[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 6, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2670-S2672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2015
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am surely going to make a unanimous
consent request, and I have notified the Republican leader of this, but
before I do, I wish to make a statement on this issue. I am talking
about the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization
Act of 2015. That is a lot of words, but it is basically talking about
the bulletproof vest bill Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
and I first put together 17 years ago. It is a lifesaving grant
program.
Senator Nighthorse Campbell and I both had the privilege of serving
in various forms of law enforcement. We knew how things had changed. We
knew a number of police officers, men and women, who died, were shot to
death, who would have lived had they had bulletproof vests. We also
knew a lot of them--especially small departments such as those in my
State and many in Senator Nighthorse Campbell's State--could not afford
them. That could be said of virtually every single State.
The partnership we put together has provided 13,000 State and local
law enforcement agencies with nearly 1.2 million bulletproof vests for
their officers. When we pass it today, the Senate will move a step
closer to ensuring that for the next 5 years thousands of agencies can
purchase bulletproof vests for officers serving in their communities.
These are not just empty words or an empty gesture. It is probably
the most tangible support Congress can provide to law enforcement
officers. It will help put vests on the backs of more than 200,000
police officers and it will save lives.
Just ask the chief of the Woodway, TX, police department, Yost
Zakhary. Chief Zakhary testified at a Senate judiciary hearing last
year. He brought
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this vest with him to the hearing. The officer wearing it was shot at
almost pointblank range during a roadside stop. The officer lost a lot
of blood--we can see it on his vest--but he did not lose his life
because this vest, purchased through this partnership grant program,
caught the bullet aimed at his heart.
Officer Ann Carrizales of the Stafford, TX, police department also
testified at the hearing last year. She told us that her vest--because
we are now beginning to buy vests that recognize the obvious
differences between male and female officers--was uniquely fitted for
her body. It saved her life when she was shot twice during a routine
traffic stop. Her testimony was some of the most moving testimony I
have heard in 40 years in the Senate. She brought with her nearly 200
letters from her daughter's elementary school. They saw how a
daughter's mother's life was saved, and they all called for the Senate
to act.
This bill is important to law enforcement around the Nation. It is
certainly important to my little State of Vermont. Vermont law
enforcement agencies have received nearly 4,400 protective vests from
this program, and those officers throughout Vermont, as well as around
the Nation, are better protected and better able to do their jobs. I am
proud to share that recent recipients in Vermont include agencies in
Addison County, Barre City, Barre Town, Bennington County, Berlin,
Brattleboro, Burlington, Caledonia County, Chester, Dover, Essex
County, Essex Junction, Franklin County, Grand Isle County, Hardwick,
Hartford, Ludlow, Middlebury, Milton, Montpelier, Morristown, Newport,
Northfield, Norwich, Orange County, Orleans County, Richmond, Rutland,
Shelburne, South Burlington, Springfield, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury,
Stowe, Waterbury Village, Weathersfield, Williston, Windsor County,
Windsor, and Winooski.
It has helped to make protective vests standard equipment for law
enforcement agencies across the country. Yet, for far too many
jurisdictions--especially smaller and rural agencies such as those in
Vermont--they know the vests still cost too much and wear out too
soon. They actually work.
I remember to this day a young police officer who was in and
testified before our Senate Judiciary Committee. He had his mother and
his father, his wife and his children lined up behind him. He said to
us: I love police work. The only thing I love more than that is my
family. He said: There was a day when I thought I would never see my
family again. Again, it was a routine traffic stop, but the man stepped
out and shot him twice, pointblank. He reached under and pulled up the
bulletproof vest, and we could see the two slugs embedded in the vest.
He said: My mother and father and my wife and my children came to the
hospital to see me. I had cracked ribs that day, but they knew they
could bring me home to be with them the next day.
They are not going to save every officer, of course, but they have
saved more than 3,000 law enforcement officers since 1987. I have met
with police officers such as the one I just described, who are alive
today because of vests purchased through this program. They will tell
us the program saves lives. But it is also for the members of their
families, seeing them going off to work knowing they have put it on.
That makes a difference.
