the request of $607.0
million, down from $668.0 million in FY2014, includes $12.3 million for the Stratospheric
Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). SOFIA reached full operating capability in
February 2014, and previous budgets envisioned 20 years of operations at a cost of about $85
million per year. According to NASA, however, “because SOFIA development has taken much
longer than originally envisioned ... the observatory will no longer provide the kind of scientific
impact and synergies with other missions as once planned.” NASA intends to place the SOFIA
aircraft in storage unless international partners can support the U.S. share of its operating costs.
The House report rejected NASA’s proposal to terminate SOFIA, recommended $70.0 million for
the project, and directed NASA to “continue seeking third-party partners whose additional
funding support would restore SOFIA’s budget to its full operational level.” The OGSI proposal
includes an additional $187.3 million for Science, above the Administration’s base request.
Although the House-passed bill would provide $221.0 million more than the base request, this
increase does not appear to correspond closely to the OGSI. For example, the House report does
not mention the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3), which would receive $29.3 million
under the OGSI, or the Pre-Aerosols, Carbon and Ecosystems (PACE) mission, which would
receive an additional $50.0 million.
The FY2015 request for Aeronautics is $551.1 million, a decrease of 2.6%. NASA aeronautics
research would be reorganized to align with a new strategic vision announced in August 2013.112
Following this realignment, most individual projects would continue, but funding for rotorcraft
research would decrease by $7.9 million. The OGSI proposal includes an additional $43.9 million
for Aeronautics and would restore the proposed reduction in rotorcraft funding. The House-
passed bill would provide $666.0 million. The House report accepts the proposed restructuring
and directs NASA to allocate the recommended funding increase proportionally across the new
programs. It does not mention rotorcraft.
The FY2015 request for Space Technology is $705.5 million, an increase of 22.5%. Support for
the Asteroid Redirect Mission, including the accelerated development of high-power solar electric
propulsion technology for future spacecraft, would increase from $38.0 million to $93.0 million.
The OGSI proposal includes an additional $100.0 million for Space Technology. The House-
passed bill would provide $627.0 million. Noting several specific examples, the House report
encourages the Space Technology Mission Directorate to prioritize technologies that have “the
broadest applicability across [its] customer base.” Separately, the report finds it unclear whether
Congress will commit to the Asteroid Redirect Mission and directs NASA to spend funds on that
mission only in areas that “are also applicable to other current NASA programs, clearly extensible
to other potential future exploration missions ... or have broad applicability to other future non-
exploration activities.”
The FY2015 request for Exploration is $3.976 billion, a decrease of 3.3%. This account funds
development of the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Space Launch System
(SLS) heavy-lift rocket which were mandated by the 2010 authorization act for human
112 See National Aeronautics and Space Administration, “NASA Introduces New Blueprint for Transforming Global
Aviation,” August 14, 2013, http://www.nasa.gov/aero/strategic_vision/.
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exploration beyond Earth orbit. The account also funds development of a commercial crew
transportation capability for future U.S. astronaut access to the International Space Station. The
request of $2.784 billion for Orion, the SLS, and related ground systems (known collectively as
Exploration Systems Development) is a decrease of 10.6%, while the request of $848.0 million
for commercial crew is an increase of 21.8%. The OGSI proposal includes an additional $100.0
million for SLS and Orion and an additional $250.0 million for commercial crew. As in past
years, many in Congress have seen the budget request as evidence of a difference in human
spaceflight priorities between Congress and the Administration, and this perceived difference has
been controversial. The House-passed bill would provide $4.167 billion for Exploration,
including $3.055 billion for Exploration Systems Development and $785.0 million for
commercial crew. The House report expresses frustration with the “arbitrarily reduced funding
levels for SLS” and the increased request for commercial crew. It states that the recommended
funding for commercial crew is intended to support only one provider (some analysts advocate
competition among multiple providers).
The FY2015 request for Space Operations is $3.905 billion, an increase of 3.4%. Although the
request of $3.051 billion for the International Space Station (ISS) is a 3.2% increase, NASA has
eliminated one previously planned cargo flight to the ISS in FY2015. The OGSI proposal
includes an additional $100.6 million and would fund the restoration of the eliminated ISS cargo
flight. The House-passed bill would provide $3.878 billion for Space Operations.
The FY2015 request for Education is $88.9 million, a decrease of 23.8%. NASA education
programs are being consolidated as part of a government-wide reorganization of activities in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Among the programs
included in the FY2015 request for the Education account are the National Space Grant College
and Fellowship Program ($24.0 million), the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (EPSCoR, $9.0 million), and the Minority University Research Education Program
(MUREP, $30.0 million). In addition, the request for the Science account includes $6.0 million
for the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program and
$15.0 million for other STEM education and public outreach activities. However, the previous
Science Mission Directorate policy, under which 1% of all Science mission funding was allocated
to education and public outreach, has been terminated. The OGSI proposal includes an additional
$10.0 million for Education; it would not affect education activities funded in other NASA
accounts. The House-passed bill would provide $106.0 million for the Education account,
including $30.0 million for Space Grant, $9.0 million for EPSCoR, and $32.0 million for
MUREP. It would also provide $30.0 million, double the request, for general STEM education
and public outreach activities in the Science account.
