[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, during a much earlier stage in my life, I 
was a police officer. It was a different time. Police officers were 
treated much differently then than now. One of the things I did not 
have to worry about was wearing any type of bulletproof vest or body 
armor. That is not the case today. Things are much different than when 
I was a police officer.
  Now all law enforcement officers in the United States, sadly, must be 
concerned about being shot or in some way harmed as a result of their 
being a police officer. Because of that, Mr. President, I am very happy 
to commend this body for the passage of the Bulletproof Vest 
Partnership Act, which was passed last night by unanimous consent in 
this body. I commend Senators Leahy, Campbell and Hatch for working on 
this legislation with this Senator and others. We ask that this matter 
be acted on very quickly by the House and sent to the President as soon 
as possible.
  This bipartisan legislation creates a $25 million fund and a 50 
percent matching grant program within the Department of Justice to help 
State and local law enforcement agencies purchase body armor and 
bulletproof vests. The State of Nevada will receive at least $200,000 
each year for this.
  According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more than 30 
percent of the approximately 1,200 police officers who have been killed 
by firearms since 1980--30 percent, I repeat--would have had their 
lives saved if they had been wearing bulletproof vests or body armor of 
some kind.
  The FBI estimates that the risk of fatality to officers while not 
wearing these body protectors is almost 14 times higher than those 
wearing such body protection. We hear all the time about police 
officers who do not have the same protection that criminals have. And 
that is the truth. It is a sad state of affairs when criminals many 
times are better protected on our streets than our law enforcement 
officials are.
  We cannot allow the criminal element to have the upper hand. One 
thing we can do is what we are doing in this legislation to protect law 
enforcement officers all over the country, including the State of 
Nevada, who put their lives on the line every day to protect us--our 
property and our person.
  Boulder City Police Officer David Mullin, who acts as the chief of 
police of Boulder City said:

       These vests are real life savers. They not only help 
     protect officers from attacks involving guns and knives, they 
     have [even] saved many officers from major injuries or death 
     in traffic accidents. Unfortunately, [he goes on to say] 
     there is a real difficulty in meeting purchasing and 
     replacement [costs of these instruments].

  These body-protection elements will go a long way in helping law 
enforcement in Nevada. Bulletproof vests can cost $1,000. They cost 
that much money. Nevada Highway Patrol Col. Michael E. Hood recently 
recounted a story about Maj. Dan Hammack, of the Nevada Highway Patrol. 
He stopped someone. The person immediately got out of the car--this is 
a routine traffic stop --and shot Major Hammack in the stomach. Had he 
been wearing this armor, he would not have been injured at all.
  Unfortunately, the accounts of Chief David Mullin and Highway Patrol 
Col. Michael Hood are stories that are heard all over the country on a 
daily basis. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act will ensure that all 
our law enforcement officials will have the ability to be equipped and 
protected for their jobs. I think this legislation should move as 
quickly as possible in the House so we can save the lives of police 
officers on a daily basis in this country.
  Mr. WARNER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. I say to the Senator, I would very much like to be a 
cosponsor with the Senator. I find, Mr. President, in my work in the 
Senate that when Senator Reid speaks, I listen. He has made a very 
valuable contribution to the highway bill as a member of our committee. 
I have followed this same subject for some time. I know that law 
enforcement across the land would be heartened by this initiative. It 
is long overdue, Senator.
  Mr. REID. I say to my friend from Virginia, the law enforcement 
officials in Virginia have the same difficulty as the law enforcement 
officials in Nevada and the rest of the country. As we come home late 
at night, I see, along the parkway going to my home in Virginia, police 
officers have pulled somebody over. It is dark at night and they are 
out there alone. That is a frightening thing. Think of how that man or 
woman who has to do that feels in the dead of night, pulling over 
somebody, and they don't know for sure who is in the car. They know 
something is wrong or they wouldn't pull the car over.
  What this legislation does is give them an even break. They have some 
protection if this person, in their cowardly manner, gets out and 
shoots them. These body protectors will stop a bullet from killing 
them. It will still hurt, but it will stop the bullet from killing 
them.
  I express my appreciation to the senior Senator from Virginia for his 
kind comments and his usually fine advocacy on behalf of the people of 
Virginia and this country.
  Mr. WARNER. I thank the Senator, and I ask unanimous consent I be 
made a cosponsor of the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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