[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 64 (Friday, April 20, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4815-S4816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 162--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. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Biden, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
Cornyn, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Reid, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Menendez) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 162

       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 900,000 men and women, at great risk to 
     their personal safety, presently serve their fellow citizens 
     as guardians of the peace;
       Whereas peace officers are on the front lines 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 147 peace officers across the United States were 
     killed in the line of duty during 2006, which is below the 
     decade-long annual average of 167 deaths;
       Whereas a number of factors contributed to this reduction 
     in deaths, including--
       (1) better equipment and increased use of bullet-resistant 
     vests;
       (2) improved training;
       (3) longer prison terms for violent offenders; and
       (4) advanced emergency medical care;

       Whereas every other day, 1 out of every 16 peace officers 
     is assaulted, 1 out of every 56 peace officers is injured, 
     and 1 out of every 5,500 peace officers is killed in the line 
     of duty somewhere in the United States; and
       Whereas on May 15, 2007, 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, 2007, as ``Peace Officers Memorial 
     Day'', in honor of the Federal, State, and local officers 
     that have been killed or disabled in the line of duty; and
       (2) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
     that day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am proud to submit today a bipartisan 
resolution to designate May 15, 2007, as National Peace Officers 
Memorial Day. Joining me in the submission of this resolution are 
Senators Specter, Reid, Biden, Grassley, Cornyn, and Stabenow. I thank 
them for their leadership in recognizing the sacrifices

[[Page S4816]]

that law enforcement officers make each day for the American people.
  This is now the eleventh year running that I have been involved in 
the submission of 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. For many years 
I submitted this worthy resolution with my old friend and our former 
colleague Senator Campbell, a former deputy sheriff who was a true 
leader on this issue. Both Senator Campbell, and I, as a former 
prosecutor, witnessed firsthand the risks faced by law enforcement 
officers every day while they serve and protect our communities.
  I also want to thank each of our Nation's law enforcement officers 
for their commitment to the safety and protection of their fellow 
citizens. They are the real-life heroes; too many of whom too often 
make the ultimate sacrifice. It is important to support and respect our 
State and local police officers and all of our first responders, and to 
recognize their role in upholding the rule of law and keeping our 
Nation's citizens safe and secure.
  Currently, more than 870,000 men and women who guard our communities 
do so at great risk. 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 our 
country, and is a tragic reminder of how important it is for the 
Congress to provide all of the resources necessary to protect officers 
in the line of duty.
  Since the first recorded police death in 1792, there have been more 
than 17,900 law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice. We are fortunate in Vermont that we rank as the State with 
the fewest officer deaths in history, with 19 recorded; however, that 
is 19 deaths too many. In 2006, 147 law enforcement officers died while 
serving in the line of duty, well below the decade-long average of 165 
deaths annually, and a drop from 2005 when 156 officers were killed. A 
number of factors contributed to this reduction, including better 
equipment and the increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved 
training and advanced emergency medical care. I hope as the 110th 
Congress moves forward that all Senators can work together to ensure 
that all of our law enforcement officers have the full support and 
resources of the Federal Government.
  I am proud of the work I have been involved in to help make it safer 
on the beat for our officers. Back in 1998, Senator Campbell and I 
authored the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Act in response to the 
tragic Carl Drega shootout on the Vermont-New Hampshire border, in 
which two state troopers who lacked bulletproof vests were killed. 
Since then, we have successfully reauthorized this program three more 
times: in the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2000, in the 
State Justice Institute Reauthorization Act of 2004, and most recently 
as part of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice 
Reauthorization Act of 2005. It is now authorized at $50 million per 
year through fiscal year 2009 to help State, tribal and local 
jurisdictions purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers. 
I have already begun to work with my colleagues to make sure that the 
Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant program is fully funded this year. 
Bulletproof vests have saved the lives of thousands of officers and are 
a fundamental line of defense that no officer should be without. I know 
I am not alone in calling for the Senate to fully fund the Bulletproof 
Vest Partnership program and I truly hope my colleagues will agree that 
it is critical that we provide the funding authorized for this program. 
Hundreds of thousands of police officers are counting on us.
  I am also pleased to join with Senator Reed and others to introduce 
the Equity in Law Enforcement Act, which will provide parity in Federal 
benefits for law enforcement officers working in private educational 
institutions and for our Nation's rail carriers. Among these benefits 
are access to grants under the Bulletproof Vest Partnership, and 
survivor benefits. All of the men and women who serve our society as 
law enforcement officers should be equally entitled to all of the 
benefits the Federal Government provides, no matter where they serve.
  National Peace Officers Memorial Day will provide the people of the 
United States, in their communities, in their State Capitals, and in 
the Nation's Capitol, with the opportunity to honor and reflect on the 
extraordinary service and sacrifice given year after year by our police 
forces. During the week of May 8-15, more than 20,000 peace officers 
are expected to gather in Washington to join with the families of their 
fallen comrades. I hope all Senators will join me in honoring their 
service by passing this important bipartisan resolution.

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