Table 11. Funding for NASA, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Science
$5,151.2 $4,972.0 $5,193.0
Aeronautics
566.0 551.1 666.0
Space
Technology
576.0 705.5 627.0
Exploration
4,113.2 3,976.0 4,167.0
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Accounts
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Space
Operations
3,778.0 3,905.4 3,878.0
Education
116.6
88.9
106.0
Cross-Agency
Support
2,793.0 2,778.6 2,779.0
Construction and
515.0 446.1 446.0
Environmental Compliance
and Restoration
Inspector
General
37.5 37.0 34.0
Total:
NASA
17,646.5 17,460.6 17,896.0
Sources: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L.
113-76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts
were taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660
and H.Rept. 113-448.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
National Science Foundation (NSF)113
The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports basic research and education in the non-medical
sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation as an independent federal agency
in 1950 and directed it to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health,
prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes.”114 The NSF is a
primary source of federal support for U.S. university research. It is also responsible for significant
shares of the federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education
program portfolio and federal STEM student aid and support.
The House-passed bill (H.R. 4660) would provide $7.394 billion to the NSF. This amount is
$222.3 million (3.1%) more than the FY2014 estimate ($7.172 billion) and $139.2 million (1.9%)
more than the Administration’s FY2015 request ($7.255 billion).115 The Administration’s request
would increase funding for the main agency operations and education accounts, while holding
other accounts at close to FY2014 levels. In contrast, the House-passed bill would increase
funding for the main research account and would increase agency operations and the main
education account, but at less-than-requested levels (see Table 12).
The NSF indicates that its FY2015 priorities include four programs that were also foundation
priorities in FY2013 and FY2014: Cyber-enabled Materials, Manufacturing, and Smart Systems
113 This section was prepared by Heather B. Gonzalez, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, Resources,
Science, and Industry Division.
114 The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (P.L. 81-507), Purpose.
115 Between FY2006 and FY2013, overall increases in the NSF budget were at least partially driven by the “doubling
path” policy for physical sciences and engineering research. Under this policy, Congress and successive
Administrations sought to double funding for the NSF, Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and National
Institute of Standards and Technology’s core laboratory and construction accounts. However, actual funding for these
accounts did not generally reach authorized levels. It is unclear if the President or Congress will seek to continue this
policy in FY2015. For more information, see CRS Report R43086, Federal Research and Development Funding:
FY2014, coordinated by John F. Sargent Jr.
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(CEMMSS, $213.2 million); Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science,
Engineering, and Education (CIF21, $124.8 million); Science, Engineering, and Education for
Sustainability (SEES, $139.0 million); and Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC, $99.8
million). The Administration added Cognitive Science and Neuroscience ($29.0 million) in its
FY2015 request.116 Of these programs and activities, the Administration seeks an increase over
FY2014 estimated levels for only Cognitive Science and Neuroscience. The report accompanying
the House-passed bill recommends $35.0 million for Cognitive Science and Neuroscience in
FY2015, $21.2 million (152.7%) more than the FY2014 estimate of $13.9 million.117
Congress typically appropriates to NSF at the major account level. NSF’s major accounts are
Research and Related Activities (R&RA); Education and Human Resources (E&HR); Major
Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC); Agency Operations and Awards
Management (AOAM); National Science Board (NSB); and Office of Inspector General (OIG).118
R&RA is the largest NSF account and the primary source of research funding at the NSF.119 The
House-passed bill would provide $5.974 billion to R&RA in FY2015. This amount is $164.7
million (2.8%) more than the FY2014 estimate of $5.809 billion and $166.2 million (2.9%) more
than the Administration’s request for $5.807 billion.
The Administration’s request holds six of eight R&RA subaccounts at close to FY2014 levels
(actual range: -1.8% to 0.8%) in FY2015. Two subaccounts, Social, Behavioral, and Economic
Sciences (SBE) and the U.S. Artic Research Commission would increase by more substantial
percentages: 6.0% and 8.1%, respectively. SBE would receive the largest increase by amount—
$15.4 million over the FY2014 estimate. Most of the SBE increase ($11.5 million) would go to
the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.
The enduring debate about NSF support for research in the social sciences—which dates to NSF’s
establishment—resurfaced in the 113th Congress.120 For example, during consideration of the
FY2013 CJS Appropriations Act (P.L. 113-6), legislators debated funding for NSF’s Political
Science program and ultimately restricted it to projects that met certain national interests.121 The
House report recommends that any R&RA appropriations above the request “shall be applied to
math and physical sciences, computer and information science and engineering, engineering, and
116 The FY2012 CJS conference report encouraged NSF to establish neuroscience as a crosscutting theme. See, H.Rept.
112-284.
117 H.Rept. 113-448.
118 Funds from major NSF accounts may be merged at the program level and in many cases NSF’s education, facilities,
and research activities are deeply integrated as a matter of practice.
119 This section refers to NSF estimates, rather than enacted levels, for FY2014. Congress does not typically enact NSF
appropriations below the major account level (e.g., R&RA). However, appropriations committee reports will often
specify funding for NSF programs or subaccounts. Prior year funding levels for these activities are usually only
available as NSF estimates. To ensure internal consistency in this section, while providing information about widely
tracked accounts, CRS uses estimated levels for all FY2014 NSF accounts. At the major account level (e.g., R&RA)
NSF’s FY2014 estimates are the same as FY2014 enacted funding levels.
