[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      BULLETPROOF VESTS SAVE LIVES

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I call on this Congress to take action to 
save the lives of America's brave law enforcement officers.
  Two days ago at 4 o'clock in the morning in Kenley, North Carolina, a 
police officer by the name of Todd Smith stopped a dark sedan on 
Highway 301 for missing tags. Those 3 men attacked him, took his 
weapon, shot him at point-blank range in his midsection.
  Fortunately for Todd Smith, he was wearing a bulletproof vest that 
was 10

[[Page H854]]

times the strength of steel. They took him to Johnston Memorial 
Hospital. His life was saved. The doctor said if he had not been 
wearing a vest, he would have died on the spot.
  Mr. Speaker, each and every law enforcement officer in America should 
have the protection of a bulletproof vest. We have legislation to 
accomplish this. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 2829, the 
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant. It is now tied up in a committee. 
The Republican leadership has refused to allow it to move. That is 
outrageous. In the name of Officer Smith and all law enforcement 
officers, I demand that this bill pass.

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