[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 66 (Monday, May 13, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3373-S3374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Durbin, 
        Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Feinstein, and Ms. Klobuchar):
  S. 933. 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 2018; to the Committee on 
the Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, each and every day, thousands of men and 
women in law enforcement put their lives on the line to protect our 
cities and towns, enforce our laws, and keep us safe. Just last month, 
we witnessed the superb investigative efforts of the Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement officers who helped bring the Boston Marathon 
bombing suspect to face justice. Yet the senseless murder of MIT police 
officer Sean Collier was a reminder of the danger that our law 
enforcement professionals routinely face. This week, which has come to 
be known as National Police Week, provides us with the opportunity not 
only to remember those law enforcement officers who lost their lives in 
the line of duty, but also to honor their memories by better equipping 
those officers who continue to serve our communities. Today I am proud 
to introduce two measures that will do just that.
  More than 50 years ago, President Kennedy designated May 15 as 
National Peace Officers Memorial Day, to recognize the sacrifices of 
law enforcement officers who had died in the course of their duties. 
Despite the progress that has been made in improving officer safety, 
there is still much work to be done. Last year, 120 local, State, and 
Federal law enforcement officers tragically lost their lives in the 
line of duty.
  As they do every year, law enforcement officers and their families 
from across the United States will come to Washington this week to pay 
tribute to their fallen colleagues. And as I do each year, I will stand 
with them. Once again I am proud to submit a resolution officially 
recognizing the designation of May 15 as National Peace Officers 
Memorial Day, and I am pleased to be joined in sponsoring this 
resolution by Senator Grassley, the Ranking Member of the Judiciary 
Committee.
  We can also honor the memories of the officers who lost their lives 
by taking concrete action to help protect and equip those officers who 
continue to serve. That is why I am pleased that Senator Coons, Senator 
Durbin, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Feinstein and 
Senator Klobuchar have joined me in introducing today the Bulletproof 
Vest Partnership Grant Act Reauthorization of 2013. Once enacted, this 
legislation will continue for another five years the lifesaving grant 
program that Senator Ben Nighthorse 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, by helping to 
provide them with vital bulletproof vests and body armor.

[[Page S3374]]

  The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program has had a tremendous impact 
on the ability of States and localities to give our law enforcement 
officers the protection they deserve while serving the needs of our 
communities. Since 1999, the program has assisted state and local 
jurisdictions with the purchase of over one million bulletproof vests, 
and since 1987 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.
  As a Nation, we ask much of our law enforcement officers. The men and 
women who serve face constant and unknown risks, and too often make the 
ultimate sacrifice. These are the men and women who we ask to keep our 
streets safe and to protect our communities. These are the men and 
women who approach a car at 3 a.m. during a traffic stop, not knowing 
who is behind the wheel or what might happen next. And these are the 
men and women who are the first ones to respond when there is a 
shooting at a school, or an attack in our community. As citizens and as 
Senators, the least we can do is to equip these officers with the 
protection they need to give them a better sense of security--a better 
chance of survival. Reauthorizing and funding this program is the right 
thing to do, and it is something I hope all Senators will support.
  Every additional officer who is able to put on a vest today as a 
result of this program is one more officer who has a far better chance 
of surviving a violent attack. Protecting the men and women who protect 
all Americans should be a priority for Congress and we have a chance to 
advance that priority with the continuation of this program.
  I hope all Senators will join me. The safety of law enforcement 
officers across the United States should be something on which we can 
all agree.
  I look forward to the enactment of these two important measures.
  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. 933

       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 Program Reauthorization Act of 2013''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
                   BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

       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 ``part Y,'' and all that follows and 
     inserting the following: ``part Y--
       ``(A) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 and 2015; 
     and
       ``(B) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 
     2018.''.

     SEC. 3. EXPIRATION OF PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FUNDS.

       Section 2501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Expiration of Previously Appropriated Funds.--
       ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `previously 
     appropriated funds' means any amounts that--
       ``(A) were appropriated for any of fiscal years 1999 
     through 2012 to carry out this part; and
       ``(B) on the date of enactment of the Bulletproof Vest 
     Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2013, are 
     available to be expended and have not been expended, 
     including funds that were previously obligated but 
     undisbursed.
       ``(2) Expiration.--All previously appropriated funds that 
     are not expended by September 30, 2015 shall be transferred 
     to the General Fund of the Treasury not later than January 
     15, 2016.''.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON 2-YEAR LIMITATION ON FUNDS.

       It is the sense of Congress that amounts made available to 
     carry out part Y of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll et seq.) should be 
     made available through the end of the first fiscal year 
     following the fiscal year for which the amounts are 
     appropriated and should not be made available until expended.

     SEC. 5. MATCHING FUNDS LIMITATION.

       Section 2501(f) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll(f)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Limitation on state matching funds.--A State, unit of 
     local government, or Indian tribe may not use funding 
     received under any other Federal grant program to pay or 
     defer the cost, in whole or in part, of the matching 
     requirement under paragraph (1).''.

     SEC. 6. APPLICATION OF BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT 
                   PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS TO ANY ARMOR VEST OR BODY 
                   ARMOR PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS.

       Section 521 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3766a) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 
     grantee that uses funds made available under this part to 
     purchase an armor vest or body armor shall--
       ``(A) comply with any requirements established for the use 
     of grants made under part Y;
       ``(B) have a written policy requiring uniformed patrol 
     officers to wear an armor vest or body armor; and
       ``(C) use the funds to purchase armor vests or body armor 
     that meet any performance standards established by the 
     Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
       ``(2) In this subsection, the terms `armor vest' and `body 
     armor' have the same meanings given the terms in section 
     2503.''.

     SEC. 7. UNIQUELY FITTED ARMOR VESTS.

       Section 2501(c) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
     Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ll(c)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``; or'' and inserting 
     ``; and'';
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) provides armor vests to law enforcement officers that 
     are uniquely fitted for such officers, including vests 
     uniquely fitted to individual female law enforcement 
     officers; or''.

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