Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 2000

Summary: Requires the Center to use such funds to develop an education and training program for rural law enforcement agencies for specified purposes, including: (1) the development and delivery of management education and training for employees of such agencies; and (2) the delivery of assistance (in a consulting capacity) to criminal justice agencies in the development and coordination of programs, training, and research relating to crime in rural areas.
Permits the Center to use such funds to enhance that education and training program through specified means, including: (1) educational opportunities for rural law enforcement agencies; and (2) coordination with institutions of higher education to encourage programs of study at those institutions for employees of such agencies.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. FUNDING TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the members of the 
        Board of the Center elected in accordance with the bylaws of 
        the Center.
            (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the National Center 
        for Rural Law Enforcement, a nonprofit corporation located in 
        Little Rock, Arkansas.
            (3) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director'' 
        means the Executive Director of the Center as appointed in 
        accordance with the bylaws of the Center.
            (4) Institutions of higher education.--The term 
        ``institutions of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1141(a)).
            (5) Metropolitan statistical area.--The term ``metropolitan 
        statistical area'' has the same meaning given the term by the 
        Bureau of the Census of the Department of Commerce.
            (6) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means an area that 
        is located outside of a metropolitan statistical area.
            (7) Rural law enforcement agency.--The term ``rural law 
        enforcement agency'' means a law enforcement agency that serves 
        a city, town, township, borough, or village that is located in 
        rural area.
    (b) Grant Authority.--The Attorney General shall annually make a 
grant to the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, if the 
Executive Director certifies in writing to the Attorney General that 
the Center--
            (1) is incorporated in accordance with applicable State 
        law;
            (2) is in compliance with the bylaws of the Center;
            (3) will use amounts made available under this section in 
        accordance with subsection (c); and
            (4) will not support any political party or candidate for 
        elected or appointed office.
    (c) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) Required uses of funds.--The Center shall use amounts 
        made available under a grant this section to develop an 
        education and training program for rural law enforcement 
        agencies, and the employees of those agencies, which shall 
        include--
                    (A) the development and delivery of management 
                education and training, technical assistance, practical 
                research and evaluation, and computer and forensic 
                education and training for employees of rural law 
                enforcement agencies (including tribal law enforcement 
                agencies and railroad law enforcement agencies), 
                including supervisory and executive managers of those 
                agencies;
                    (B) conducting research into the causes and 
                prevention of criminal activity in rural areas, 
                including the causes, assessment, evaluation, analysis, 
                and prevention of criminal activity;
                    (C) the development and dissemination of 
                information designed to assist States and units of 
                local government in rural areas throughout the United 
                States;
                    (D) the establishment and maintenance of a resource 
                and information center for the collection, preparation, 
                and dissemination of information regarding criminal 
                justice and law enforcement in rural areas, including 
                programs for the prevention of crime and recidivism; 
                and
                    (E) the delivery of assistance, in a consulting 
                capacity, to criminal justice agencies in the 
                development, establishment, maintenance, and 
                coordination of programs, facilities and services, 
                training, and research relating to crime in rural 
                areas.
            (2) Permissive uses of funds.--The Center may use amounts 
        made available under a grant under this section to enhance the 
        education and training program developed under paragraph (1), 
through--
                    (A) educational opportunities for rural law 
                enforcement agencies;
                    (B) the development, promotion, and voluntary 
                adoption of educational and training standards and 
                accreditation certification programs for rural law 
                enforcement agencies and the employees of those 
                agencies;
                    (C) grants to, and contracts with, State, and local 
                governments, law enforcement agencies, public and 
                private agencies, educational institutions, and other 
                organizations and individuals to carry out this 
                paragraph;
                    (D) the formulation and recommendation of law 
                enforcement policy, goals, and standards in rural areas 
                applicable to criminal justice agencies, organizations, 
                institutions, and personnel; and
                    (E) coordination with institutions of higher 
                education for the purpose of encouraging programs of 
                study at those institutions for employees of rural law 
                enforcement agencies.
    (d) Powers.--In carrying out subsection (c), the Executive Director 
may--
            (1) request the head of any Federal department or agency to 
        detail, on a reimbursable basis, 1 or more employees of that 
        department or agency to the Center to assist the Center in 
        carrying out subsection (c), and any such detail shall be 
        without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
        privilege;
            (2) request the Administrator of the General Services 
        Administration to provide the Center, on a reimbursable basis, 
        the administrative support services necessary for the Center to 
        carry out subsection (c); and
            (3) procure temporary and intermittent services under 
        section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates of 
        compensation established by the Board, but not to exceed the 
        daily equivalent of the maximum rate of pay payable for a 
        position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5315 of title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--The Executive Director shall annually 
submit to the Attorney General a report, which shall include--
            (1) a description of the education and training program 
        developed under subsection (c);
            (2) the number and demographic representation of 
        individuals who attended programs sponsored by the Center;
            (3) a description of the extent to which resources of other 
        governmental agencies or private entities were used in carrying 
        out subsection (c); and
            (4) a description of the extent to which contracts with 
        other public and private entities were used in carrying out 
        subsection (c).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
        2002 through 2006.