[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 23, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BULLETPROOF VEST ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fox) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylania. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to congratulate 
the House in its bipartisan efforts in adopting this Bulletproof Vest 
Act. This legislation was recently signed by the President. It was 
worked on by principally the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) and others like myself who 
are part of the Law Enforcement Caucus who championed this legislation.
  There are over 300 cosponsors, Mr. Speaker. This is a high number for 
any bill in the House. And it is endorsed by every single major law 
enforcement organization in the country: Fraternal Orders of Police, 
the Sheriffs' Association, the National DA's Association, and 
rightfully so.
  With 600,000 police officers in the United States, the men and women 
who represent us in municipal departments and county police departments 
and State Departments all across the country, as there are 600,000 of 
them, 150,000 or 25 percent do not have the bulletproof vests which are 
so important to make sure that we ensure the safety and security of all 
of our police officers.

  So under this bill, the Bulletproof Vest Act, $25 million will be 
designated as part of the Federal budget in a matching program, 50/50, 
with Federal and local contribution, making sure that all of those 
150,000 officers will now have a vest.
  We want to make sure in the United States that having a bulletproof 
vest will be as standard as having a police shield for every one of our 
police officers. I know that from our own district attorney where I 
come from Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Mike Barino said it was the most 
important bill of the 105th Congress, that we pass this legislation.
  So I am pleased that President Clinton has joined the House and 
Senate in agreeing that this bill is important and has just signed it 
into law.
  We do not have to look to the officer of my hometown Abington 
township, Joe Dalton, who in 1992 was, in fact, working on a case with 
many other officers from other departments in apprehending a fugitive 
who had committed a bank robbery and then proceeded in a high-speed 
chase through several counties, townships, and municipalities only to 
keep the police at bay.
  Frankly, when the case was continuing, Mr. Dalton, trying to 
apprehend the defendant, was shot at point-blank range. Had he not been 
wearing his bulletproof vest, we would have gone to a cemetery and 
funeral the next day. But as such, because he had the bulletproof vest, 
we are much richer, and the country is more safe in knowing that people 
like Joe Dalton can continue to serve his community and our country.
  So I am very pleased to thank the House for its efforts and look 
forward to working on other important law enforcement and crime 
prevention legislation as we continue this 105th Congress.

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