[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 27 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2233-S2235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 310--COMMEMORATING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEDICATION 
AND SACRIFICE MADE BY THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES WHILE 
                  SERVING AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

  Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Hatch, and Mr. Allard) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 310

       Whereas the well-being of all citizens of the United States 
     is preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance 
     and dedication of law enforcement personnel;
       Whereas more than 850,000 men and women, at great risk to 
     their personal safety, presently serve their fellow citizens 
     as guardians of peace;

[[Page S2234]]

       Whereas peace officers are on the front line in preserving 
     the right of the children of the United States to receive an 
     education in a crime-free environment, a right that is all 
     too often threatened by the insidious fear caused by violence 
     in schools;
       Whereas nearly 150 peace officers across the United States 
     were killed in the line of duty during 2003, well below the 
     decade-long average of 166 deaths annually;
       Whereas a number of factors contributed to this reduction 
     in deaths, including better equipment and the increased use 
     of bullet-resistant vests, improved training, longer prison 
     terms for violent offenders, and advanced emergency medical 
     care;
       Whereas every other day, 1 out of every 9 peace officers is 
     assaulted, 1 out of every 25 peace officers is injured, and 1 
     out of every 6,000 peace officers is killed in the line of 
     duty somewhere in the United States; and
       Whereas on May 15, 2004, more than 20,000 peace officers 
     are expected to gather in Washington, D.C. to join with the 
     families of their recently fallen comrades to honor those 
     comrades and all others who went before them: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes May 15, 2004, as Peace Officers Memorial 
     Day, in honor of Federal, State, and local officers killed or 
     disabled in the line of duty; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     this day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Madam President, today I am joined by the chairman and 
ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senators Hatch and 
Leahy and Senator Allard in introducing this resolution to keep alive 
in the memory of all Americans the sacrifice and commitment of those 
law enforcement officers who lost their lives serving their 
communities. Specifically, this resolution would designate May 15, 
2004, as National Peace Officers Memorial Day.
  As a former deputy sheriff, I know first-hand the risks which law 
enforcement officers face every day on the frontlines protecting our 
communities. Currently, more than 850,000 men and women who serve this 
Nation as our guardians of law and order do so at a great risk. Every 
year, about 1 in 9 officers is assaulted, 1 in 25 officers is injured, 
and 1 in 6,000 officers is killed in the line of duty somewhere in 
America every other day. There are few communities in this country that 
have not been impacted by the words ``officer down.''
  On September 11, 2001, 72 peace officers died as a result of a 
cowardly act of terrorism. This single act of terrorism resulted in the 
highest number of peace officers ever killed in a single incident in 
the history of this country. Before this event, the greatest loss of 
law enforcement in a single incident occurred in 1917, when nine 
Milwaukee police officers were killed in a bomb blast at their police 
station.
  In 2003, nearly 150 Federal, State, tribal and local law enforcement 
officers gave their lives in the line of duty, well below the decade-
long average of 166 deaths annually, and a major drop from 2001 when a 
total of 230 officers were killed. A number of factors contributed to 
this reduction including better equipment and the increased use of 
bullet-resistant vests, improved training, longer prison terms for 
violent offenders, and advanced emergency medical care. And, in total, 
more than 16,000 men and women have made the supreme sacrifice.
  The chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 
Craig W. Floyd, reminds us that

     a police officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in 
     America nearly every other day. More than 850,000 officers 
     put their lives at risk each and every day for our safety and 
     protection. National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial 
     Day provide our Nation with an important opportunity to 
     recognize and honor that extraordinary service and sacrifice.