120 For more information about this debate, see the text box titled “Funding for Social Science?” in CRS Report
R43585, The National Science Foundation: Background and Selected Policy Issues, by Heather B. Gonzalez.
121 In FY2013, Congress prohibited NSF from providing funds for political science research unless the foundation
certified that each grant promoted the national security or economic interests of the United States. See Section 543 of
P.L. 113-6 (Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013). The FY2015 request for the Political
Science program is $9.0 million, which is equal to the FY2014 estimate.
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biological sciences.”122 This language appears to be designed to prevent R&RA activities in the
geosciences and international and integrative activities, as well as the SBE sciences, from
receiving increases over requested levels. The House report further notes both the “intrinsic value
in SBE sciences,” while recognizing “longstanding Congressional concerns” about SBE-funded
activities.123 A House floor amendment124 to H.R. 4660 seeks to effectively hold funding for SBE
at the FY2014 level ($256.9 million).125 Some House authorizers have sought to make similar
changes in proposed NSF reauthorization bills.126
Widely tracked R&RA programs include the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (EPSCoR) and Advanced Manufacturing programs. EPSCoR received $158.2 million in
FY2014 (estimated). The FY2015 Administration request for EPSCoR, which the House report
also recommends, is $159.7 million, a proposed increase of $1.5 million (0.9%). The House
report recommends $164.7 million for Advanced Manufacturing activities in FY2015, a level
equal to the FY2014 estimate.
E&HR, NSF’s main education account, received $846.5 million in FY2014 (estimated).127 The
House-passed bill would provide $876.0 million to E&HR in FY2015. This amount is $29.5
million (3.5%) more than the FY2014 estimate and $13.8 million (1.5%) less than the
Administration’s request for $889.8 million.
By amount, the largest requested E&HR increase is for Improving Undergraduate STEM
Education (IUSE). The FY2014 IUSE estimate is $74.1 million.128 The Administration seeks
$99.1 million for IUSE in FY2015, a proposed increase of $25.0 million (33.7%).
Some of the most widely tracked E&HR programs include the Graduate Research Fellowship
(GRF), the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship or IGERT (now called the
NSF Research Traineeship or NRT), and the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program.
The FY2015 request for the GRF is $333 million, about 11.1% over the FY2014 estimate. (NSF
also seeks to increase the GRF stipend from $32,000 to $34,000 in FY2015.) The FY2015 request
for NRT is $58.0 million, an increase of 7.8% over the FY2014 estimate. The FY2015 request for
ATE is $64.0 million, the same as the FY2014 estimate. The House report recommends $66.0
million for ATE in FY2015.
122 H.Rept. 113-448, p. 79.
123 H.Rept. 113-448, p. 81.
124 H.Amdt. 734.
125 Representative Lamar Smith, et al., “Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015,”
remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol.160, no. 82, (May 29, 2014), pp. H4957-4959.
126 See, for example, H.R. 4186 (Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act, or FIRST Act).
127 For more information about STEM education at NSF, see CRS Report IF00013, The President’s FY2015 Budget
and STEM Education (In Focus), by Heather B. Gonzalez; CRS Report R42642, Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics (STEM) Education: A Primer, by Heather B. Gonzalez and Jeffrey J. Kuenzi; and CRS Report
R42470, An Analysis of STEM Education Funding at the NSF: Trends and Policy Discussion, by Heather B. Gonzalez.
128 The FY2015 NSF budget request states that three NSF undergraduate education programs were consolidated into the
IUSE program in FY2014: STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP), Widening Implementation and Demonstration of
Evidence-based Reforms (WIDER), and Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES). NSF previously
proposed consolidating these same programs into the Catalyzing and Advancing Undergraduate STEM Education
(CAUSE) program. H.Rept. 113-47, which accompanied H.R. 2787 (Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies, 2014), prohibited NSF from establishing CAUSE.
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Other widely tracked E&HR programs include those that are commonly referred to as
“broadening participation” programs. These include the Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), Tribal Colleges and Universities Program
(TCUP), and Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The FY2015 requests
for these broadening participation programs are the same as the FY2014 estimated levels—$31.9
million (HBCU-UP), $13.5 million (TCUP) and $45.6 million (LSAMP). The House report
recommends $32.0 million for HBCU-UP, $13.5 million for TCUP, and $46.0 million for LSAMP
in FY2015. In addition, the House report directs NSF to provide at least $30.0 million in
“targeted opportunities” for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). (Legislators had previously
encouraged NSF to establish a separate HSI program. However, according to the House report,
NSF has not done so due to “technical challenges.”)129
NSF’s MREFC account supports large construction projects and scientific instruments. MREFC
received $200.0 million in FY2014 (estimated), about the same as the FY2015 request for $200.8
million. MREFC would support three projects in FY2015. Historically, this account has typically
supported between four and six projects per fiscal year. The House-passed bill would provide the
requested level for MREFC.
The FY2015 Administration request for AOAM is $338.2 million, or $40.2 million (13.5%) more
than the FY2014 estimate. Most of this increase would fund the next phase of NSF’s headquarters
relocation effort. The House-passed bill would provide $325.0 million for AOAM in FY2015.
The Administration also seeks $552.0 million in FY2015 funding for the NSF as part of the
Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiate (OGSI). Without specifying program funding levels,
the NSF FY2015 Congressional Budget request notes that (among other things) OGSI funding
would support an estimated 1,000 additional standard awards and would provide additional
traineeship opportunities to approximately 3,000 graduate students over the next five years
through the NRT program.
