Senate votes to increase law enforcement funds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed
and sent to President George W. Bush a $52 billion bill that
would increase funding for law enforcement activities for the
fiscal year that began on October 1.

By a vote of 94-5, the Senate approved the bill, which was
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week.

The legislation funds several agencies, including the
Justice Department, NASA’s space exploration, the State
Department and Federal Communications Commission.

The measure includes $5.8 billion for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, an increase of $547 million from last year’s
funding and $15 million above Bush’s February request.

The FBI would use some of the added money for hiring more
agents, analysts and translators for counter-terrorism
activities.

The Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Administration
would get $1.7 billion this year, $48 million above last year,
but $8 million below what Bush sought.

Federal aid to state and local law enforcement would fall
by $287 million from last year and total $2.7 billion.

The spending bill, one of several Congress is rushing to
pass nearly two months into the new fiscal year, also limits
the ability of the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate new
trade deals that would make it harder to import American-made
pharmaceuticals.

The Bush administration opposes the language.

Three recently negotiated trade agreements with Singapore,
Australia and Morocco included provisions to prevent Americans
from buying drugs from those countries, even if Congress
eventually legalizes such imports.

“By removing this obstruction created by the pharmaceutical
companies and their army of lobbyists, we are one step closer
to greater access to safe and cheaper prescription drugs,” said
Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter.