Rural Law Enforcement Act of 1997

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Law Enforcement Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) effective and impartial enforcement of the law is one 
        of the most important functions of the government;
            (2) the preservation of our form of Government and the 
        rights of our citizens are dependent upon competent and 
        professional law enforcement agencies;
            (3) responsibility for law enforcement in the United States 
        resides primarily with State and local governments;
            (4)(A) one-third of all Americans live in nonurban areas 
        and 90 percent of all law enforcement agencies serve 
        populations of fewer than 25,000 residents; and
            (B) 75 percent serve a population of fewer than 10,000 
        residents;
            (5) rural violent crime has increased over 35 percent from 
        1985 to 1995, and is taking a toll on rural citizens and rural 
        law enforcement practitioners;
            (6) approximately 22,400 local government entities exist in 
        the 50 States, and the needs of rural law enforcement in the 
        areas of research, technical assistance, and the delivery of 
        executive education and training programs have been jointly 
        identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
        Department of Justice, and the National Center for Rural Law 
        Enforcement at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and
            (7) the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement at the 
        University of Arkansas at Little Rock will continue to 
        cooperate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 
        Department of Justice to promote the development and 
        implementation of training and education programs for rural law 
        enforcement agencies.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Title XVIII of the Violent Crime Control and Law 
Enforcement Act of 1994 is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subtitle:

        ``Subtitle D--National Center for Rural Law Enforcement

``SEC. 180401. ESTABLISHMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--There is established at the University of 
Arkansas, at Little Rock, the National Center for Rural Law 
Enforcement.
    ``(b) Advisory Board.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be established within the 
        National Center for Rural Law Enforcement an Advisory Board 
        (referred to in this Act as the `Advisory Board') that shall be 
        comprised of 15 members, of whom--
                    ``(A) 10 shall be selected by the Attorney General 
                of the United States, in consultation with the Director 
                of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from personnel 
                of rural law enforcement agencies serving communities 
                with populations of less than 25,000 people, 2 from 
                each of 5 regions (including the Northeast, Northwest, 
                Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest);
                    ``(B) 2 shall be selected by the Attorney General 
                from personnel of State law enforcement agencies, 1 
                from training and 1 from law enforcement;
                    ``(C) 2 shall be selected by the Director of the 
                Federal Bureau of Investigation from employees of the 
                Federal Bureau of Investigation; and
                    ``(D) the Executive Director of the National Center 
                for Rural Law Enforcement, who shall serve as a 
                permanent member of the Advisory Board.
            ``(2) Powers.--
                    ``(A) Terms of the Advisory Board members will be 
                for 1 year, with 3 members rotating each year. The 
                first Advisory Board members, at their first meeting, 
                will draw lots from 1 to 5 years.
                    ``(B) The Advisory Board members shall formulate, 
                adopt, and publish guidelines governing the operation 
                of the Center, consistent with its mission.
            ``(3) Travel expenses.--The members of the Advisory Board 
        shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business 
        in performance of services for the Advisory Board.
    ``(c) Executive Director.--
            ``(1) Appointment.--The Attorney General shall appoint the 
        Executive Director of the National Center for Rural Law 
        Enforcement in consultation with the Director of the Federal 
        Bureau of Investigation and the Chancellor of the University of 
        Arkansas at Little Rock. The Executive Director shall serve a 
        term not longer than 5 years.
            ``(2) Duties.--The Executive Director shall have the duties 
        and responsibilities fulfilling functions as set forth in this 
        Act, including the preparation and submission of a periodic 
        report to the Advisory Board and the Chancellor of the 
        University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
    ``(d) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, with the advice of the 
Advisory Board, may procure temporary and intermittent services under 
section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals 
that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay 
prescribed for members of the Senior Executive Service, ES-6, Level V 
of the Executive Schedule as authorized by section 5352 of such title.

