29–006

108TH CONGRESS REPORT " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ! 1st Session 108–303

REAUTHORIZATION OF MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR 

SCHOOL SECURITY 

OCTOBER 7, 2003.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER, from the Committee on the Judiciary, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2685] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill 

(H.R. 2685) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 

Act of 1968 to reauthorize the Matching Grant Program for School 

Security, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 

without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 1

Background and Need for the Legislation ............................................................. 2

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 2 

Vote of the Committee ............................................................................................. 2 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 2 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures ...................................................... 2

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .......................................................... 3

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 4

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 4 

Section-by-Section Analysis and Discussion .......................................................... 4

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 4

Markup Transcript .................................................................................................. 4

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 2685 would reauthorize the Secure Our Schools grant program, which is currently authorized through fiscal year 2003. H.R. 

2685 would extend the authorization through 2008. The Secure 

Our Schools program provides matching grants to State and local 

governments to help cover the cost of security measures such as 

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the placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other 

deterrent measures; security assessments; security training for students and personnel; coordination with local law enforcement; and 

other measures that could significantly increase a school’s security. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

The Secure Our Schools program gives grant recipients the opportunity to purchase school safety equipment and to establish programs to enhance school safety efforts. The program addresses a 

variety of existing and emerging school security problems through 

responses that range from traditional to innovative and that rely 

on both new technology and the experience of school administrators 

and law enforcement professionals. 

The program is run through the Community Oriented Policing 

Services Office. The COPS Office expanded its range of programs 

in fiscal year 2002 to include Secure Our Schools. Secure Our 

Schools distributed $5 million to help 68 schools in high-risk areas 

respond to growing safety concerns. Grantees are required to contribute a local match of 50 percent towards the total cost of the approved grant project. 

The Committee notes that it is currently working on a broader 

reform of COPS Office programs to be included in the Department 

of Justice Authorization bill, H.R. 3036. The Secure Our Schools 

program may be included within that broader reform. 

HEARINGS

No hearings were held on H.R. 2685 in the Committee on the Judiciary. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On September 24, 2003, the Committee met in open session and 

ordered favorably reported the bill H.R. 2685 without amendment 

by voice vote, a quorum being present. 

VOTE OF THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee notes that there were no 

recorded votes during the Committee’s consideration of H.R. 2685. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee reports that the findings 

and recommendations of the Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this report. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is inapplicable because this legislation does not provide new 

budgetary authority or increased tax expenditures. 

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CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee sets forth, with respect to 

the bill, H.R. 2685, the following estimate and comparison prepared 

by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:

SEPTEMBER 30, 2003. 

Hon. F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., 

Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2685, a bill to amend the 

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize 

the Matching Grant Program for School Security. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN, Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 2685—A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 

Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize the Matching Grant Program 

for School Security 

Summary: H.R. 2685 would authorize the appropriation of $30 

million for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008 for the Department of Justice to make grants to state and local governments to 

improve school security. CBO estimates that implementing the bill 

would cost $113 million over the 2004–2008 period, subject to appropriation of the authorized amounts. Enacting H.R. 2685 would 

not affect direct spending or revenues. 

H.R. 2685 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would benefit state, local, and tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 2685 is shown in the following table. CBO assumes that the amounts authorized by the bill will be appropriated 

near the start of each fiscal year and that outlays will follow the 

historical rate of spending for similar programs. The costs of this 

legislation fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice).

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars—

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Authorization level ............................................................................................................. 30 30 30 30 30

Estimated outlays ............................................................................................................. 7 18 29 30 30

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 2685 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 

UMRA. The bill would extend a matching grant program for state, 

local, and tribal governments to provide improved security at 

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schools and on school grounds. Any costs to those governments 

would be incurred voluntarily as conditions of federal aid. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Mark Grabowicz. Impact 

on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Melissa Merrell. Impact 

on the Private Sector: Paige Piper/Bach. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

H.R. 2685 reauthorizes funding for the Secure Our Schools grant 

program. This program makes matching grants to States and local 

governments to cover the cost of school security mechanisms and 

the Committee expects that the grants will be used to make schools 

safer. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds the authority for this legislation in article I, section 8 of the Constitution. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Section 1. Reauthorization Of Matching Grant Program For 

School Security. This section extends the authorization for this program—which is set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2003—until 

the end of fiscal year 2008.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

SECTION 2705 OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND 

SAFE STREETS ACT OF 1968

SEC. 2705. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 

$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through ø2003¿ 2008. 

