June 1, 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative,

You will soon vote on the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill.  The bill provides $51.4 billion in funding for agencies under its jurisdiction, which is a $1.3 billion increase over FY 2015 and $661 million less than the president’s budget request.  After analyzing the bill, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) located several spending cut recommendations included in Prime Cuts 2015.  On behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of CCAGW, I urge you to reduce or eliminate the following programs (figures are the funding levels in the bill or report):

• Eliminate the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants ($409 million)
• Eliminate the Economic Development Administration ($250 million)
• Terminate the Community Oriented Policing Services Program ($235 million)
• Eliminate the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program ($220 million)
• Eliminate the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership ($130 million)
• Eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency ($32 million)
• Terminate funding for the State Justice Institute ($5 million)

I urge you to offer or support any amendments that cut spending from these programs, which would almost completely offset the $1.3 billion spending increase over FY 2015.  All votes on the FY 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill will be among those considered in CCAGW’s 2015 Congressional Ratings.

Sincerely,

Tom Schatz
President, CCAGW