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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 227 Introduced in House (IH)]

104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 227

  Expressing the sense of Congress that the technology program at the 
 National Institute of Justice of the Department of Justice, should be 
 designated as the national focal point for law enforcement technology 
                               programs.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 1996

Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mrs. Schroeder, Mr. Boehlert, Ms. Harman, Mr. 
   Heineman, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Kennelly, and Mr. Wamp) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that the technology program at the 
 National Institute of Justice of the Department of Justice, should be 
 designated as the national focal point for law enforcement technology 
                               programs.

Whereas law enforcement is primarily a function carried out by over 17,000 State 
        and local jurisdictions, the Federal Government has a legitimate role in 
        supporting State and local law enforcement;
Whereas most State and local law enforcement agencies do not have the resources 
        to invest in many of the functions that are necessary to promote the 
        development of new technologies for law enforcement such as research and 
        development, testing and evaluation, or the development and enforcement 
        of standards for law enforcement equipment and technology;
Whereas the jobs of dedicated officers in law enforcement have become more 
        dangerous and complex as criminals have increasing knowledge of and 
        access to advanced technologies;
Whereas many State and local law enforcement agencies lack state-of-the-art 
        technical tools to ensure officer safety, protect the public, and do 
        their jobs more effectively and efficiently;
Whereas a critical problem in the criminal justice research community is the 
        inadequate evaluation of law enforcement technologies and programs;
Whereas it is difficult for individual State and local law enforcement agencies 
        to find, evaluate, and procure new technologies that might meet their 
        needs;
Whereas the National Institute of Justice has already been asked by Congress to 
        support law enforcement activities at Federal, State, and local levels;
Whereas the National Institute of Justice technology program is successfully 
        developing and catalyzing the development of new technologies for law 
        enforcement in many areas, including officer safety, equipment, 
        investigative tools, and forensics;
Whereas the National Institute of Justice has created the National Law 
        Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers, which work closely with 
        State and local law enforcement; and
Whereas the National Institute of Justice has created partnerships with the 
        Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration to leverage already existing 
        technologies for adaptation to law enforcement: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should ensure that Federal agencies are not duplicating one 
        another's work;
            (2) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should develop a nationwide database to provide information on 
        law enforcement equipment and technologies to State and local 
        law enforcement agencies;
            (3) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should promote testing and evaluation of law enforcement 
        equipment and technologies and make available a list of product 
        failures and shortcomings;
            (4) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should promote establishment of standards for law enforcement 
        equipment and technologies;
            (5) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should maintain the National Law Enforcement and Corrections 
        Technology Center system as the main clearinghouse for the 
        research, development, testing, evaluation, and dissemination 
        of law enforcement technologies and standards;
            (6) the National Institute of Justice technology program 
        should develop a program to improve forensics technology and 
        work with the Nation's crime labs;
            (7) the National Institute of Justice should be designated 
        as the law enforcement partner in surplus Federal property and 
        equipment transfer programs;
            (8) if working with the private sector, the National 
        Institute of Justice should be authorized to waive Government 
        patent rights and assign exclusive use of a license; and
            (9) the National Institute of Justice should be exempted 
        from many of the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee 
        Act.
                                 <all>
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