[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H3863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  POLICE BADGE PROTECTION ACT OF 1999

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Horn) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to this 
morning's headlines in the National Press about the use of counterfeit 
badges in and undercover investigation conducted by the General 
Accounting Office at the request of our colleague the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. McCollum).
  The General Accounting Office is the arm of investigation on both 
financial matters and programmatic matters on behalf of the Congress. 
They are part of our legislative branch. Agents from the GAO's Office 
of Special Investigations used fake badges purchased over the Internet 
to get through security at two airports and 19 Government offices, 
including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Justice, 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, and the 
Department of Defense.
  The relative ease with which the General Accounting Office agents 
penetrated security shows the vulnerability not only of these 
Government offices but of the public.
  The American public recognizes the authority of the badge. They know 
they can count on those men and women in law enforcement.
  The American public needs law enforcement when they are in times of 
trouble and they are in need of help. However, misuse of the badge 
reduces public trust in law enforcement and endangers the public.
  Although there are State statutes against impersonating law 
enforcement officers, the threat of counterfeit badges reaches across 
State lines. Criminals can purchase fraudulent badges such as the ones 
used in this testing experiment by the agents of the General Accounting 
Office. The criminals can purchase the badges over the Internet and 
through mail order catalogues.
  Disturbingly easy access to these official looking badges and the 
means to manufacture counterfeit badges calls for strong, prompt action 
to protect the public trust in those in law enforcement who carry 
badges.
  I have introduced legislation, H.R. 2633, the Police Badge Fraud 
Prevention Act, to achieve that goal.
  The Police Badge Fraud Prevention Act would ban the interstate or 
foreign trafficking of counterfeit badges and genuine badges among 
those that are not authorized to be possessed by a genuine badge. The 
legislation complements State statutes against impersonating a police 
officer, addressing in particular the problems posed by Internet and 
mail order badge sales.
  With the endorsement of multiple law enforcement agencies, including 
the Fraternal Order of Police, as well as the bipartisan support of my 
colleagues, the Police Badge Fraud Prevention Act can help protect the 
public from criminals who use time honored symbols of law enforcement 
for illegal purposes.
  In light of the General Accounting Office investigation and in 
response to the need to address the growing on-line sales of 
counterfeit police badges, I strongly urge the House to pass the Police 
Badge Fraud Prevention Act.

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