Table 12. NSF Funding by Major Account, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Account
Estimate
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Research and Related
$5,808.9
$5,807.5
$5,973.6
Activities
Biological
Sciences (721.3)
(708.5)
n/a
Computer and
(894.0)
(893.4)
n/a
Information Science and
Engineering
Engineering
(851.1)
(858.2)
n/a
Geosciences
(1,303.0)
(1,304.4)
n/a
Mathematical and
(1,299.8)
(1,295.6)
n/a
Physical Sciences
Social, Behavioral, and
(256.9) (272.2)
n/aa
Economic Sciences
129 H.Rept. 113-448, p. 81.
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FY2015
FY2015
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Account
Estimate
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
Office of International
(481.6)
(473.9)
n/a
and Integrative
Activities
U.S. Arctic Research
(1.3)
(1.4)
n/a
Commission
Education and Human
846.5
889.8
876.0
Resources
Major Research Equipment
200.0
200.8
200.8
and Facilities Construction
Agency Operations and
298.0
338.2
325.0
Award Management
National Science Board
4.3
4.4
4.4
Office of the Inspector
14.2
14.4
14.4
General
Total:
NSF
7,171.9
7,255.0
7,394.2
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Notes: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
a. H.Amdt. 734 to H.R. 4660 would (effectively) hold funding for SBE at the FY2014 level. See Representative
Lamar Smith, et al., “Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015,” remarks
in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 160, no. 82, (May 29, 2014), pp. H4957-4959.
Related Agencies
The annual CJS appropriations act includes funding for seven related agencies with missions or
responsibilities similar to those of the Departments of Commerce and Justice or the science
agencies. The related agencies funded as a part of the annual CJS appropriations act are: the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; the International
Trade Commission; the Legal Services Corporation; the Marine Mammal Commission; the Office
of the U.S. Trade Representative; and the State Justice Institute.
FY2014 and FY2015 Appropriations
The related agencies received a total of $881.8 million under the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2014. For FY2015, the Administration requests a total of $956.1 million for the related
agencies, which represents a proposed 8.4% increase in appropriations. The House-passed bill
would provide a total of $870.9 million for the related agencies, a proposed decrease of 1.2%
compared to the FY2014 appropriation and an amount that would be 8.9% less than the
Administration’s request.
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Table 13. Funding for Related Agencies, FY2014 and FY2015
Budget authority in millions of dollars
FY2015
FY2015
Commission, Office, or
FY2014
FY2015
House
Senate
FY2015
Corporation
Enacted
Request
Passed
Passed
Enacted
U.S. Commission on Civil
$9.0
$9.4
$9.0
Rights
Equal Employment Opportunity
364.0
365.5
364.0
Commission
International Trade
83.0
86.5
86.0
Commission
Legal Services Corporation
365.0
430.0
350.0
Marine Mammal Commission
3.3
3.4
3.3
Office of the U.S. Trade
52.6
56.2
53.5
Representative
State Justice Institute
4.9
5.1
5.1
Total: Related Agencies
881.8
956.1
870.9
Source: The FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany P.L. 113-
76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532). The FY2015 requested amounts were
taken from H.Rept. 113-448. The FY2015 House-passed amounts were taken from the text of H.R. 4660 and
H.Rept. 113-448.
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding.
Commission on Civil Rights
Established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (the
commission)
• investigates allegations of citizens who may have been denied the right to vote
based on color, race, religion, or national origin;
• studies and gathers information on legal developments constituting a denial of
the equal protection of the laws;
• assesses the federal laws and policies in the area of civil rights; and
• submits reports on its findings to the President and Congress when the
commission or the President deems it appropriate.
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, the commission received $9.0 million. The
Administration requests $9.4 million for the commission, a proposed 4.4% increase compared to
the FY2014-enacted appropriation. H.R. 4660 includes $9.0 million for the commission, an
amount equal to the FY2014 appropriation and 4.3% less than the Administration’s request.
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Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)130
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces several laws that ban
employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. In recent
years, appropriators were particularly concerned about the agency’s ability to reduce the pending
inventory of charges due to rising caseloads and limited staff. Due to new hires of enforcement
staff and developments in technology, the EEOC continues to reduce the pending inventory of
cases.
The House recommends $364.0 million for the EEOC in FY2015, the same amount received in
FY2014, however $1.5 million (0.4%) less than the Administration’s FY2015 request of $365.5
million. Of the total for both the House-passed bill and Administration’s request, up to $29.5
million would be for payments to state and local entities with which the agency has work-sharing
agreements to address workplace discrimination within their jurisdictions (i.e., Fair Employment
Practices Agencies (FEPAs) and Tribal Employment Rights Organizations (TEROs)).
Although the pending inventory of private sector cases filed with the EEOC was reduced from
78,136 at the end of FY2011 to 70,312 at the end of FY2012, the inventory increased slightly in
FY2013 to 70,781.131 The increase in FY2013 reflects hiring freezes imposed by the FY2013
budget cycle. The FY2015 request includes 60 additional investigators and 6 mediator hires,
positions which help the agency improve staffing levels and subsequent workloads.
