WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced today that the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved $750,000 to continue part-time and temporary positions in the Honolulu Customs District, and continued funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to continue gang prevention, gang resistance education and training in the State of Hawaii. The funding will be equally distributed among the No Hope in Dope Program, the Positive Alternative Gang Education (PAGE) Program, the School Attendance Program (SAP), and the Acquiring Knowledge, Awareness, Motivation, and Inspiration (AKAMAI) Program. These initiatives are included in the Fiscal Year 1998 Department of Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations Bill.

"I wish to thank the Committee for its continued support of my efforts to address the critical need for U.S. Customs personnel in Hawaii. This is an effective way to handle the large and increasing volume of passengers arriving and departing at the very busy Honolulu International Airport," stated Senator Inouye.

Senator Inouye secured $300,000 for the Office of Personnel Management for the availability of health promotion and disease prevention activities for Federal employees.

The Committee directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to maintain a problem resolution specialist position, current problem resolution positions assisting the problem resolution officer, and an appropriate number of tax examination personnel to assist the taxpayers in Hawaii and Alaska, recognizing the distances between these states and the U.S. mainland, the many tax compliance issues unique to these states, and the difficulty in receiving assistance through the IRS toll-free line.

The Committee adopted report language offered by Senator Inouye that would delay the IRS field reorganization until it submits another report to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations with a detailed plan on how the IRS will ensure adequate taxpayer service in the future. In addition, the Committee directs the IRS to include a detailed analysis of the impact of the field reorganization on the adequacy of taxpayer services in rural areas of the country in this report.

The Committee also directed the U.S. Postal Service to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to combat plant and animal pests and disease in Hawaii. The Committee is concerned that recent introductions of plant and animal pests and diseases into Hawaii have occurred through the U.S. mail system. These introductions have severe consequences for U.S. agriculture, biodiversity, and public health and safety.

The bill will now go to the full Senate for consideration. It will then face a joint House-Senate Conference and final Senate vote before its transmittal to the White House.