{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-backed-funding-bills-prioritize-resources-for-missouri-law-enforcement-first-responders", "Blunt-Backed Funding Bills Prioritize Resources for Missouri Law Enforcement, First Responders", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \r\nToday, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations\r\nCommittee, announced several Missouri priorities he worked to include in the\r\nfollowing FY2020 funding bills: Homeland Security; Commerce, Justice, Science\r\nand Related Agencies; and Financial Services and General Government. The bill has passed the Senate and is headed to the president's desk. This legislation provides vital resources for programs that\r\nsupport the brave men and women who work tirelessly to keep our communities\r\nsafe, said Blunt. We're investing\r\nin grant programs that help fire departments in areas across the state purchase\r\nequipment, conduct training, and hire personnel. We're also providing\r\nadditional funding for the Victims of Child Abuse Act, ensuring Children's\r\nAdvocacy Centers and law enforcement have the tools they need to coordinate the\r\ninvestigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. The opioid\r\ncrisis continues to devastate towns and cities across the state, and this bill\r\nincludes resources for a grant program for drug courts, which help people get\r\nthe treatment and support they need. To help stem the flow of illegal drugs\r\ninto our communities, this bill provides funding for an innovative program that\r\nimproves coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement to\r\nbetter combat major drug-trafficking organizations. In a tight fiscal\r\nenvironment, these are all areas where smart, targeted federal investment goes\r\na long way toward supporting state and local agencies and the important work\r\nthey do. Following are the\r\nMissouri priorities included in the funding bills: Homeland Security:  Staffing for Adequate\r\nFire and Emergency Response Program (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters\r\nGrants (AFG): The bill provides $355 million each for the SAFER and AFG\r\nprograms, $5 million above FY2019 levels. The SAFER program provides funding to\r\nhire firefighters, and the AFG program provides equipment to firefighters. This\r\nyear, and in previous years, Blunt sent a letter to the Homeland Security\r\nAppropriations Subcommittee advocating for the SAFER and AFG programs.  Nonprofit Security\r\nGrant Program: The legislation provides $665 million for Urban Area\r\nSecurity Initiative grants, including $50 million for nonprofit organizations.\r\nBlunt is a longtime supporter of the Nonprofit Security Grant program, which\r\nprovides financial support to nonprofit organizations at high risk of a\r\nterrorist attack, such as synagogues and cultural centers, for physical\r\nsecurity enhancements.  Federal Emergency\r\nManagement Agency (FEMA): The measure includes $22.3 billion for FEMA,\r\nincluding $17.8 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund. The bill includes strong\r\nsupport for state and local first responders and emergency management\r\npersonnel, providing a total of $2.9 billion for these grant and training\r\nprograms. Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies:  Victims of Child\r\nAbuse Program: The legislation provides $27 million for the Victims of\r\nChild Abuse program, a $4.5 million increase over FY2019. Blunt's bipartisan legislation\r\nto reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) was signed into law in\r\n2018. The bill provides funding for Children's Advocacy Centers that serve\r\nchild abuse victims and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable.  Court Appointed\r\nSpecial Advocates (CASA): The legislation provides $12 million for the CASA\r\nprogram, which provides competent, court-appointed community volunteers to\r\nadvocate on behalf of abused and neglected children.  Regional\r\nInnovation: The bill provides $33 million, a $9.5 million increase from\r\nlast year's level, for the Regional Innovation program, which provides\r\noperational support for local innovators and entrepreneurs to commercialize new\r\nideas and technologies. The grants, administered by the Economic Development\r\nAdministration, help translate innovative ideas into local job growth.   Regional\r\nInformation Sharing System Program (RISS): The RISS program, which includes\r\nthe Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center based in Springfield, Mo.,\r\nand in operation in nine states, is funded at $38 million, a $1 million\r\nincrease over last year's funding level. RISS allows law enforcement agencies\r\nacross the country to successfully resolve criminal investigations, apprehend\r\nand prosecute offenders, and ensure officer and public safety.  Justice and Mental\r\nHealth Collaboration Program (JMHCP): The bill provides $33 million for\r\nJMHCP, a $2 million increase over FY2019. JMHCP is designed to increase public\r\nsafety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile\r\njustice, and mental health and substance abuse treatment systems. Grants can be\r\nused for a broad range of activities, including specialized law\r\nenforcement-based programs, mental health courts, and crisis intervention\r\nteams.  Drug Courts\r\nDiscretionary Grant Program: The legislation includes $80 million for the\r\ndrug courts discretionary grant program, a $3 million increase over FY2019.\r\nDrug courts have been on the front lines of the opioid epidemic and have become\r\nimportant resources for law enforcement and other community stakeholders\r\naffected by opioid addiction.  Manufacturing\r\nExtension Partnership (MEP): The bill provides $146 million, a $6 million\r\nincrease, for MEP. MEP is a public-private partnership operated by the National\r\nInstitute of Standards and Technology in collaboration with centers in all 50\r\nstates. MEP serves as a bridge to other organizations and federal research labs\r\nfocused on enhancing the manufacturing community. Missouri Enterprise in Rolla\r\nis part of the MEP program. Financial Services and General Government:  Drug-Free\r\nCommunities Program: The legislation provides more than $101 million for\r\nthe Drug-Free Communities Program, an increase of over $1 million. This program\r\nhelps fund community-based coalitions that work to prevent youth substance use.  High Intensity Drug\r\nTrafficking Areas Program (HIDTA): The bill includes $285 million for the\r\nBlunt-backed HIDTA program, an $5 million increase over FY2019. HIDTA is an\r\neffective and innovative initiative that provides critical assistance to\r\nfederal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting major\r\ndrug-trafficking organizations across the country. Midwest HIDTA is located in\r\nKansas City, Mo. and supports HIDTA law enforcement initiatives in six states.  Harry S Truman\r\nScholarship Foundation: The legislation provides more than $1.6 million for\r\nthe Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation. The Harry S Truman Scholarship\r\nFoundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the sole federal memorial to\r\nPresident Truman supporting graduate education for young people committed to\r\ncareers in public service.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-backed-funding-bills-prioritize-resources-for-missouri-law-enforcement-first-responders"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7362680044025183, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}