The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“EARMARK DECLARATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1644-E1645 on July 7, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EARMARK DECLARATION
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HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2847, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. This legislation passed in the House of Representatives on June 18, 2009.
In the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs account, an earmark for Emergency Communications Equipment for the City of Midland was included on my behalf. The entity to receive funding for this project is the City of Midland, located at 300 North Lorraine, Midland, Texas 79702.
Funding for this project will be used to upgrade backup equipment for Midland's emergency communications system, which is used by the city's police, firefighters and other first responders. In the past, not all first responder groups in Midland could communicate with each other due to differences in their systems. An advantage of Midland's new, upgraded communications system is interoperability, enabling police and other first responders to communicate directly. The backup equipment must be upgraded so that it will properly take effect should the main system fail during an emergency.
In the Office of Justice Assistance, Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants Program account, an earmark for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Program, at the Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas (San Angelo Police Department in partnership with ALERRT) was included on my behalf. The entity to receive funding for this project is the ALERRT Program at Texas State University-San Marcos, located at 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666.
ALERRT was established by Texas State University to provide first responders with the tactics they will need to effectively respond to active shooter situations. ALERRT enables officers that have successfully completed a special ``Train-the-Trainer'' course to train fellow officers at their home agencies, providing an efficient and cost-effective manner to increase the number of officers with these life-saving skills. Continued funding for ALERRT in FY10 will enable the program to train more patrol officers, including San Angelo Police Department, help establish the program as a national training system; further build train-the-trainer capacity; enhance retention of learned skills by former students; provide valuable research and evaluation to improve first responder abilities; and provide investigative training and support for evolving threats. In addition to providing ALERRT to the more than 400 entities requesting it, FY10 funding and beyond will be integral to sustain and build capacity for a nation-wide effort to standardize a level of preparedness among the more than 650,000 peace officers employed by law enforcement agencies across the United States.
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