[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 18, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H5537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FILNER-McHUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS EQUITY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation with 
the gentleman from the State of New York (Mr. McHugh). The purpose of 
our bill, called The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act, H.R. 2442, is 
simply stated: Give law enforcement status to law enforcement officers.
  Many Federal officials, for example, the Border Patrol, are 
classified as law enforcement officers because that is a classification 
that comes with certain salary and retirement benefits. But many other 
officers, officer who are trained to carry weapons, who wear body 
armor, who face the same daily risk as law enforcement officers are not 
so classified. These officers, for example, inspectors who work for the 
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security, 
Veterans Affairs police officers, U.S. Mint police officers, Internal 
Revenue Service officers, and police officers in about two dozen other 
agencies, are not eligible for early retirement and other benefits 
designed to maintain a young and vigorous law enforcement workforce 
that we need to combat those who pose life-threatening risks to our 
society.
  The tragic irony, Mr. Speaker, is that the only time these officers 
are classified as law enforcement officers is when they are killed in 
the line of duty. Then their names are inscribed on the wall of the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial right here in Washington.

                              {time}  1630

  Let me say that again. It is only when they are killed that they are 
called law enforcement officers, and that is a tragic irony.
  My district encompasses the entire California-Mexico border and is 
home to two of the busiest world border crossings in the entire world, 
so I am very familiar with the work of border inspectors. They wear 
bulletproof vests, they carry firearms, and, unfortunately, have to use 
them. Most importantly, these inspectors are subject to the same risks 
as other officers with whom they serve side by side and who do have the 
benefits of law enforcement status.
  Our Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act will make important strides 
toward ensuring the safety of our country as these officers protect our 
borders, our ports of entry, our military and veterans installations 
and other sensitive government buildings. The bill ensures the strong 
and vigorous workforce necessary for our country to have the finest 
level of protection. Our country deserves no less, and these valiant 
officers who protect us deserve no less.
  Any cost created by this act is offset by savings in training costs 
and increased revenue collection. A 20-year retirements bill for these 
employees will reduce turnover, increase yield, decrease recruitment, 
and development costs and enhance the retention of a well-trained and 
experienced workforce.
  Mr. Speaker, the simple fact is that these officers have dangerous 
jobs and deserve to be recognized as law enforcement officers, just 
like others with whom they serve, side by side, and who share the same 
level of risk. I encourage my colleagues to join the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and me in cosponsoring H.R. 2442, the Law Enforcement 
Officers Equity Act.

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