WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined his colleagues on the Committee Thursday to approve the FY15 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which supports key programs for Delaware law enforcement officers and victims of child abuse. The bill will now move to the Senate floor for consideration.
“This spending bill makes critical investments in both the safety and welfare of Delaware’s law enforcement officers and the protection of the youngest victims of abuse,” Senator Coons said. “We have no greater obligation than to stand with those who serve and protect us, and to defend the most vulnerable members of our society. One of the reasons I’m so fortunate to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee is because of days like today – when we can move forward on a bipartisan basis with a funding bill for the next year that makes a little bit of progress in the right direction.”
Throughout the appropriations process, including during Subcommittee negotiations, Senator Coons has fought for a number of Delaware priorities that were included in the bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday. Several of these are highlighted below:
Victims of Child Abuse
After the President’s budget proposal cut funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers by $8 million, Senator Coons and Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), co-chairs of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, led a letter to the Committee signed by more than 30 senators urging sustained funding for the program. The Committee complied, providing $19 million for Children’s Advocacy Centers, which serve child victims of violent crimes and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable. Senator Coons has been an outspoken advocate for Delaware’s three Children's Advocacy Centers located in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. Full funding will allow Children’s Advocacy Centers to continue serving child abuse victims nationwide, and provide opportunities for new development in the 1,000 underserved counties with no access to a Children’s Advocacy Center. More on Senator Coons’ efforts here: http://1.usa.gov/1kAG9D8
Bulletproof Vest Partnership
Senator Coons advocated for increased funding for the life-saving Bulletproof Vest Partnership and secured $500,000 in additional funds over FY14 appropriations. In recent years, demand for bulletproof vests has been outpacing funding for the program. In 2013, the program was able to cover only a third of the cost of purchasing a new vest, rather than half of the cost, as the law provides. Thousands of vests have been purchased by Delaware law enforcement through the Partnership over its 14-year history, including nearly 4,000 in the last five years. More on Senator Coons’ efforts here: http://1.usa.gov/LpLXAQ
Recidivism
Senator Coons successfully advocated for a $2.25 million increase in funding for the Second Chance Act, which invests in cost-saving strategies that improve public safety and reduce recidivism. The Second Chance program supports effective reentry initiatives like substance abuse treatment for offenders and court diversion programs, which allow offenders charged with minor crimes to keep their records clean after successfully completing community transition programs. In Delaware, these grants enhance the state’s successful Individual Assessment, Discharge and Planning Team, or I-ADAPT program, by increasing the number of assessments and treatment groups available to sex offenders, and helping more offenders participate and track their progress through the program.