The EEOC federal sector hearings workload was 15,301 hearings in FY2013 and estimated to
increase slightly to 15,500 in FY2014.132 The commission continues to implement technology
initiatives to support the federal sector program, such as the ongoing development of the EEOC
File Exchange (EFX) web-based portal system. The commission also continues to expand the use
of the HotDocs commercial document assembly software, which streamlines the writing phase of
the hearings process.
U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC)133
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency
with broad investigative responsibilities on matters related to international trade. The ITC’s
activities include investigating the effects of dumped and subsidized imports on domestic
industries; conducting global safeguard investigations; and adjudicating disputes involving
imported goods that allegedly infringe U.S. intellectual property rights. The ITC also serves as a
federal resource for trade data and other trade policy information. It makes most of its
information and analyses available to the public to promote understanding of competitiveness,
international trade issues, and the role that international trade plays in the U.S. economy.134 The
130 This section was prepared by Abigail Rudman, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group,
Domestic Social Policy Division.
131 FY2015 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Congressional Budget Justification, Chart 2. Private Sector
Charges Pending, http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/plan/2015budget.cfm#_Toc381885124.
132 FY2015 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Congressional Budget Justification, Chart 6. Federal Sector
Hearings Workload FY2011 to FY2017, http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/plan/2015budget.cfm#_Toc381885135.
133 This section was written by M. Angeles Villarreal, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs,
Defense, and Trade Division.
134 United States International Trade Commission (ITC), Budget Justification, Fiscal Year 2015.
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ITC has two strategic goals that guide its programmatic activities: (1) to produce sound,
objective, and timely determinations in investigations; and (2) to produce objective, high-quality,
and responsive analysis and information on tariffs, trade, and competitiveness.135 As a matter of
policy, its budget request is submitted to Congress by the President without revision.
The ITC received $83.0 million for FY2014. The Administration’s request for the ITC for
FY2015 is $86.5 million, a proposed increase of 4.2%. The House-passed bill would provide
$86.0 million for ITC, 0.5% less than the Administration’s request and 3.6% more than the
enacted amount for FY2014.
Legal Services Corporation (LSC)136
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is a private, nonprofit, federally funded corporation that
provides grants to local offices that, in turn, provide legal assistance to low-income people in civil
(noncriminal) cases. The LSC has been controversial since its incorporation in the early 1970s
and has been operating without authorizing legislation since 1980. There have been ongoing
debates over the adequacy of funding for the agency and the extent to which certain types of
activities are appropriate for federally funded legal aid attorneys to undertake. In annual
appropriations bills, Congress traditionally has included legislative provisions restricting the
activities of LSC-funded grantees, such as prohibiting any lobbying activities or prohibiting
representation in certain types of cases.
Although the authorization of appropriations for the LSC expired at the end of FY1980, the LSC
has operated for the past 34 years under annual appropriations laws.
The LSC received $365.0 million for FY2014. The Obama Administration’s budget request for
the LSC for FY2015 is $430.0 million, a proposed increase of 17.8%. The Administration’s
FY2015 budget request includes $395.0 million for basic field programs and required
independent audits, $20.0 million for management and grants oversight, $4.8 million for client
self-help and information technology, $4.4 million for the Office of the Inspector General, $1.0
million for loan repayment assistance, and $4.9 million for a pro bono innovation fund. The
Obama Administration also proposes that LSC restrictions on class action suits and attorneys’
fees be eliminated.
The House recommends $350.0 million for the LSC for FY2015. This amount is 4.1% less than
the FY2014-enacted amount and 18.6% less than the Administration’s FY2015 budget request.
Marine Mammal Commission (MMC)
The Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) is an independent agency of the executive branch,
established under Title II of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; P.L. 92-522). The
MMC and its Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals provide oversight and
recommend actions on domestic and international topics to advance policies and provisions of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act. As funding permits, the Marine Mammal Commission supports
research to further the purposes of the MMPA. The FY2014-enacted appropriation for the MMC
135 Ibid.
136 This section was prepared by Carmen Solomon-Fears, Specialist in Social Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division.
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was $3.3 million. The Administration requests a proposed 5.6% increase for MMC for FY2015.
The House recommends $3.3 million for the MMC for FY2015. The House’s recommendation
would be the same as the FY2014 appropriation and 5.3% less than the Administration’s request.
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)137
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), located in the Executive Office of the
President, is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade and direct
investment policies. The USTR is the President’s chief negotiator for international trade
agreements, including commodity and direct investment negotiations. USTR also conducts U.S.
affairs related to the World Trade Organization. The USTR is leading the negotiations for the
United States for the ongoing talks for the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP)
and for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP).
The USTR received $52.6 million for FY2014. The Administration’s request for USTR is $56.2
million, a proposed increase of 6.8%. The House-passed bill would provide $53.5 million for
USTR, 4.8% less than the Administration’s request and 1.7% more than the FY2014 enacted
amount. The House bill included language aimed at preventing the USTR from negotiating trade
agreements that would waive the “Buy American Act” and further open up U.S. government
procurement market to other countries.
State Justice Institute (SJI)
The State Justice Institute (SJI) is a nonprofit corporation that makes grants to state courts and
funds research, technical assistance, and informational projects aimed at improving the quality of
judicial administration in state courts across the United States. It is governed by an 11-member
board of directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.138 Under the terms of
its enabling legislation, SJI is authorized to present its budget request directly to Congress, apart
from the President’s budget. For FY2014 the SJI received $4.9 million. The Administration
requests $5.1 million for FY2015, a proposed 4.5% increase in funding. The House-passed bill
would provide a total of $5.1 million for SJI, equal to the Administration’s request.
