[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 29, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S447-S448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BIDEN (for himself, Mr. Sununu, and Mr. Specter):
  S. 2565. A bill to establish an awards mechanism to honor exceptional 
acts of bravery in the line of duty by Federal law enforcement 
officers; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

[[Page S448]]

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, the Federal Law Enforcement Congressional 
Badge of Bravery Act of 2007 establishes an award to honor exceptional 
acts of bravery in the line of duty by Federal law enforcement 
officers. This bipartisan bill is cosponsored by Senators Arlen Specter 
and John Sununu and it is supported by the Federal Law Enforcement 
Officers Association along with other law enforcement groups.
  An ``ABC Nightly News'' series last November reported that 2007 may 
turn out to be one of the deadliest years in history for law 
enforcement officers. That sour prediction has come to pass. The 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund--which commemorates the 
service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and helps promote law 
enforcement safety--found that officer deaths were up sharply 
nationwide last year. There were 194 fatalities--34 percent more than 
the year before.
  Unfortunately, with crime on the rise around the country the increase 
in fallen officers should be no surprise. The FBI's Uniform Crime 
Report for 2006--the gold standard of crime reports in our country--
must be taken seriously. Murders were up 1.9 percent on top of the 
previous year's increases--these were the largest increases in 15 
years. What's more, violent crime rose 1.9 percent.
  Clearly, our Federal law enforcement officers are doing their jobs in 
an environment more fraught with danger than ever. Police departments 
around the country are scrambling in an arms race to match the 
firepower of the bad guys. In my view, we should give special 
recognition to those Federal law enforcement officers who are going 
above and beyond to protect us in this kind of environment.
  With this bill Congress can continue its support of the brave men and 
women law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day making 
sure our communities are safe. I hope this bill will be accepted by the 
full Senate.
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