Tom Harkin: “I am hear to speak in opposition to the amendment offered by the Senator from South Dakota. The amendment he offered…”

“I am hear to speak in opposition to the amendment offered by the Senator from South Dakota. The amendment he offered would reduce the vital legal assistance to our most vulnerable citizens, low-income Americans who need help with their most critical legal needs. First of all, I wish to say I am a strong supporter of the bill before us. The President proposed drastic cuts in funding for State and local law enforcement, but the bill provides a total of $2.6 billion for State and local law enforcement which is about $1.5 billion above the President's request. The President's budget also proposed to reduce the number of Federal law enforcement agents working to combat violent crime, but this bill rejects that cut, as well as lifting the hiring freeze on DEA agents. I wish to point out something else. The bill further provides $1.7 billion for U.S. attorneys, $92 million more than last year, and it directly addresses Native American needs. The bill provides $35 million for tribal law enforcement efforts. The bill further provides $1 million in research on violence against Native American women. I know Senators Mikulski and Shelby did their best to provide additional resources, especially given the severe budget constraints we face, but the answer to the problems that Native Americans have with domestic violence and violent crime is not to deprive them and other poor citizens of our country of basic legal services. That is what the Thune amendment does.”