[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 63 (Monday, May 7, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2929-S2930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Durbin):
  S. 2515. A bill to promote the use of clean cookstoves and fuels to 
save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and combat harmful 
pollution by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient 
household cooking solutions; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce The Clean 
Cookstoves Support Act, which addresses a serious global environmental 
and public health issue. I am pleased to be joined in this effort by my 
friend and colleague, Senator Durbin.
  Nearly half the world's population cooks food over open fires or 
inefficient, polluting, and unsafe cookstoves, using firewood, dung, or 
coal as fuel. Smoke from these traditional cookstoves and open fires is 
associated with a number of chronic and acute diseases, with women and 
young children affected disproportionately. The World Health 
Organization estimates cookstove smoke to be one of the top five 
threats to public health in poor, developing countries. This smoke may 
account for nearly two million deaths annually in the developing world, 
which is more than the deaths from malaria, tuberculosis, or HIV.
  Traditional cookstoves also create serious environmental impacts. The 
amount of biomass cooking fuel required each year can reach up to two 
tons per family, and local environmental degradation can result where 
demand for fuel outstrips the natural regrowth of resources. Recent 
studies show that emissions of black carbon, or common soot, from 
biomass cookstoves significantly contribute to climate change, second 
only to carbon dioxide in impact.
  These stoves should be replaced with modern alternatives to reverse 
these alarming health and environmental trends. Fortunately, modern 
stoves, designed to burn fuel efficiently, can eliminate up to 90 
percent of the black carbon produced during cooking and home heating. 
This would be relatively inexpensive and could be done quickly it is 
what scientists call the ``low-hanging fruit'' of environmental fixes.
  Through the leadership of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the 
United Nations Foundation, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves was 
formed in 2010. Recognizing the severity of the global health and 
environmental issues, this public-private partnership aims to save 
lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and combat pollution by 
creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household 
cooking solutions. The Alliance partners are working to help overcome 
the market barriers that currently impede the production, deployment, 
and use of clean cookstoves in the developing world.
  To assist in this important endeavor, several Federal agencies the 
Departments of State, Energy, and Health and Human Services, including 
NIH and CDC, the United States Agency for International Development, 
the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation have committed to contribute to the Alliance in 
three key areas.
  First: support for research and development to improve design, lower 
costs, and develop global industry standards and testing protocols for 
cookstoves. Second: diplomatic engagement to encourage a commercial 
market for clean stoves and promote several strategies, including 
reducing trade barriers, promoting consumer awareness, and improving 
access to financing. Third: the launch of international development 
projects to distribute the clean stoves to targeted areas, including 
refugee camps, disaster relief efforts, and long-term aid programs, as 
well as projects

[[Page S2930]]

aimed at women and girls. These contributions will assist the Alliance 
in reaching its goal of spurring the adoption of clean cookstoves in 
100 million households by 2020.
  Our legislation reinforces the commitment these U.S. agencies have 
made to the Alliance and requires the Secretary of State in 
consultation with the relevant Federal agencies, and in coordination 
with relevant international nongovernmental organizations and private 
and governmental entities to work to advance the goals of the Alliance. 
In addition, our bill formally authorizes the agency's funding 
commitments to ensure that these crucial pledges toward preventing 
unnecessary illness and reducing pollution around the globe are met.
  By supporting the work of the Alliance to replace primitive stoves 
with modern versions that emit far less soot, this legislation would 
directly benefit some of the world's poorest people and reduce harmful 
pollution that affects us all.
  This measure addresses an important global pollutant and alleviates a 
serious public health and environmental concern affecting developing 
nations. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting The Clean 
Cookstoves Support Act.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Coons, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Kohl, and Ms. Klobuchar):
  S. 2554. A bill to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend the authorization of the Bulletproof 
Vest Partnership Grant Program through fiscal year 2017; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce a bill to 
reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act.
  I am pleased that Senator Coons, Senator Whitehouse, and Senator 
Schumer have joined me in this effort. When enacted, this legislation 
will continue for another five years the lifesaving grant program that 
Senator Campbell and I authored in 1998. This measure will continue 
Congress' strong commitment to the safety and security of our Nation's 
law enforcement officers.
  The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, administered by the 
Department of Justice, provides financial assistance to State law 
enforcement agencies to help purchase bulletproof vests. This program 
is an important part of the Federal Government's overall policy to 
assist and support State and local law enforcement partners around the 
country.
  In February, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on this program 
and the need for reauthorization to emphasize just how important and 
effective this program has been. At that hearing, a representative from 
the Government Accountability Office testified that since 1987, data 
shows that body armor has saved the lives of 3,000 law enforcement 
officers. That is 3,000 men and women who may not otherwise have made 
it home to their families and loved ones. The BVP Program has assisted 
State and local jurisdictions with the purchase of nearly one million 
bulletproof vests since 1999. That is a measure of success all Senators 
should be proud of. I hope we can support the continuation of this 
program unanimously, as the Senate did most recently in 2008.
  Despite the progress that has been made in the improvement of 
lifesaving equipment and training, there is much work to be done. The 
year 2011 was an especially tragic one for the law enforcement 
community. Last year, 163 State and Federal law enforcement officers 
lost their lives and thousands were injured or disabled in the line of 
duty. This is an increase from 2010 and a grim reminder of the 
sacrifices far too many individuals make in the service of their 
communities and fellow citizens. The Senate should continue to do its 
part to help reverse the trend of the last several years.
  The safety and support of law enforcement officers across the United 
States should be something on which we can all agree. As we look toward 
National Police Week this month, Senators have an opportunity with this 
legislation to help make a difference and to show the thousands of law 
enforcement officers and their family members who will be in Washington 
that the Senate stands with them. I encourage their support and I look 
forward to the enactment of this legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2554

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Bulletproof Vest Partnership 
     Grant Act of 2012''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.

       Section 1001(a)(23) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control 
     and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3793(a)(23)) is 
     amended by striking ``2012'' and inserting ``2017''.

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