WHEREAS, The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is an agency within the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, that was created by the United States Congress to provide assistance to federal, state, and local corrections agencies nationwide; and

WHEREAS, The NIC has proven to be an invaluable source of information, training, and technical assistance to the nation’s jails and correctional professionals; and

WHEREAS, The NIC greatly assists the nation’s jails, both large and small, in meeting and maintaining current professional standards; and

WHEREAS, Information available through the NIC has been beneficial in the development of departmental training curriculums; online training tools and materials serve as a clearinghouse for information on current corrections issues and trends; and Large Jail Network meetings coordinated by the NIC provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and solutions for professionally managing correctional institutions; and

WHEREAS, The role the NIC plays is now more important than ever given the tremendous pressures confronting the nation’s jails and correctional systems, resulting from both increasing inmate populations and tight budget times at all levels of government; and

WHEREAS, The American Correctional Association, the Association of State Correctional Administrators, the National Sheriff’s Association, and the American Jail Association are all working to have Congress restore funding for the NIC; now, therefore, be it