Catania obtains congressional funding for CCRB
DAVID A. CATANIA
Councilmember, At-Large
Council of the District of Columbia
One Judiciary Square, Room 720
Washington DC 20001
202/724-7772 fax: 202/724-8087

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carl Schmid 202/462-3042
July 24, 1998

CATANIA OBTAINS FUNDING FROM CONGRESS FOR CITIZEN COMPLAINT REVIEW OFFICE

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES $1.2 MILLION FOR NEW PROGRAM TO HANDLE POLICE ABUSE COMPLAINTS

At the request of At-large Councilmember David Catania, the House D.C. Appropriations Subcommittee included today in the FY 1999 District of Columbia Appropriation bill $1.2 million of federal dollars to fund the new Office of Citizen Complaint Review. While the D.C. Council voted on July 7, 1998 to establish the independent Office in order to review and investigate citizen complaints of alleged police misconduct, no funding was available to create and run it due to the time of the budget process.

"Without funding for the Office," Catania said, "another year would have gone by without an effective mechanism for the public to process complaints of police abuse. I am grateful to Chairman Charles Taylor (R-NC) and the Subcommittee in approving this funding at my request." There has not been a civilian complaint review system since the Civilian Complaint Review Board was abolished in 1995.

Catania was also gratified that the House Subcommittee did not add certain new funding restrictions to the bill. The Subcommittee was under great pressure by some members of congress to add legislative riders. Earlier in the week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed their version of the D.C Appropriation bill free of any new controversial legislative riders.

Throughout the year, Catania has been meeting with key House and Senate offices in order to increase Congress' confidence in the District government. The Councilmember testified before the House Subcommittee on June 24, 1998 and asked Congress "to respect the notion of local government," and "to respect the decisions of the elected representatives of the District and resist the temptations of paternalism."

"My efforts on the Hill have certainly paid off for the District," Catania said, "While I have not had the opportunity to fully review the House bill, I am pleased that the Senate and the House appear to have respected local law by not adding new legislative riders. I will continue to work to ensure none are added as the bill progresses in the Congress."

Earlier this week, Catania wrote Senate D.C. Chairman Lauch Faircloth to thank him for his quick action on the D.C. bill, and to express his hope that the full Senate will move expeditiously on the bill without amendment.

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