  On May 15, 2004, more than 20,000 peace officers are expected to 
gather in our Nation's Capital to join with the families of their 
fallen comrades who by their faithful and loyal devotion to their 
responsibilities have rendered a dedicated service to their 
communities. In doing so, these heroes have established for themselves 
an enviable and enduring reputation for preserving the rights and 
security of all citizens. This resolution is a fitting tribute for this 
special and solemn occasion.
  I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting passage of this 
important resolution.
  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I proudly rise today to join my 
colleagues Senators Campbell, Hatch and Allard to introduce a 
resolution to designate May 15, 2004, as National Peace Officers 
Memorial Day. We submit this resolution to keep alive in the memory of 
all Americans the sacrifice and commitment of those law enforcement 
officers who lost their lives serving their communities.
  I commend Senator Campbell  for his leadership in this issue. This 
marks the eighth year running, I believe, that he and I have joined 
forces to introduce the resolution to commemorate National Peace 
Officers Memorial Day. As a former deputy sheriff, Senator Campbell has 
experienced first-hand the risks faced by law enforcement officers 
every day while they protect our communities. His knowledge in this 
area is a true asset to the U.S. people.
  I also want to thank each of our Nation's brave law enforcement 
officers for their unwavering commitment to the safety and protection 
of their fellow citizens. They are real-life heroes, too many of whom 
too often give the ultimate sacrifice, and they remind us of how 
important it is to support and respect our State and local police.
  Currently, more than 850,000 men and women who guard our communities 
do so at great risk. Each year, 1 in 15 officers is assaulted, 1 in 46 
officers is injured,and 1 in 5,255 officers is killed in the line of 
duty in the United States every other day. After the hijacked planes 
hit the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, 72 
peace officers died while trying to ensure that their fellow citizens 
in those buildings got to safety. That act of terrorism resulted in the 
highest number of peace officers ever killed in a single incident in 
the history of this country.
  In 2003, 146 enforcement officers died while serving in the line of 
duty, well below the decade-long average of 165 deaths annually, and a 
major drop from 2001 when a total of 237 officers were killed. A number 
of factors contributed to this reduction including better equipment and 
the increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved training, longer 
prison terms for violent offenders, and advanced emergency medical 
care. And, in total, more than 17,100 men and women have made the 
ultimate sacrifice.
  During the 108th Congress, we have improved the Department of 
Justice's Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) program by making law 
the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act (Public Law 108-182), which 
allows survivors of public safety officers who suffer fatal heart 
attacks or strokes while participating in nonroutine stressful or 
strenuous physical activities to qualify for Federal survivor benefits. 
The Senate also passed the Campbell-Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership 
Grant Act (S. 764), which will extend through FY 2007 the authorization 
of appropriations for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program 
that helps State, tribal and local jurisdictions purchase armor vests 
for use by law enforcement officers. The House has yet to act on this 
important measure that will continue our efforts to ensure that every 
police officer who needs a bulletproof vest gets one. This week, the 
Senate added to the gun liability bill by a vote of 91-8 the Campbell-
Leahy Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (S. 253). This measure would 
establish national measures of uniformity and consistency to permit 
trained and certified on-duty, off-duty or retired law enforcement 
officers to carry concealed firearms in most situations so that they 
may respond immediately to crimes across State and other jurisdictional 
lines, as well as to protect themselves and their families from 
vindictive criminals. The support for such bills that will keep our law 
enforcement officers is there, but we need to do more.
  We Vermonters this National Peace Officers Memorial Day will remember 
our brave State Police Officer, SGT Michael Johnson, who was killed 
last Father's Day while trying to stop a suspect leading two other 
State troopers on a high-speed chase. Sergeant Johnson was not even on 
duty, but he went out nonetheless to help his fellow troopers that 
Sunday afternoon after hearing their trouble on his radio. He had just 
deployed a set of tire spikes across the interstate when the suspect 
swerved to avoid the spikes and struck him. Johnson left behind a 
beloved wife and three children, as well as hundreds of police officers 
who called him ``brother.'' Words seem insufficient to acclaim the 
brave sacrifice of the man

[[Page S2235]]

who was so admired by his family, community and the Vermont State 
Police force.
  National Peace Officers Memorial Day will provide the people of the 
United States with the opportunity to honor the extraordinary service 
and sacrifice given year after year by our police forces. More than 
15,000 peace officers are expected to gather in Washington to join with 
the families of their fallen comrades who, by their last full measure 
of devotion to their responsibilities and the right and security of 
their fellow citizens, have rendered a dedicated service to our Nation. 
I look forward to passage of this important resolution, a fitting 
tribute for this special and solemn occasion.
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   SENATE RESOLUTION 311--CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST 
 REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM TO IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE FATHER 
             THADEUS NGUYEN VAN LY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. BROWNBACK submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 311

