The House passed its Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill Thursday. Work on the bill now moves to the Senate. But House budget appropriators left one long-running problem unsolved: a fund it calls the Missing and Exploited Children's Budget.

That budget, often known as the MEC budget, mixes critically-important law enforcement funding with program money for smaller programs and the quasi-governmental charity, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

In past years, the Senate has itemized MEC funding, specifically splitting out funding for the national Internet Crimes Against Children task force network, or ICACs. But the House has refused to break out ICAC funding in the MEC budget, leaving the decision on how to cut the pie to Department of Justice staffers.

That creates a "zero-sum" game that pits desperately-needed child rescue funds against other programs, like the better-funded NCMEC.

Last year, PROTECT fought successfully to win $30 million for the ICACs in the Senate, which would have doubled the size of the ICAC program. However, the House's failure to set aside money specifically for the ICACs allowed the Department of Justice to reduce that funding to $21 million.

Repeated efforts by PROTECT to learn where the remaining MEC budget went have been unsuccessful. PROTECT is seeking this information under a Freedom of Information Act Request.

Pitting the ICAC program against NCMEC and smaller DOJ-funded programs could cause even greater problems in 2010-2011. The 2009 MEC budget of $70 million could shrink to just $61 million in 2010 if the House budget prevails, leaving the ICAC network to fight for an even smaller pie.

House and Senate appropriators say the 2009 funding levels are defensible because the ICACs received an additional $50 million in Mikulski stimulus funding for 2009 and 2010 (a PROTECT victory ). While it's true this temporary funding will protect ICACs in tough times, new problems loom as the stimulus money runs out in 2010 and the MEC budget problem continues... and possibly worsens.

More updates soon.

Click here for PROTECT Act - Full Funding, FY2010 Appropriations