MARKUP TRANSCRIPT, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 

Pursuant to notice, I now call up the bill H.R. 2685 to amend the 

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize 

the Matching Grant Program for School Security, for purposes of 

markup and move its favorable recommendation to the House. 

Without objection, the bill will be considered as read and open 

for amendment at any point. 

[H.R. 2685 follows:]

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Chairman SENSENBRENNER. We do need to move along. Are there 

amendments? 

Mr. CONYERS. I move the previous question. 

Chairman SENSENBRENNER. If there are no amendments, a reporting quorum is present. Those in favor of reporting the bill favorably will say aye? Opposed, no? 

The ayes appear to have it. The ayes have it, and the motion to 

report favorably is agreed to. 

Without objection, all members may introduce statements into 

the record. Without objection, the chairman is authorized to move 

to go to conference pursuant to House Rules. Without objection, the 

staff is directed to make any technical and conforming changes, 

and all members will be given 2 days as provided by the rules in 

which to submit additional, dissenting, supplemental, or minority 

views.

STATEMENT OF JOHN CONYERS, JR. 

I am a strong supporter of the bill before us today, legislation that amends the 

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Street Act of 1968 to reauthorize the ‘‘Matching 

Grant Program for School Security.’’

The level of gun (and other acts of random) violence occurring at our schools is 

increasing at an astonishing rate. 

—March 24, 1998, four girls and a teacher were shot to death and 10 other 

wounded in Jonesboro, Arkansas, when two teenage boys, ages 11 and 13, opened 

fire from the woods. 

—December 1, 1997, three students were killed and five others wounded in West 

Paducah, Kentucky by a 14 year old student at Heath High School. 

—And we all remember the tragic events that occurred on April 20, 1999 in Littleton, Colorado. On that day, two young men wearing long, black trench coats opened 

fire in a suburban high school, injuring 20 students, killing as many as 15. 

H.R. 2685 seeks to address this problem. It reauthorizes a voluntary matching 

grant program for school security. Fifty percent of the costs of providing increased 

security is covered by the federal government, while the other fifty percent is paid 

for by the participating state, locality, or Indian tribe. 

The bill specifically directs the Attorney General to make grants ($30 million for 

each of the fiscal years 2004–2008) to states, units of local government, and Indian 

tribes for school security. The grants will be distributed directly to these entities. 

The grants may be used for the following purposes: 

• placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent 

measures; 

• security assessments; 

• security training of personnel and students; 

• coordination with local law enforcement; 

• any other measure that the Director determines may provide a significant improvement in security. 

Last year, the ‘‘Secure Our Schools’’ program distributed $5 million in grants that 

helped 68 schools in 27 states purchase and implement school security measures. 

These measures included the installation of new metal detectors and security cameras, training personnel in security issues, and working with local law enforcement 

on coordinated efforts designed to keep schools safe and secure. 

While we haven’t met with much success in our past efforts to keep guns out of 

the hands of dangerous individuals, hopefully the steps we are taking today will 

prevent innocent children from becoming future victims. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this commonsense proposal. 

STATEMENT OF HOWARD COBLE

In the past decade we have been terrified by images on the news of violence in 

our schools. We have witnessed school shootings across this country from Littleton, 

CO to Paducah, KY, and now just a few days ago, another attempt, in Denver, CO. 

It seems no school system and no city is immune to violence in its schools. Despite 

recent declines in the victimization rates at school, students age 12 through 18 were 

victims of about 700,000 violent crimes and 1.2 million crimes of theft at school in 

the year 2000. Violence, theft, bullying, drugs, and firearms remain problems in 

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many schools throughout the country indicating that more remains to be done to 

make our schools safer. 

H.R. 2685, as introduced, would reauthorize the Secure Our Schools grant program from 2003 until 2008. The Secure Our Schools program provides grants to 

help cover the cost of security measures such as the placement and use of metal 

detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; security assessments; security training for students and personnel; coordination with local law enforcement; 

and other measures that could significantly increase the school’s security. 