       Whereas, in February 2001, Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, a 
     Roman Catholic priest, was formally invited to testify before 
     the United States Commission on International Religious 
     Freedom but was denied permission to leave the Socialist 
     Republic of Vietnam and thus, instead, submitted written 
     testimony critical of the Government of Vietnam, which was 
     read into the Commission record on February 13, 2001;
       Whereas Father Ly's testimony before the Commission 
     documents numerous specific actions of the Government of 
     Vietnam against religious freedom that he classified as 
     collectively being ``extremely cruel'' and requiring a ``non-
     violent and persistent campaign'' to achieve full religious 
     freedom for all people in Vietnam;
       Whereas Father Ly has been detained by the Government of 
     Vietnam since February 2001, when the Government placed him 
     under administrative detention, and, as a direct response to 
     his testimony, branded him a traitor for ``slandering'' the 
     Communist party and ``distorting'' the religious policy of 
     the government;
       Whereas the Government of Vietnam issued a second decree 
     suspending Father Ly's ability to ``carry on any religious 
     responsibility and functions'' and later formally removed 
     Father Ly from his church, detained him, and denied him 
     access to legal counsel;
       Whereas, on October 19 2001, the Thua Thien Hue Provincial 
     People's Court convicted Father Ly of all charges after a 
     one-day, closed trial without the benefit of counsel and 
     sentenced him to 2 years in prison for violating the terms of 
     his administrative detention, 13 years in prison for, 
     ``damaging the Government's unity policy,'' and 5 years of 
     administrative probation upon release from prison;
       Whereas, after pleas from United States Government 
     officials and the world community, Father Ly's sentence was 
     reduced by 5 years;
       Whereas, in June 2001, Father Ly's nephews Nguyen Vu Viet, 
     age 27, and Nguyen Truc Cuong, age 36, and his niece Nguyen 
     Thi Hoa, age 44, were arrested for allegedly being in contact 
     and receiving support from ``reactionary'' organizations in 
     the United States concerning the religious situation in 
     Vietnam and disseminating information concerning the 
     detention of Father Ly;
       Whereas after their cases generated much concern in 
     Congress, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Nguyen Vu Viet, and Nguyen Truc 
     Cuong all have been released;
       Whereas, on November 27, 2003, the United Nations Working 
     Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion No. 20/2003 
     stating that ``the Group is convinced that [Father Ly] has 
     been arrested and detained only for his opinions . . . [and] 
     the deprivation of the liberty of Father Thadeus Nguyen Van 
     Ly is arbitrary, as being in contravention of Article 19 of 
     the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of Article 19 
     of the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
     Rights'';
       Whereas Father Ly has been deprived of his basic human 
     rights by being denied his ability to exercise freedom of 
     opinion and expression; and
       Whereas the arbitrary imprisonment and the violation of the 
     human rights of citizens of Vietnam are sources of 
     continuing, grave concern to the Congress: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate--
       (A) condemns and deplores the arbitrary detention of Father 
     Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly by the Government of the Socialist 
     Republic of Vietnam and calls for his immediate and 
     unconditional release;
       (B) condemns and deplores the violations of freedom of 
     speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due 
     process afforded to individuals in the Socialist Republic of 
     Vietnam;
       (C) strongly urges the Government of Vietnam to consider 
     the implications of its actions for the broader relationship 
     between the United States and Vietnam; and
       (D) strongly urges the Government of Vietnam to consider 
     the implications of its actions in the context of the United 
     States-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement, under which Vietnam 
     currently receives Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status 
     subject to chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 
     (commonly known as the ``Jackson-Vanik Amendment''); and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the United States 
     should--
       (A) make the immediate release of Father Thadeus Nguyen Van 
     Ly a top concern;
       (B) make it clear to the Government of Vietnam that it is 
     not in the Government's interest to detain Father Ly and 
     others like him for political or religious reasons or to 
     inflict human rights violations on such people or groups 
     because such actions create obstacles to improved bilateral 
     relations and cooperation with the United States; and
       (C) reiterate the deep concern of the United States 
     regarding the continued imprisonment of Father Ly and other 
     persons whose human rights are being violated and discuss the 
     legal status and immediate humanitarian needs of such people 
     with the Government of Vietnam.

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