[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2179 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2179

   To authorize the Attorney General to make grants to States, local 
governments, and Indian tribes to establish permanent tributes to honor 
    men and women who were killed or disabled while serving as law 
                 enforcement or public safety officers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 17, 2002

  Mrs. Carnahan (for herself and Mr. Leahy) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the Attorney General to make grants to States, local 
governments, and Indian tribes to establish permanent tributes to honor 
    men and women who were killed or disabled while serving as law 
                 enforcement or public safety officers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Law Enforcement Tribute Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The well-being of all citizens of the United States is 
        preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance and 
        dedication of law enforcement and public safety personnel.
            (2) More than 700,000 law enforcement officers, both men 
        and women, at great risk to their personal safety, serve their 
        fellow citizens as guardians of peace.
            (3) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 
        reports that nationwide, 233 law enforcement officers were 
        killed in the line of duty in 2001, 71 of whom died while 
        responding to the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 
        2001. In 2000, 135 law enforcement officers were killed in the 
        line of duty.
            (4) The United States Fire Administration reports that 
        nationwide, 441 firefighters died in the line of duty in 2001, 
        343 of whom died while responding to the World Trade Center 
        disaster on September 11, 2001. In 2000, 102 firefighters were 
        killed in the line of duty.
            (5) Each year, 1 in 9 law enforcement officers is 
        assaulted, 1 in 25 is injured, and 1 in 4,400 is killed in the 
        line of duty.
            (6) A memorial is a powerful tribute to the men and women 
        who have served the Nation with distinction. However, many law 
        enforcement agencies lack the resources to build a memorial to 
        honor their fallen colleagues.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out this 
section, the Attorney General may make grants to States, units of local 
government, and Indian tribes to carry out programs to honor, through 
permanent tributes, men and women of the United States who were killed 
or disabled while serving as law enforcement or public safety officers.
    (b) Uses of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be--
            (1) distributed directly to the State, unit of local 
        government, or Indian tribe; and
            (2) used for the purposes specified in subsection (a).
    (c) $150,000 Limitation.--A grant awarded under this section may 
not exceed $150,000 to any single recipient.
    (d) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal portion of the costs of a 
        program supported by a grant under this section may not exceed 
        50 percent of the total costs of such program.
            (2) Exception.--Funds appropriated by Congress for an 
        Indian tribal government or the Bureau of Indian Affairs to 
        perform law enforcement or public safety functions on Indian 
        lands may be used to satisfy the non-Federal matching 
        requirement under this subsection.
    (e) Applications.--To request a grant under this section, the chief 
executive of a State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe shall 
submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Attorney General may 
require.
    (f) Annual Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than November 30 of each year, 
        the Attorney General shall submit a report to the Congress 
        regarding the activities carried out under this section for 
        each fiscal year.
            (2) Contents.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall 
        include, for the preceding fiscal year--
                    (A) the number of grants funded under this section;
                    (B) the amount of funds provided under those 
                grants; and
                    (C) the activities for which those funds were used.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2002 through 2006.
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