Juvenile Justice Appropriations Vetoed.

President Clinton vetoed the commerce, justice, state and judiciary appropriations bill on October 25. Clinton said he vetoed the bill because it failed "to fund the additional 50,000 community police [needed] to keep crime going down in our communities (one of Clinton's remaining budget priorities)."

Senate appropriations remained consistent with fiscal year 1999 allocations, with the caveat that any provisions not consistent with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) reauthorization now pending would no longer have effect.

The Senate agreed to $89 million for Title lib formula grants and $95 million for Title V incentive grants for local delinquency prevention programs.

The House also remained consistent in its recommendations, approving $284 million for Juvenile Justice Programs. Unlike their Senate counterparts however, House members did not appropriate funds for specific programs in anticipation of the enactment of the JJDPA reauthorization legislation (which would streamline all titles under Juvenile Justice Programs into one block grant to states).

Clinton's veto forces members of Congress back to the drawing board to renegotiate funding levels for FY00. It is likely that appropriations for the U.S. Department of Justice will be included in an omnibus package sent to the President in the coming weeks.

Contact Heather Sidwell, NRPA, 202/887-0290.