WHEREAS, in 1996 Congress began providing flexible funding directly to local governments through the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) and cities have effectively used these block grant funds for prevention, increased police presence, and technology and equipment, among other activities; and

WHEREAS, many cities used the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant very effectively in tandem with the COPS program to expand community policing efforts; and

WHEREAS, the nation must remain diligent on crime prevention and control efforts to ensure that past gains are maintained and that crime rates are further reduced, especially as they relate to youth violence and crime, new and evolving drug-related crime concerns, a rise in gang violence, and in light of the return of over 860,000 ex-offenders from prisons and jails back into local communities each year --many of whom will have not received needed drug treatment; and

WHEREAS, in 2002, the Bush Administration proposed creating a new Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program by merging the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant with the state-based Byrne Formula Grant program; and

WHEREAS, in proposing this new program, the Department of Justice said, “This makes sense, because the two programs funded similar purposes and activities. The consolidation of the two grant programs should result in a simplified application process for participating state and local governments”; and

WHEREAS, during the lame duck session of Congress in 2004, the Administration’s merger was approved and a new Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program was created at a reduced funding level of $634 million; and

WHEREAS, the Administration’s FY 2006 budget would eliminate the new JAG program it created,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors registers its strong support for the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and calls on Congress to fund the program at no less than the FY 2005 level of $634 million.