``SEC. 180402. FUNCTIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the National Center for Rural 
Law Enforcement shall provide for--
            ``(1) the training of supervisory and executive managers of 
        rural law enforcement in a systematic and effective manner;
            ``(2) the support of rural law enforcement agencies with 
        technical assistance and practical and focused research;
            ``(3) equitable education and training opportunities for 
        rural law enforcement personnel;
            ``(4) the delivery of training programs by Federal agencies 
        and the Center;
            ``(5) the promotion, development, and adoption of a 
        voluntary national system of education and training standards 
        and certification;
            ``(6) the development and dissemination of information 
        designed to assist States and units of local government in 
        rural areas throughout the country;
            ``(7) grants to, and contracts with, Federal, State, and 
        general units of local government, public and private agencies, 
        educational institutions, organizations, and individuals to 
        carry out this subtitle;
            ``(8) the establishment and continuation of a clearinghouse 
        and information center for the collection, preparation, and 
        dissemination of information on criminal justice and rural law 
        enforcement, including programs for prevention of crime and 
        recidivism, and management training of law enforcement 
        personnel;
            ``(9) assistance and service in a consulting capacity to 
        Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies in the 
        development, maintenance, and coordination of programs, 
        facilities and services, training, research, and prevention 
        with respect to crime in rural areas;
            ``(10) the encouragement and assistance to Federal, State, 
        and local government programs and services, and programs for 
        law enforcement officers, judges and judicial personnel, 
        probation and parole personnel, correctional personnel, welfare 
        workers, and other persons;
            ``(11) the development of technical training teams to aid 
        in the development of seminars, workshops, and training 
        programs within the States and with the State and local 
        agencies that work with rural law enforcement managers;
            ``(12) the conduct, encouragement, and coordination of 
        research relating to law enforcement and criminal justice 
        issues, including the causes, diagnosis, and prevention of 
        criminal activity;
            ``(13) the formulation and dissemination of rural law 
        enforcement policy, goals, standards, and recommendations for 
        Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies, 
        organizations, institutions, and personnel; and
            ``(14) evaluation programs that study the effectiveness of 
        new approaches, techniques, systems, programs, and devices 
employed to improve rural law enforcement systems.
    ``(b) Authority.--The National Center for Rural Law Enforcement 
may--
            ``(1) enter into contracts with public or private agencies, 
        organizations, or individuals for the performance of any of the 
        functions of the Center;
            ``(2) enter into cooperative agreements with Federal, 
        State, and local agencies and nonprofit entities to carry out 
        the functions of the Center;
            ``(3) arrange with and reimburse the heads of Federal 
        departments and agencies for the use of personnel, facilities, 
        or equipment of such departments and agencies;
            ``(4) confer with and avail itself of the assistance, 
        services, records, and facilities of State and local 
        governments or other public or private agencies, organizations, 
        and individuals; and
            ``(5) procure the services of experts and consultants in 
        accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, at 
        rates of compensation not to exceed the daily equivalent of the 
        rate authorized for members of the Senior Executive Service, 
        ES-6, Level 5, as authorized by section 5352 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
    ``(c) Methods.--In carrying out its functions under this section, 
the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement shall--
            ``(1) utilize consensus building;
            ``(2) work in cooperation with--
                    ``(A) rural, nonurban law enforcement agencies;
                    ``(B) agencies of Federal, State, and local 
                governments; and
                    ``(C) institutions of higher learning, law 
                enforcement associations, and other not-for-profit 
                organizations;
            ``(3) request and receive from other Federal departments 
        and agencies such statistics, data, program reports, and other 
        materials necessary for the Center to carry out its functions;
            ``(4) arrange with and reimburse the heads of other Federal 
        departments and agencies for the use of personnel, facilities, 
        or equipment of such departments and agencies; and
            ``(5) use the assistance, services, records, and facilities 
        of State and local governments or other public or private 
        agencies, organizations, and individuals.

``SEC. 180403. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subtitle, as a separate line item in the Department of Justice 
Appropriations Act--
            ``(1) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
            ``(2) such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal 
        years 1999 through 2002.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of contents for the Violent 
Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 is amended by adding at 
the end of the matter relating to title XVIII, the following:

        ``Subtitle D--National Center for Rural Law Enforcement

``Sec. 180401. Establishment.
``Sec. 180402. Functions.
``Sec. 180403. Authorization of appropriations.''.

Summary: Rural Law Enforcement Act of 1997 - Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to establish:  (1) at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement; and (2) an Advisory Board to formulate, adopt, and publish guidelines governing the operation of the Center. 
Sets forth provisions regarding the Center's:  (1) functions (including the promotion, development, and adoption of a voluntary national system of education and training standards and certification); (2) authority (such as hiring experts and consultants); and (3) methods (including consensus building). 
Authorizes appropriations.