[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1068-E1069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       C.O.P.S IMPROVEMENTS ACT 
                                OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2007

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 1700, 
The C.O.P.S Improvement Act. This legislation helps to put 50,000 more 
police officers on America's streets. This bill will add hundreds of 
new

[[Page E1069]]

cops to fight crime and terrorism in the 9th Congressional District and 
the City of Houston.
  The C.O.P.S. hiring program was created in 1994 to put more police 
officers on America's streets, and has been one of the most successful 
law enforcement programs in our Nation's history. Nationally, C.O.P.S 
has provided $9 billion to hire 117,000 police officers. According to a 
GAO study, between 1998 and 2000, C.O.P.S. grants were a significant 
factor in reducing crimes by about 200,000 to 225,000 crimes--one third 
of which were violent. In 1998, C.O.P.S. grants were greatly 
responsible for an 8 percent decrease in crimes--and a 13 percent drop 
in violent crimes. The C.O.P.S. Improvement Act will breathe new life 
into the C.O.P.S. program nationwide.
  Since 1994, 907 additional police officers and/or sheriff deputies 
have been hired in the 9th District of Texas, and over $64 million in 
C.O.P.S. grants have been awarded to law enforcement agencies in the 
9th District of Texas. Passage of the C.O.P.S. Improvement Act of 2007 
would likely add an additional $19 million into Texas' 9th District. 
This bill will also help to make our schools and children safer by 
adding 8 more school resource officers to the beat. In the last 13 
years over $9 million in C.O.P.S. grants have been awarded to law 
enforcement agencies to purchase technology that enables agencies to 
put more officers on the beat in the 9th District.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that the 5.7 percent drop in crime in 
the City of Houston is greatly due to the dedication of our city's 
hard-working men and women in uniform. Through their increased efforts 
Houstonians were safer from crime in 2006 than years before. I support 
the C.O.P.S Improvement Act, and am proud to increase the number of 
police officers and make our Nation a safer and better place to live.

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