Congressman Barney Frank and colleagues on both sides of the aisle Thursday filed legislation to reform the scandalized NOAA Asset Forfeiture Fund, which has been used to finance law enforcement operations and pay judges.
U.S. Rep. John Tierney, whose district includes Gloucester and all of Cape Ann, is a co-sponsor of the legislation — which looks to convert the fund, built on the fines and other forfeitures paid by fishermen and related businesses, into a long-term revenue stream for scientific research.
The bill, according to Frank, is compatible with — and incorporates elements of — legislation previously filed by both of Massachusetts' U.S. senators, Democrat John Kerry and Republican Scott Brown.
"This bill will convert the Asset Forfeiture Fund from an incentive to mistreat fishermen into a resource for improving the quality of fishing by funding regional fisheries research," Frank said in a statement released with the bill.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.