Both of these issues are of particular concern to the Nation's governors, since they significantly impact the States' ability to control violent crime and develop new and innovative ways to prevent crime. Under the proposed Senate bill, the U.S. Attorney General would construct and operate 10 regional prisons throughout the Nation, each with a capacity for at least 2,500 inmates. Seventy-five percent of the capacity would be dedicated to "qualifying prisoners from qualifying States." Qualifying prisoners would be those convicted of "a violent criminal act." Qualifying States would be required to fulfill certain criminal justice policies and practices preferred by the Congress. At its 1994 Winter Meeting, the National Governors' Association opposed the mandates and requirements for using regional prisons as proposed in the Senate and House bills related to regional prisons. The governors believe that participation in any federally funded and operated regional prison program should be based on a demonstrated commitment by the States to expanded public safety, rather than upon a contribution of limited State funds and a federally imposed set of criminal procedures and sentencing requirements. Further, States and local governments have benefited from the Byrne Memorial Formula Grants program. For 25 years this block grant program has provided State and local governments with the impetus and fiscal means to develop, test, and replicate new and innovative approaches to preventing and controlling crime. The President's fiscal year 1995 budget would terminate this program. This program should be continued because it has provided the flexibility that State and local governments need to identify crime priorities and experiment with new programs that address crime problems. The program also achieves a balancing of roles between Federal, State, and local governments in addressing crime problems. Fortunately, the Byrne Memorial Formula Grants program was finally appropriated $450 million for fiscal year 1995.