This bill also contains a number of improvements to the grant
program. I want to thank Senator Feinstein for helping to improve the
bill so that it provides incentives for agencies to provide uniquely
fitted vests for female officers. The bill also ensures that agencies
have mandatory-wear policies to ensure that the vests are used
regularly.
This is not a partisan issue. I remember walking down the street in
Denver, CO, where Ben Nighthorse Campbell and I first started this. A
police officer walked up to me and said: Are you Patrick Leahy of
Vermont? And I said: Yes. He tapped his chest and said thank you and
moved on.
Senator Graham is a lead cosponsor of this legislation. I wish to
thank Senator Graham for his important efforts to help pass this
legislation.
I am also thankful to the law enforcement community. They have long
spoken with a single voice on this issue. They don't care whether we
are Republicans or Democrats; they just care about this issue.
So if we pass this bill today and move it to the House of
Representatives, I would urge the Speaker to quickly take up the bill
so the President can sign it next week as we approach National Police
Week. Now is the time to honor the brave men and women of law
enforcement who have lost their lives serving their communities. Let's
put real meaning behind our words and tributes. It is time to pass this
bill.
I see my friend from Oklahoma on the floor.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the
consideration of Calendar No. 32, S. 125; that a Lee amendment which is
at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third
time, and the Senate vote on passage of the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 125) 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 2020, and for other purposes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the request of the
Senator from Vermont?
Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, reserving the right to object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, this is a great bill in many ways. There
is a tremendous need. I have family members who are police officers,
actually, in small, rural police forces. I have staff members who are
former police officers. I understand the situation very well, how much
of a difference it makes to so many people. But we have two different
programs dealing with bulletproof vests, two different systems of
actually distributing bulletproof vests from the Federal Government
that in many ways are complementary and in some ways competing. We have
two sets of applications with two different sets of personnel to
actually approve those applications and two different processes to
apply.
My goal is that where we find duplication of effort, even if it is a
good effort, that we as the Federal Government find ways to be able to
streamline that process. Every dollar we spend on bureaucracy here, on
a duplicative program, is a dollar less that we actually spend to buy
the bulletproof vests and be able to get them out the door.
I have had multiple conversations that have been very productive with
Senator Leahy and with Senator Graham to talk about this particular
issue of how we can combine the application process, how we can combine
the administrative process to make sure a good program doesn't lose
dollars. We have numerous reports all over the Federal Government on
duplication in government.
I look forward to the ongoing conversations. I have some assurances
that we will deal with some of these issues as we go through the
appropriations process in the days ahead, so I am willing to withdraw
my objection. I know that we will resolve some of these issues in the
days ahead to allow us to be able to move forward.
So with that, I withdraw my objection.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Thereupon, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
The amendment(No. 1214) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To modify the authorization of appropriations)
On page 2, line 11, strike ``$30,000,000'' and insert
``$25,000,000''.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the bill having
been read the third time, the question is, Shall it pass?
The bill (S. 125), as amended, was passed, as follows:
S. 125
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 2015''.
[[Page S2672]]
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 to read as follows:
``(23) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
part Y, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2020.''.
SEC. 3. EXPIRATION OF 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 Appropriated Funds.--
``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term
`appropriated funds' means any amounts that are appropriated
for any of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this
part.
``(2) Expiration.--All appropriated funds that are not
obligated on or before December 31, 2022 shall be transferred
to the General Fund of the Treasury not later than January
31, 2023.''.
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 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 meanings given such 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''.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I thank all of the Senators who have
cosponsored this bill. I thank the Senator from Oklahoma for
withdrawing his objection. I am hoping the other body will soon take
this up so that we can try to have it passed before the police meet
here at the Capitol for a memorial to fallen police officers and we can
move forward.
This has been underfunded over the years, and we have not been able
to fill all of the requests. We have filled a lot of them, and we have
saved a lot of lives. Of course, I will be willing to work with the
Senator from Oklahoma or with any other Senator on this or any other
law enforcement program. But I have always considered my years in law
enforcement in many ways the high point of my career. I want to make
sure we approve it as soon as we can.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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