(Sec. 3) Declares that the mission of OST shall be to: (1) serve as the national focal point for work on law enforcement technology; and (2) carry out programs to improve the safety and effectiveness of, and access to, technology to assist Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
Sets forth the duties of OST, including to: (1) establish advisory groups to assess the technology needs of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies; (2) establish technical and use standards for, and test and evaluate technologies that may be used by, such agencies; (3) conduct research and development in fields that would improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of technologies used by such agencies; and (4) serve as a clearinghouse for information on law enforcement technologies.
Sets forth provisions regarding coordination with Federal agencies, publications, and transfer of funds by OST to other Federal agencies or provide funding to non-Federal entities.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations for OST. Sets aside specified sums for: (1) regional National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers ; (2) research and development of forensic technologies and methods to improve crime laboratories; (3) development of standards and for the testing and evaluation of technologies; (4) salaries and expenses; and (5) expenditure under the provisions enacted in the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 and the Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance Program (limited to not more than five percent of funds appropriated for OST).
Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) non-Federal research; and (2) reductions of funding under this Act in proportion to the amount appropriated if less than $200 million is appropriated for OST in any of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
(Sec. 5) Requires the Director of OST to submit annual reports to the President and Congress on the state of law enforcement technology.
[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4403 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4403
To establish an Office of Science and Technology in the Office of
Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 9, 2000
Mr. Boehlert (for himself and Mr. Stupak) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an Office of Science and Technology in the Office of
Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Law Enforcement Science and
Technology Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE; DIRECTOR.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the Department
of Justice under the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice
Programs, an Office of Science and Technology (hereinafter in this Act
referred to as the ``Office'').
(b) Transfer of Functions and Employees.--The Office of Science and
Technology of the National Institute of Justice is hereby abolished,
and the functions and employees of such office shall be transferred to
the Office established under subsection (a).
(c) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a director appointed
from the career Senior Executive Service, who shall initially be paid
at the same rate of compensation applicable to the Director of the
Office of Science and Technology of the National Institute of Justice
on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. MISSION OF OFFICE; DUTIES.
(a) Mission.--The mission of the Office shall be--
(1) to serve as the national focal point for work on law
enforcement technology; and
(2) to carry out programs to improve the safety and
effectiveness of, and access to, technology to assist Federal,
State, and local law enforcement agencies.
(b) Duties.--In carrying out its mission, the Office shall--
(1) provide recommendations and advice to the Attorney
General;
(2) establish advisory groups (which shall be exempt from
the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App.)) to assess the technology needs of Federal, State, and
local law enforcement agencies;
(3) establish technical and use standards for, and test and
evaluate technologies that may be used by, Federal, State, and
local law enforcement agencies;
(4) establish a program to certify, validate, and mark, or
otherwise recognize, products that conform to standards set by
the Office;
(5) work with other Federal agencies to establish a
coordinated Federal approach to issues related to law
enforcement technology;
(6) conduct research and development in fields that would
improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of
technologies used by Federal, State, and local law enforcement
agencies, including--
(A) weapons capable of preventing use by
unauthorized persons, including personalized guns;
(B) protective apparel;
(C) bullet-resistant and explosion-resistant glass;
(D) monitoring systems and alarm systems capable of
providing precise location information;
(E) wire and wireless interoperable communication
technologies;
(F) tools and techniques that facilitate forensic
work;
(G) equipment for particular use in
counterterrorism, including devices and technologies to
disable terrorist devices;
(H) guides to assist State and local law
enforcement agencies;
(I) DNA identification technologies; and
(J) tools and techniques that facilitate
investigations of computer crime.
(7) administer a program of research, development, testing
and demonstration to improve the interoperability of voice and
data public safety communications;
(8) serve on the Technical Support Working Group of the
Department of Defense, and on other relevant interagency
panels, as requested;
(9) develop and disseminate technical assistance and
training materials to local law enforcement agencies, including
assistance combating computer crime;
(10) operate the regional National Law Enforcement and
Corrections Technology Centers and, through a competitive
process, establish additional centers;
(11) support research fellowships in support of its
mission;
(12) serve as a clearinghouse for information on law
enforcement technologies;
(13) represent the United States and State and local law
enforcement agencies, as requested, in international activities
concerning law enforcement technology;
(14) enter into contracts and cooperative agreements and
provide grants, which may require in-kind or cash matches from
the recipient, as necessary to carry out its mission; and
(15) carry out other duties assigned by the Attorney
General to accomplish the mission of the Office.
(d) Coordination With Federal Agencies.--Federal agencies shall,
upon request from the Office and in accordance with Federal law,
provide the Office with any data, reports, or other information
requested, unless compliance with such request is otherwise prohibited
by law.
(e) Publications.--Decisions concerning publications issued by the
Office shall rest solely with the Director of the Office.
(f) Transfer of Funds.--The Office may transfer funds to other
Federal agencies or provide funding to non-Federal entities through
grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to carry out its duties
under this section.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Amounts.--In each of fiscal years 2000 through 2005, there are
authorized to be appropriated for the Office $200,000,000.
(b) Set-Asides.--Of the amounts appropriated for the Office in each
of fiscal years 2000 through 2005--
(1) $40,000,000 shall only be available for the regional
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers;
(2) $60,000,000 shall only be available for research and
development of forensic technologies and methods to improve
crime laboratories;
(3) $20,000,000 shall only be available for development of
standards and for the testing and evaluation of technologies;
(4) $10,000,000 shall only be available for salaries and
expenses; and
(5) not more than 5 percent of funds appropriated for the
Office shall be available for expenditure under the provisions
enacted in the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (Public
Law 91-648; 84 Stat. 1909) and the Systems Engineering and
Technical Assistance program.
(c) Non-Federal Research.--(1) Of the funds available to the Office
in any fiscal year for research and development, 75 percent shall be
available only for non-Federal entities through a competitive process.
Continuing funding through competitive awards made in prior years shall
apply toward such amount.
(2) Of the funds expended by the Office in any fiscal year for
testing and evaluation, 75 percent shall be made available to non-
Federal entities through a competitive process. Continuing funding
through competitive awards made in prior years shall apply toward such
amount.
(d) Reductions.--If, in any of fiscal years 2001 through 2005, an
amount less than $200,000,000 is appropriated for the Office, the
amounts in subsection (b)(1), (2), and (3) shall be reduced in
proportion to the amount appropriated.
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.
Not later than February 1 of each year, the Director of the Office
shall submit to the President and Congress a report on the state of law
enforcement technology.
SEC. 6. DEFINITION.
For the purposes of this Act, the term ``law enforcement
technology'' includes investigative and forensic technologies,
corrections technologies, and technologies that support the judicial
process.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
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