137 This section was written by M. Angeles Villarreal, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs,
Defense, and Trade Division.
138 By law, the President must appoint six state court judges, one state court administrator, and four members of the
public, no more than two of whom may be of the same political party.
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Table 14. Funding for CJS Agencies, by Account, FY2005-FY2014
Budget authority in millions of dollars
Bureau
or
Agency
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013a FY2014
Department of Commerce
International
Trade
Administration
$388.3 393.7 $395.6 $405.2 $420.4 $446.8 $440.7 $455.6 $438.5 $460.6
Bureau of Industry and Security
67.5
75.0
75.4
72.9
83.7
100.3
100.1
101.0
93.6
101.5
Economic
Development
Administration 284.1 280.4 280.6 779.9 312.8 347.0 283.4 457.5 218.3 246.5
Minority
Business
Development
Agency 29.5 29.6 29.7 28.6 29.8 31.5 30.3 30.3 27.5 28.0
Economic
and
Statistical
Analysis
78.9 79.3 79.8 81.1 90.6 97.2 97.1 96.0 93.3 99.0
Census
Bureau
744.8 801.9 893.0 1,440.2 3,139.9 7,324.7 1,149.7 888.3 840.6 945.0
National Telecommunications and
38.7 39.6 39.8 36.3 39.2 40.0 41.6 45.6 42.7 46.0
Information Administration
U.S.
Patent
and
Trademark
Office
1,544.8 1,683.1 1,771.0 1,915.5 2,010.1 2,016.0 2,090.0 2,706.3 2,783.7 3,024.0
Offsetting
Fee
Receipts
USPTO
-1,336.0 -1,683.1 -1,771.0 -1,915.5 -2,087.0 -1,887.0 -2,090.0 -2,706.3 -2,933.2 -3,024.0
Technology
Administration
6.5 5.9 2.0 — — — — — — —
National Institute of Standards and
699.2 745.0 676.9 755.8 819.0 856.6 750.1 750.8 769.3 850.0
Technology
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
3,925.5 3,950.0 4,078.3 3,988.5 4,365.2 4,788.5 4,588.0 4,893.7 5,050.7 5,314.6
Administration
Departmental
Management
78.7 73.3 73.7 70.0 83.8 107.5 99.8 88.9 84.6 89.5
DOC
Subtotal
6,550.4 6,473.8 6,624.8 7,658.5 9,307.5 14,269.2 7,580.9 7,807.7 7,509.6 8,180.6
Department of Justice
General
Administration
1,608.3 1,777.4 1,836.1 1,798.8 2,067.8 2,285.8 2,208.1 2,227.9 503.5 533.2
General
Administration
(286.0) (335.1) (310.6) (257.6) (370.8) (456.9) (312.2) (262.1) (135.7) (135.8)
Administrative
Review
&
Appeals
(201.2) (212.9) (229.1) (240.6) (266.0) (298.8) (296.1) (301.0) (287.9) (311.0)
Detention
Trustee
(1,058.2) (1,161.4) (1,225.8) (1,225.9) (1,355.3) (1,445.7) (1,515.6) (1,580.6)
—
—
CRS-62
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Bureau
or
Agency
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013a FY2014
Office
of
the
Inspector
General
(63.0) (67.9) (70.6) (74.8) (75.7) (84.4) (84.2) (84.2) (80.0) (86.4)
U.S.
Parole
Commission
10.5 10.9 11.5 11.5 12.6 12.9 12.8 12.8 11.9 12.6
Legal
Activities
2,408.1 2,476.4 2,567.8 2,724.1 2,918.2 3,108.3 3,177.3 3,187.2 2,989.5 3,180.8
General
legal
activities
(625.7) (653.5) (678.8) (747.2) (805.7) (889.0) (863.4) (863.4) (819.3) (867.0)
United
States
Attorneys
(1,541.6) (1,588.6) (1,659.9) (1,759.8) (1,851.3) (1,943.2) (1,930.1) (1,960.0) (1,830.3) (1,944.0)
Otherb
(240.7) (234.4) (229.1) (217.1) (261.2) (276.1) (383.8) (363.8) (340.0) (369.8)
U.S.
