[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2204-E2205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              BILL TO INCREASE PAY OF U.S. CAPITOL POLICE

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 6, 1997

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, today I, along with my colleague Robert 
Ney of Ohio, are introducing legislation to increase the pay scale and 
benefit package for the U.S. Capitol Police department. The bill 
establishes a pay scale and benefit packages for the U.S. Capitol 
Police equivalent to that of the Uniformed Division of the U.S. Secret 
Service. Recently enacted legislation Public Law 105-61 made the 
Uniformed Division one of the higher paid Federal law enforcement 
agencies.
  Given the fact that the duties and responsibilities of the U.S. 
Capitol Police are similar to that of the Uniformed Division of the 
Secret Service, it is only fitting and proper that Congress take action 
to ensure that U.S. Capitol Police officers are compensated in the same 
fashion.
  Since coming to Congress in 1985, I have been impressed with the 
professionalism, dedication and integrity of the fine men and women who 
serve in the U.S. Capitol Police department. Without question, the U.S. 
Capitol Police department is one of the best trained and highest 
performing law enforcement agency in the country.
  Day in and day out, the U.S. Capitol Police put their lives on the 
line to protect Members of Congress, Government officials, foreign 
dignitaries and the thousands of American citizens who visit the U.S. 
Capitol. Despite the many challenges and varied threats facing them 
every hour of every day, the U.S. Capitol Police force does an 
excellent job. They have a remarkable record of protecting the Capitol 
and those who work and visit there.
  What I find most impressive about the Capitol Police is the fact that 
you don't read about incidents at the Capitol in the newspaper.

[[Page E2205]]

That's because the Capitol Police is one of the premier law enforcement 
agencies in preventing crimes from taking place. Each and every day, 
talented Capitol Police officers apprehend dangerous individuals trying 
to get into the Capitol complex.
  Most of the time Members of Congress aren't aware of the Capitol 
Police and the job that they do. That's because, when done properly, 
good law enforcement usually goes unnoticed. The fact that there are 
virtually no incidents at the U.S. Capitol complex is a testament to 
the high competency of the Capitol Police.
  The bottom line is the Capitol Police deserve to be compensated at a 
level commensurate with the job they perform. They certainly deserve to 
be compensated at the same level of the fine men and women of the 
Uniformed Division of the U.S. Secret Service. As noted above, the 
duties of the Uniformed Division are similar to that of the Capitol 
Police.
  Under our legislation, the starting annual salary for a U.S. Capitol 
Police private class 1 would rise from $30,445 to $31,292. the salary 
for a veteran U.S. Capitol Police private would also rise from $41,671 
to $45,041.
  I am proud to introduce this important legislation, and I urge all of 
my colleagues to support it.

                          ____________________