This legislation and the program it reauthorizes cannot solve the problem of 

school violence; however, it is one additional measure we can give to the schools to 

help them prevent violence and keep the focus in the schools on learning. The Secure Our Schools (SOS) program gives grant recipients the opportunity to establish 

and enhance school safety equipment and programs to continue to enhance school 

safety efforts within their communities. The program addresses a variety of existing 

and emerging problems relating to school security, through responses that range 

from traditional to innovative, and rely on new technology and the experience of 

school administrators and law enforcement professionals. In fiscal year 2002, the program distributed $5 million to help 68 schools in high 

risk areas respond to growing safety concerns. Grantees are required to contribute 

a local match of 50 percent towards the total cost of the approved grant project. The 

program is run through the Community Oriented Policing System, which expanded 

its range of programs in fiscal year 2002 to include Secure Our Schools. Although 

I fully support the markup of this legislation today and the reauthorization of this 

program, I am also aware that the COPS program is under discussion as one of the 

items we may include in the DOJ reauthorization bill and this program could be 

included in that vehicle as well. 

I thank my colleagues and urge your support of this legislation. 

STATEMENT OF ROBERT C. ‘‘BOBBY’’ SCOTT

Thank you, Mr. Chairman for holding this markup on H.R. 2685. In the 106th 

Congress, in the wake of the Columbine and other school violence incidents, we 

passed the ‘‘Secure Our Schools Act’’, to provide a 50% matching grant program to 

States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to help pay for improved school 

security, including the placement and use of metal detectors and other deterrent 

measures in schools and on school grounds. The bill was sponsored by Congressman 

Steve Rothman of New Jersey, then a member of this Committee, along with then 

Chairman Hyde, Ranking Members Conyers, myself and 7 other members of this 

Committee. The program has proven to be very useful helping to provide for safer 

schools. 

The authorization for the program ends this year. The need for security in our 

schools continues, including the need to upgrade existing equipment to obtain more 

effective units. H.R. 2685 continues the program and extends its authorization to 

2008. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. 

STATEMENT OF SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, thank you, once again, for your efforts 

to coordinate this markup hearing on the bills that we have before the Committee. 

I was an original co-sponsor of this bill, and I therefore support this bill, H.R. 2685, 

to reauthorize the Marching Grant Program for School Security, which would otherwise expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2003. Reauthorizing this grant program to the 

end of Fiscal Year 2008 is both reasonable and necessary for the pressing needs of 

our high-risk schools. 

Under the ‘‘Secure Our Schools Act,’’ or the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 

Streets Act of 1968 codified as 42 U.S.C. § 3789d, municipalities can apply for funds 

to install metal detectors, locks, improved lighting, and other deterrent measures 

that will help keep students safe. Additionally, resources can be used for school security assessments, security training of personnel and students, and for improved 

coordination with local law enforcement officials. The ‘‘Security Our Schools Act’’ is 

a voluntary, matching grant program that calls for the federal government to pay 

for 50 percent of the security measures, with the state or local government covering 

the remainder of the cost. 

The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 is noteworthy as the 

first federal program designed specifically as a block grant. It was passed during 

the Johnson Administration to address concerns over rising crime rates and an 

abundance of civil disturbances. It also reflected President Johnson’s policy beliefs 

that the federal government should do more to assist state and local law enforceVerDate jul 14 2003 06:52 Oct 08, 2003 Jkt 029006 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6621 E:\HR\OC\HR303.XXX HR303
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ment agencies. Funds were allocated to states on a per capita formula to be used 

in any purpose associated with reducing crime. 

The reauthorization of this bill to continue funding of the Secure Our Schools 

grant program will provide benefits that will potentially alleviate problems in Houston, Texas as well. In my Congressional District, the Houston Independent School 

District (HISD) is the largest school district in Texas, made up of two contiguous 

school feeder patterns and serving 212,000 students. The HISD includes students 

from 90 countries, of whom 53% are Hispanic, 34% are African American, 11% are 

Caucasian, and 2% are Asian Americans. There are 59,000 limited-English-proficient students, a population larger than 90% of all school districts in the nation. 

Unfortunately, the school district is burdened by poverty, juvenile crime, violent behavior, delinquency, truancy, alcohol and drug use, and other adverse social conditions. Student involvement with alcohol and drugs is over-represented at every 

grade level. Even at the elementary school level, rates of marijuana use doubled 

from 2% in 1996 to 4% in 1998. The school district also has high rates of school 

violence and victimization, suspensions, drop-out, truancy, and expulsions. Therefore, it is vital that the high-risk schools in Houston’s HISD have access to the aid 

provided by the ‘‘Secure Our Schools’’ grant program, or H.R. 2685. 

Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, thank you for this opportunity.

The business for which this markup has been called having been 

completed, the committee stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 12:32 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]

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