[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 61 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT ACT OF 1998

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                               speech of

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 12, 1998

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong support for H.R. 
2829, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act. This is much needed 
legislation to help protect our law enforcement officers as they work 
to make our communities safe.
  The threats facing our police officers have grown more complex and 
dangerous. Policemen who put their lives on the line every day too 
often find themselves in the sights of criminal who have high powered 
automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Violent criminals have too often 
used these weapons against law enforcement officers. We need to give 
``the good guys,'' our law enforcement professionals, every means of 
protection against criminals. This problem is so severe that the 
federal government should support state and local efforts to provide 
more protection to our police men and women. That is the purpose of 
this legislation.
  The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act authorizes the Bureau of 
Justice Assistance to make $25 million in grants to states or local 
governments to purchase bulletproof vests for use by law enforcement 
officers. These grants are matched by state and local governments, 
unless it would produce a financial hardship on the community. 
Additionally, it gives preferential treatment considerations to 
applications from jurisdictions that have the greatest need for such 
funding, a mandatory policy for using bulletproof vests, or a violent 
crime rate above the national average.
  Since 1980, 1,182 police officers have been killed by firearms. 
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 42 percent of those 
officers could have survived if they had been wearing bulletproof 
vests. Today, 25 percent of state and local law enforcement officers do 
not have access to a single bulletproof vest. That is 150,000 police 
officers who every day are 14 times more likely to die if they are hit 
by a bullet. The statistics are shocking and the public policy is 
uncontrovertible. Please join me in supporting final passage of H.R. 
2829. Thank you.

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