Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell says an amendment he offered to a justice appropriations bill would help states share criminal records. Boswell says the program ensures that accurate records are available to law officers and to permit states to identify people restricted from certain positions such as teachers and daycare providers.

Boswell, a democrat, says his amendment provides one-point-five million dollars to help states with the technology to share records. Boswell says the awarding of the money would be overseen by the Justice Department to take any political concerns out of the process and base the awards on need. Boswell says states would be able to connect to national record-checking systems to help with background checks.