[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today marks the 26th year that peace 
officers from around the country have gathered in the Nation's Capital 
to participate in the National Peace Officers Memorial Day Service. 
Every year, Peace Officers Memorial Day offers the people of the United 
States, in their communities, in their State capitals, and in the 
Nation's Capital, the opportunity to honor and reflect on the 
extraordinary service and sacrifice given year after year by our police 
forces. I welcome the visiting peace officers and their family members 
who are gathered in Washington today as we honor their services and 
those lost this past year.
  Earlier this month, the Senate passed a resolution marking today 
National Peace Officers Memorial Day. This is now the 11th year running 
that I have sponsored this resolution to honor the sacrifice and 
commitment of those law enforcement officers who give their lives 
serving their communities. Senator Specter, himself a former 
prosecutor, former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and now our 
ranking member, was the lead Republican sponsor of this bipartisan 
measure this year. I thank the majority leader, himself a former police 
officer, and all Senators for their support in recognizing the 
sacrifices that law enforcement officers make each day for the American 
people.
  Currently, more than 900,000 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. With 19 deaths, however, that is, of course, 
19 deaths too many.
  In 2006, 145 law enforcement officers died while serving in the line 
of duty, below the decade-long average of 165 deaths annually and a 
drop from 2005 when 156 officers were killed. That is still 145 
officers too many. We need to continue our support for 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 and their families have the full support and 
the resources they need from the Federal Government.
  I have been working 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 part a 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 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. Senator Specter and I joined together 
to send a letter to other Senators last week 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. It is 
crucial that Congress provide the full funding authorized to the 
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. Hundreds of thousands of police 
officers and local jurisdictions are counting on us.
  I am disappointed that not all of Congress's actions to protect and 
help our law enforcement officers are implemented by this 
administration. President Bush has repeatedly proposed drastic cuts to 
the bulletproof vest initiative and other grant programs that directly 
assist State and local law enforcement. The Bush administration has 
spent more than $400 billion on a failed policy in Iraq, and yet the 
President continues to propose cuts in funding for programs here in the 
United States for first responders who protect our Nation's 
communities.
  I will mention one other important example of a law I sponsored and 
helped pass in 2003, the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. This 
important, bipartisan legislation reflects the belief of Congress that 
the families of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first 
responders should be cared for when a public safety officer dies of a 
heart attack or stroke in the line of duty. To date, the Department of 
Justice has made only two positive determinations from the more than 
230 applications it has received. It is inexcusable that the Department 
of Justice appears to be interpreting this law as narrowly as possible 
and is denying and delaying so many of these claims. Congress and the 
American people want to see fair and equitable treatment for the 
families of the brave individuals who lose their lives in the line of 
duty, not foot-dragging and excuses from the Justice Department.
  We can all agree that the men and women in law enforcement who have 
sacrificed for our safety deserve our deep gratitude and respect. 
National Peace Officers Memorial Day recognizes real-life heroes. Our 
Nation's law enforcement officers deserve our commitment to provide for 
those who help keep us all safe. I support and respect our State and 
local police officers and all of our first responders and am proud to 
recognize their role in upholding the rule of law and keeping our 
Nation safe and secure.

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