Marshals
Service
759.5 800.7 825.4 895.1 964.0
1,190.0
1,140.1
1,189.0
2,655.6
2,727.8
National
Security
Division
— — 68.7 73.4 85.2 87.9 87.8 87.0 83.8 91.8
Interagency
Law
Enforcement
553.5 483.2 497.9 497.9 515.0 549.6 527.5 527.5 484.4 514.0
Federal
Bureau
of
Investigation
5,219.6 5,737.7 6,298.6 6,763.8 7,336.2 7,922.5 7,926.3 8,118.0 7,558.8 8,343.3
Drug
Enforcement
Administration
1,638.8 1,674.9 1,761.1 1,887.4 1,959.1 2,053.4 2,015.6 2,035.0 1,907.3 2,018.0
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms &
882.5 931.8 984.1 1,011.6 1,068.2 1,158.3 1,112.5 1,152.0 1,071.6 1,179.0
Explosives
Federal
Prison
System
4,779.8 4,933.4 5,448.2 5,612.6 6,178.9 6,208.1 6,384.1 6,644.0 6,447.2 6,861.7
Office of Violence Against Women
382.1
381.6
382.6
400.0
415.0
418.5
417.7
412.5
387.9
417.0
Office
of
Justice
Programs
2,012.7 1,943.9 1,986.7 1,694.8 2,066.6 2,283.5 1,697.9 1,616.3 1,518.5 1,643.3
Research,
Evaluation,
and
Statistics (224.9) (230.3) (238.3) (196.2) (220.0) (235.0) (234.5) (113.0) (119.1) (120.0)
State and Local Law Enforcement
(1,278.2) (1,253.1) (1,286.8) (1,008.1) (1,328.5) (1,534.8) (1,117.8) (1,162.5) (1,060.5) (1,171.5)
Assistance
Weed
and
Seed
(61.2) (49.4) (49.4) (32.1) (25.0) (20.0)
—
—
—
—
Juvenile
Justice
Programs
(379.0) (338.4) (338.4) (383.5) (374.0) (423.6) (275.4) (262.5) (261.0) (254.5)
Public
Safety
Officers
Benefits
(69.4) (72.8) (73.8) (74.8) (119.1) (70.1) (70.1) (78.3) (77.9) (97.3)
Community
Oriented
Policing
Services (598.3)
(472.2) 541.8 857.2 550.5 791.6 494.9 198.5 209.7 214.0
OVW, OJP, and COPS Salaries and
— — — —
195.0
213.4
186.6 — — —
Expenses
DOJ
Subtotal
20,853.8 21,624.1 23,210.4 23,958.3 26,332.3 28,283.7 27,389.2 27,407.7 25,829.7 27,736.6
CRS-63
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Bureau
or
Agency
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013a FY2014
Science Agencies
Office of Science and Technology Policy
6.3
5.5
5.5
5.2
5.3
7.0
6.6
4.5
5.5
5.6
National Aeronautics and Space
16,196.4 16,596.4 16,284.3 17,401.9 17,782.4 18,724.3 18,448.0 17,800.0 16,879.5 17,646.5
Administration
National
Science
Foundation
5,472.8 5,581.2 5,917.2 6,127.5 6,490.4 6,926.5 6,859.9 7,033.1 6,884.1 7,171.9
Science
Agencies
Subtotal
21,675.6 22,183.1 22,207.0 23,534.6 24,278.1 25,657.8 25,314.5 24,837.6 23,769.2 24,824.0
Related Agencies
Commission
on
Civil
Rights
9.0 8.9 9.0 8.5 8.8 9.4 9.4 9.2 8.7 9.0
Equal Employment Opportunity
326.8 327.0 328.7 329.3 343.9 367.3 366.6 360.0 344.2 364.0
Commission (EEOC)
International
Trade
Commission
60.9 62.0 62.0 68.4 75.1 81.9 81.7 80.0 78.9 83.0
Legal
Services
Corporation
330.8 326.6 348.6 350.5 390.0 420.0 404.2 348.0 340.9 365.0
Marine
Mammal
Commission
1.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.0 2.9 3.3
U.S.
Trade
Representative
41.0 44.2 44.2 44.1 47.3 47.8 47.7 51.3 47.6 52.6
State
Justice
Institute
2.6 3.5 3.5 3.8 4.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 4.8 4.9
Related
Agencies
Subtotal
772.9 775.0 798.8 807.4 872.4 934.8 917.9 856.6 827.9 881.8
Total Appropriation
49,852.6c 51,056.0d 52,841.0e 55,958.7f 60,790.3g 69,145.5h 61,202.5i 60,909.6j 57,936.4k 61,622.9l
American Recovery and
— — — —
15,922.0m — — — — —
Reinvestment Act
Source: FY2005-enacted amounts were taken from S.Rept. 109-188; FY2006-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 109-520; FY2007-enacted amounts were taken
from H.Rept. 110-240; FY2008-enacted amounts were taken from the House Committee on Appropriations’ Committee Print on the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009
(P.L. 111-8), Division B; FY2009-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 111-366; FY2010-enacted amounts were taken from S.Rept. 111-229; FY2011-enacted
amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-169; FY2012-enacted amounts were taken from H.Rept. 112-284; and FY2013-enacted (before sequestration) were taken from
S.Rept. 113-78. The FY2013-enacted amounts include the rescissions specified in Sections 3001 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (P.L.
113-6) and the rescissions ordered by OMB pursuant to Section 3004 of the act. FY2014-enacted amounts were taken from the joint explanatory statement to
accompany P.L. 113-76, printed in the January 15, 2014, Congressional Record (pp. H507-H532).
Note: Amounts may not add to totals due to rounding. Amounts include al supplemental appropriations, except that the FY2009 amounts do not include appropriations
pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5). Amounts also include al rescission of current year budget authority. In FY2005, FY2006, and
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FY2007, the CJS appropriations act included funding for the Department of State, and in FY2005 the act also included funding for the Judiciary. Appropriations for the
Department of State and the Judiciary are not reflected in the total appropriations for FY2005-FY2007. In addition, between FY2005 and FY2008, the CJS appropriations
act included several “related agencies” (e.g., the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Small Business Administration) that are no
longer funded through the CJS appropriations act. In order to make the total appropriation each fiscal year as comparable as possible, the total appropriation only
includes appropriations for the “related agencies” that are currently in the CJS appropriations act.
a. FY2013 appropriations include sequestration.
b. “Other” includes subaccounts for the Antitrust Division, Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund, U.S. Trustee System Fund, Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission, Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, Community Relations Service, and the Asset Forfeiture Fund.
c. This amount does not include $259.2 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
d. This amount does not include $352.4 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
e. This amount does not include $360.5 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
f.
