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106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4403
To establish an Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Justice
Programs of the Department of Justice.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 9, 2000
Mr. BOEHLERT (for himself and Mr. STUPAK) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To establish an Office of Science and Technology in the
Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Law Enforcement
Science and Technology Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE; DIRECTOR.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established in
the Department of Justice under the Assistant Attorney
General, Office of Justice Programs, an Office of Science
and Technology (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the
‘‘Office’’).
(b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS AND EMPLOYEES.—
The Office of Science and Technology of the National In-
stitute of Justice is hereby abolished, and the functions
and employees of such office shall be transferred to the
Office established under subsection (a).
(c) DIRECTOR.—The Office shall be headed by a di-
rector appointed from the career Senior Executive Service,
who shall initially be paid at the same rate of compensa-
tion applicable to the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology of the National Institute of Justice on the date
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. MISSION OF OFFICE; DUTIES.
(a) MISSION.—The mission of the Office shall be—
(1) to serve as the national focal point for work
on law enforcement technology; and
(2) to carry out programs to improve the safety
and effectiveness of, and access to, technology to as-
sist Federal, State, and local law enforcement agen-
cies.
(b) DUTIES.—In carrying out its mission, the Office
shall—
(1) provide recommendations and advice to the
Attorney General;
(2) establish advisory groups (which shall be ex-
empt from the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)) to assess the tech-
nology needs of Federal, State, and local law en-
forcement agencies;
(3) establish technical and use standards for,
and test and evaluate technologies that may be used
by, Federal, State, and local law enforcement agen-
cies;
(4) establish a program to certify, validate, and
mark, or otherwise recognize, products that conform
to standards set by the Office;
(5) work with other Federal agencies to estab-
lish a coordinated Federal approach to issues related
to law enforcement technology;
(6) conduct research and development in fields
that would improve the safety, effectiveness, and ef-
ficiency of technologies used by Federal, State, and
local law enforcement agencies, including—
(A) weapons capable of preventing use by
unauthorized persons, including personalized
guns;
(B) protective apparel;
(C) bullet-resistant and explosion-resistant
glass;
(D) monitoring systems and alarm systems
capable of providing precise location informa-
tion;
(E) wire and wireless interoperable com-
munication technologies;
(F) tools and techniques that facilitate fo-
rensic work;
(G) equipment for particular use in
counterterrorism, including devices and tech-
nologies to disable terrorist devices;
(H) guides to assist State and local law en-
forcement agencies;
(I) DNA identification technologies; and
(J) tools and techniques that facilitate in-
vestigations of computer crime.
(7) administer a program of research, develop-
ment, testing and demonstration to improve the
interoperability of voice and data public safety com-
munications;
(8) serve on the Technical Support Working
Group of the Department of Defense, and on other
relevant interagency panels, as requested;
(9) develop and disseminate technical assistance
and training materials to local law enforcement
agencies, including assistance combating computer
crime;
(10) operate the regional National Law En-
forcement and Corrections Technology Centers and,
through a competitive process, establish additional
centers;
(11) support research fellowships in support of
its mission;
(12) serve as a clearinghouse for information on
law enforcement technologies;
(13) represent the United States and State and
local law enforcement agencies, as requested, in
international activities concerning law enforcement
technology;
(14) enter into contracts and cooperative agree-
ments and provide grants, which may require in-kind
or cash matches from the recipient, as necessary to
carry out its mission; and
(15) carry out other duties assigned by the At-
torney General to accomplish the mission of the Of-
fice.
(d) COORDINATION WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
Federal agencies shall, upon request from the Office and
in accordance with Federal law, provide the Office with
any data, reports, or other information requested, unless
compliance with such request is otherwise prohibited by
law.
(e) PUBLICATIONS.—Decisions concerning publica-
tions issued by the Office shall rest solely with the Direc-
tor of the Office.
(f) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—The Office may transfer
funds to other Federal agencies or provide funding to non-
Federal entities through grants, cooperative agreements,
or contracts to carry out its duties under this section.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) AMOUNTS.—In each of fiscal years 2000 through
2005, there are authorized to be appropriated for the Of-
fice $200,000,000.
(b) SET-ASIDES.—Of the amounts appropriated for
the Office in each of fiscal years 2000 through 2005—
(1) $40,000,000 shall only be available for the
regional National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Centers;
(2) $60,000,000 shall only be available for re-
search and development of forensic technologies and
methods to improve crime laboratories;
(3) $20,000,000 shall only be available for de-
velopment of standards and for the testing and eval-
uation of technologies;
(4) $10,000,000 shall only be available for sala-
ries and expenses; and
(5) not more than 5 percent of funds appro-
priated for the Office shall be available for expendi-
ture under the provisions enacted in the Intergovern-
mental Personnel Act of 1970 (Public Law 91–648;
84 Stat. 1909) and the Systems Engineering and
Technical Assistance program.
(c) NON-FEDERAL RESEARCH.—(1) Of the funds
available to the Office in any fiscal year for research and
development, 75 percent shall be available only for non-
Federal entities through a competitive process. Continuing
funding through competitive awards made in prior years
shall apply toward such amount.
(2) Of the funds expended by the Office in any fiscal
year for testing and evaluation, 75 percent shall be made
available to non-Federal entities through a competitive
process. Continuing funding through competitive awards
made in prior years shall apply toward such amount.
(d) REDUCTIONS.—If, in any of fiscal years 2001
through 2005, an amount less than $200,000,000 is ap-
propriated for the Office, the amounts in subsection
(b)(1), (2), and (3) shall be reduced in proportion to the
amount appropriated.
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.
Not later than February 1 of each year, the Director
of the Office shall submit to the President and Congress
a report on the state of law enforcement technology.
SEC. 6. DEFINITION.
For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘law enforce-
ment technology’’ includes investigative and forensic tech-
nologies, corrections technologies, and technologies that
support the judicial process.
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