[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 127 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4361-S4362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WOUNDED OFFICERS RECOVERY ACT OF 2017
Mr. FLAKE. Madam President, I come to the floor to pass the Wounded
Officers Recovery Act. This legislation comes after last month's
terrible shooting at the Republican practice for the annual
Congressional Baseball Game.
As many of you already know, U.S. Capitol Police DPD Special Agents
Crystal Griner and David Bailey were both wounded in the line of duty
as they successfully fought off and subdued the gunman. I witnessed
firsthand the unbelievable bravery and heroism of the Capitol Police on
that morning. It is not at all an exaggeration to say that, if not for
their actions, I probably would not be here today.
I and my colleagues certainly have a special place in our hearts for
them and an appreciation for what they did on that fateful morning. It
is a privilege to be able to help them out now. They had our backs, and
now we need to have theirs.
This bill amends the policies of the United States Capitol Police
Memorial Fund to expand eligibility to include any U.S. Capitol Police
employee who has been injured in the line of duty. This will enable
Special Agents Griner and Bailey to access funds raised for victims of
the congressional baseball practice shooting.
Previously, the fund only allowed donated funds to be given to the
families of officers killed in the line of duty. I am hopeful all of my
colleagues will agree that this issue should rise above any partisan
wrangling.
Special Agents Crystal Griner and David Bailey have our gratitude,
and we ought to be able to help them. I am grateful for their
sacrifice. I hope we can speak with one voice in support of the brave
men and women of the Capitol Police and pass this bill without delay.
I wish to thank the cosponsors here in the Senate, including Senator
Paul, Senator Donnelly, Senator Murphy, and all of those who played in
the congressional baseball game, also, in the House, the managers of
the Republican and the Democratic teams respectively, Joe Martin and
Mike Doyle.
The congressional baseball game is one of the best institutions in
Congress, one of the most bipartisan institutions. We are able to raise
a lot of money for needy causes as well as the Capitol Police. We want
to make sure a lot of the money that was raised this year--a portion of
that money--can go to these deserving individuals who helped us out in
a very real way and saved our lives.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules
be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3298 and the Senate
proceed to its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 3298) to authorize the Capitol Police Board to
make payments from the United States Capitol Police Memorial
Fund to employees of the United States Capitol Police who
have sustained serious line-of-duty injuries, and for other
purposes.
[[Page S4362]]
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. FLAKE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Flake
amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as
amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the
motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 409) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to,
as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Wounded Officers Recovery
Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. PAYMENTS FROM UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE MEMORIAL
FUND FOR EMPLOYEES KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
OR SUSTAINING SERIOUS LINE-OF-DUTY INJURIES.
(a) Authorizing Payments From Fund.--Section 2 of Public
Law 105-223 (2 U.S.C. 1952) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``AND CERTAIN
OTHER UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE EMPLOYEES'' before the
period at the end;
(2) by striking ``Subject to the regulations'' and
inserting ``(a) In General.--Except to the extent used or
reserved for use under subsection (b) and subject to the
regulations''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(b) Payments for Employees Killed in the Line of Duty or
Sustaining Serious Line-of-duty Injuries.--In addition to the
amounts paid under subsection (a), and in accordance with the
regulations issued under section 4(b), amounts in the Fund
may be paid to--
``(1) families of employees of the United States Capitol
Police who were killed in the line of duty; or
``(2) employees of the United States Capitol Police who
have sustained serious line-of-duty injuries.''.
(b) Regulations of Capitol Police Board.--Section 4 of
Public Law 105-223 (2 U.S.C. 1954) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Capitol Police Board'' and inserting
``(a) In General.--The Capitol Police Board''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(b) Regulations Governing Payments for Employees Killed
in the Line of Duty or Sustaining Serious Line-of-duty
Injuries.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Capitol Police
Board shall issue specific regulations governing the use of
the Fund for making payments to families of employees of the
United States Capitol Police who were killed in the line of
duty and employees of the United States Capitol Police who
have sustained serious line-of-duty injuries (as authorized
under section 2(b)), including regulations--
``(1) establishing the conditions under which the family of
an employee or an employee is eligible to receive such a
payment;
``(2) providing for the amount, timing, and manner of such
payments; and
``(3) ensuring that any such payment is in addition to, and
does not otherwise affect, any other form of compensation
payable to the family of an employee or the employee,
including benefits for workers' compensation under chapter 81
of title 5, United States Code.''.
(c) Treatment of Amounts Received in Response to Incident
of June 14, 2017.--The second sentence of section 1 of Public
Law 105-223 (2 U.S.C. 1951) is amended by striking ``deposit
into the Fund'' and inserting ``deposit into the Fund,
including amounts received in response to the shooting
incident at the practice for the Congressional Baseball Game
for Charity on June 14, 2017,''.
The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a
third time.
The bill was read the third time.
The bill (H.R. 3298), as amended, was passed.
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