This amount does not include $901.8 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
g. This amount does not include $610.6 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
h. This amount does not include $531.2 million in rescissions of unobligated balances included in P.L. 111-117; $111.5 million in rescissions of unobligated balances
included in P.L. 111-212; $129.0 mil ion in rescissions of unobligated balances included in P.L. 111-224; and $1.788 billion in rescissions of unobligated balance
included in P.L. 112-6.
i.
This amount does not include $2.416 billion in rescissions of unobligated balances.
j.
This amount does not include $905.9 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
k. This amount does not include $881.6 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
l.
This amount does not include $219.3 million in rescissions of unobligated balances.
m. A total of $15.922 billion was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) for CJS accounts. This included $150.0 million for the
Economic Development Administration; $1.0 billion for the Census Bureau; $5.4 billion for the National Telecommunication and Information Administration; $580.0
mil ion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology; $830.0 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; $6.0 million for the
Department of Commerce’s Office of the Inspector General; $2.0 million for the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General; $225.0 million for the
Office on Violence Against Women; $2.765 billion for the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account; $1.0 billion for the Community Oriented Policing
Services Office; $10.0 million for the OVW, OJP, and COPS Salaries and Expenses; $1.002 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and $3.002
billion for the National Science Foundation.
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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Author Contact Information
Nathan James, Coordinator
Lisa N. Sacco
Analyst in Crime Policy
Analyst in Illicit Drugs and Crime Policy
njames@crs.loc.gov, 7-0264
lsacco@crs.loc.gov, 7-7359
Jennifer D. Williams, Coordinator
Dana A. Shea
Specialist in American National Government
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
jwilliams@crs.loc.gov, 7-8640
dshea@crs.loc.gov, 7-6844
John F. Sargent Jr., Coordinator
Ian F. Fergusson
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
Specialist in International Trade and Finance
jsargent@crs.loc.gov, 7-9147
ifergusson@crs.loc.gov, 7-4997
M. Angeles Villarreal
Abigail B. Rudman
Specialist in International Trade and Finance
Acting Section Head ALD Section
avillarreal@crs.loc.gov, 7-0321
arudman@crs.loc.gov, 7-9519
Daniel Morgan
Harold F. Upton
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
dmorgan@crs.loc.gov, 7-5849
hupton@crs.loc.gov, 7-2264
William J. Krouse
Glenn J. McLoughlin
Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy
Section Research Manager
wkrouse@crs.loc.gov, 7-2225
gmcloughlin@crs.loc.gov, 7-7073
Heather B. Gonzalez
Linda K. Moore
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
Specialist in Telecommunications Policy
hgonzalez@crs.loc.gov, 7-1895
lmoore@crs.loc.gov, 7-5853
Kristin Finklea
Carmen Solomon-Fears
Specialist in Domestic Security
Specialist in Social Policy
kfinklea@crs.loc.gov, 7-6259
csolomonfears@crs.loc.gov, 7-7306
Eugene Boyd
Analyst in Federalism and Economic Development
Policy
eboyd@crs.loc.gov, 7-8689
Key Policy Staff
Area of Expertise
Name
Phone
Email
Departments
Department of Justice
Nathan James
7-0264
njames@crs.loc.gov
Department of Commerce
Jennifer D. Williams
7-8640
jwilliams@crs.loc.gov
Science Agencies
John F. Sargent
7-9147
jsargent@crs.loc.gov
Agencies and Policy Areas
OJP, COPS, BOP, U.S. Marshals
Nathan James
7-0264
njames@crs.loc.gov
FBI, ATF, U.S. Attorneys
Wil iam J. Krouse
7-2225
wkrouse@crs.loc.gov
Juvenile Justice
Kristin M. Finklea
7-6259
kfinklea@crs.loc.gov
Congressional Research Service
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Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
Area of Expertise
Name
Phone
Email
DEA, OVW
Lisa N. Sacco
7-7359
lsacco@crs.loc.gov
Trade-related agencies: ITA, ITC, and
M. Angeles Villarreal
7-0321
avillarreal@crs.loc.gov
USTR
BIS
Ian F. Fergusson
7-4997
ifergusson@crs.loc.gov
EDA, MBDA
Eugene Boyd
7-8689
eboyd@crs.loc.gov
Telecommunications, NTIA
Linda K. Moore
7-5853
lmoore@crs.loc.gov
Census Bureau, ESA
Jennifer D. Williams
7-8640
jwilliams@crs.loc.gov
Patent and Trademark Office
Glenn J. McLoughlin
7-7073
gmcloughlin@crs.loc.gov
NIST
John F. Sargent
7-9147
jsargent@crs.loc.gov
Office of Science and Technology
Policy
Dana A. Shea
7-6844
dshea@crs.loc.gov
NOAA
Harold F. Upton
7-2264
hupton@crs.loc.gov
NASA Daniel
Morgan
7-5849
dmorgan@crs.loc.gov
Congressional Research Service
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