H1414 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 12, 2009 

the Senate. The amount of funding provided 

by the conference agreement will support 

$3,788,000,000 in loans and grants for water 

and waste disposal facilities in rural areas. 

Of this amount, $2,820,000,000 is for direct 

loans and $968,000,000 is for grants. 

DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE, AND

BROADBAND PROGRAM

The conference agreement includes 

$2,500,000,000 for the distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program instead of 

$2,825,000,000 as proposed by the House and 

$100,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. 

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

The conference agreement includes $100,000 

for a grant program for National School 

Lunch Program equipment assistance as proposed by the Senate. The House bill contained no such account. 

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM

FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The conference agreement includes 

$500,000,000 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and 

Children (WIC) as proposed by the Senate instead of $100,000,000 as proposed by the 

House. 

Of the total amount provided by the conference agreement, $400,000,000 is for the program’s contingency reserve to ensure that 

the WIC program will have adequate funds to 

cover potential increased participation or 

food costs as a result of economic uncertainty. The conference agreement also provides $100,000,000 from the total amount to 

help state agencies implement new management information systems or improve existing management information systems for the 

program. 

COMMODITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The conference agreement includes 

$150,000,000 for the Emergency Food Assistance Program for food purchases as proposed 

by both the House and Senate. Of the total 

amount provided by the conference agreement, up to $50,000,000 may be used for administrative funding. 

GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS TITLE 

SEC. 101. The conference agreement includes language to increase the value of benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by 13.6 percent. 

The conference agreement also includes 

$295,000,000 for the cost of state administrative expenses and $5,000,000 in administrative 

funding for the Food Distribution Program 

on Indian Reservations. 

SEC. 102. The conference agreement includes language to provide for transitional 

agricultural disaster assistance. 

SEC. 103. The conference agreement includes language to carry out the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. 

SEC. 104. The conference agreement includes language to carry out the rural development loan and grant programs funded in 

this title. 

SEC. 105. The conference agreement includes language to specify the use of funds in 

persistent poverty counties. 

TITLE II—COMMERCE, JUSTICE, 

SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

The Department is directed to submit to 

the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations spending plans, signed by the Secretary, detailing its intended allocation of 

funds provided in this Act within 60 days of 

enactment of this Act. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

PROGRAMS

The conference agreement includes 

$150,000,000 for Economic Development Assistance Programs to leverage private investment, stimulate employment and increase incomes in economically distressed 

communities. Of the amounts provided, 

$50,000,000 shall be for economic adjustment 

assistance to help communities recover from 

sudden and severe economic dislocation and 

massive job losses due to corporate restructuring and $50,000,000 may be transferred to 

federally authorized, regional economic development commissions. 

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

PERIODIC CENSUSES AND PROGRAMS

To ensure a successful 2010 Decennial, the 

conference agreement includes $1,000,000,000 

to hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase targeted media purchases, and improve management of other 

operational and programmatic risks. Of the 

amounts provided, up to $250,000,000 shall be 

for partnership and outreach efforts to minority communities and hard-to-reach populations. 

NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND

INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION

BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES

PROGRAM

The conference agreement includes 

$4,700,000,000 for NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), to be 

available until September 30, 2010. Funding 

is provided to award competitive grants to 

accelerate broadband deployment in 

unserved and underserved areas and to strategic institutions that are likely to create 

jobs or provide significant public benefits. Of 

the amounts provided, $350,000,000 shall establish the State Broadband Data and Development Grant program, as authorized by 

Public Law 110–385 and for the development 

and maintenance of a national broadband inventory map as authorized by division B of 

this Act. In addition, $200,000,000 shall be for 

competitive grants for expanding public 

computer center capacity; $250,000,000 shall 

be for competitive grants for innovative programs to encourage sustainable broadband 

adoption; and $10,000,000 is to be transferred 

to the Department of Commerce Inspector 

General for audits and oversight of funds 

provided under this heading, to be available 

until expended. 

DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER BOX PROGRAM

The conference agreement includes 

$650,000,000 for additional implementation 

and administration of the digital-to-analog 

converter box coupon program, including additional coupons to meet new projected demands and consumer support, outreach and 

administration. Of the amounts provided, up 

to $90,000,000 may be used for education and 

outreach to vulnerable populations, including one-on-one assistance for converter box 

installation. 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND

TECHNOLOGY

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND

SERVICES

The conference agreement includes 

$220,000,000 for research, competitive grants, 

additional research fellowships and advanced 

research and measurement equipment and 

supplies. In addition, $20,000,000 is provided 

by transfer from the Health Information 

Technology (HIT) initiative within this Act. 

For HIT activities, NIST is directed to create and test standards related to health security and interoperability in conjunction 

with partners at the Department of Health 

and Human Services. 

CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES

The conference agreement includes 

$360,000,000 to address NIST’s backlog of 

maintenance and renovation and for construction of new facilities and laboratories. 

Of the amounts provided, $180,000,000 shall be 

for the competitive construction grant program for research science buildings, including fiscal year 2008 and 2009 competitions. 

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC

ADMINISTRATION

OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES

The conference agreement includes 

$230,000,000 for NOAA operations, research, 

and facilities to address a backlog of research, restoration, navigation, conservation 

and management activities. 

PROCUREMENT, ACQUISITION AND

CONSTRUCTION

The conference agreement includes 

$600,000,000 for construction and repair of 

NOAA facilities, ships and equipment, to improve weather forecasting and to support 

satellite development. Of the amounts provided, $170,000,000 shall address critical gaps 

in climate modeling and establish climate 

data records for continuing research into the 

cause, effects and ways to mitigate climate 

change. 

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

The conference agreement includes 

$6,000,000 for the Office of Inspector General, 

to remain available until September 30, 2013. 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

The Department is directed to submit to 

the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a spending plan, signed by the Attorney General, detailing its intended allocation of funds provided in this Act within 60 

days of enactment of this Act. 

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

The conference agreement includes 

$2,000,000 for the Office of Inspector General, 

to be available until September 30, 2013. 

STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

ACTIVITIES

OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PREVENTION AND

PROSECUTION PROGRAMS

The conference agreement provides 

$225,000,000 for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs, to be 

available until September 30, 2010, of which 

$175,000,000 is for the STOP Violence Against 

Women Formula Assistance Program, and 

$50,000,000 is for transitional housing assistance grants. No administrative overhead 

costs shall be deducted from the programs 

funded under this accout. 

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

ASSISTANCE

The conference agreement includes a total 

of $2,765,000,000 for the following state and 

local law enforcement assistance programs, 

to be available until September 30, 2010. No 

administrative overhead costs shall be deducted from the programs funded under this 

account. 

Edward Byrne Memorial 

Justice Assistance 

Grants ............................ $2,000,000,000 

Byrne competitive grants .. 225,000,000 

Rural Law Enforcement .... 125,000,000 

Southwest Border/Project 

Gunrunner ...................... 40,000,000 

Victims Compensation ...... 100,000,000 

Tribal Law Enforcement 

Assistance ...................... 225,000,000 

Internet Crimes Against 

Children Task Force ....... 50,000,000 

Total ............................... 2,765,000,000 

Byrne-Justice Assistance Grants.—The conference agreement provides $2,000,000,000 for 

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance 


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