The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved a bill that includes $985,000 for anti-crime, legal and victim assistance programs in Honolulu, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie's office said.

The 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriation Bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for review. The Senate has also been considering funding for those Honolulu programs, said Abercrombie's press secretary, Randy Obata.

"This funding will have a substantial impact on our law enforcement communities in Hawai'i, particularly the expansion of the HPD Crime Lab, which will help alleviate a chronic backlog caused by heavy demand on the facility from other federal agencies and departments," Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie's funding request in the bill includes $250,000 for the expansion of the Honolulu Police Department's scientific investigations section as well as equipment, training and software.

Another $250,000 is earmarked for the Hawaii Innocence Project, which works to free Hawaii inmates who have been wrongly convicted. The program involves screening potential clients at California Western School of Law. Eligible clients are referred to students at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law.

The bill also includes $150,000 for the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline. Abercrombie and U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono also jointly requested $335,000 for a "Zero to Three" program that will be conducted by the Circuit Court on O'ahu. The program focuses on increasing knowledge and changing practices regarding the needs of abused infants and toddlers and their families involved in the child welfare system.