[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          National Police Week

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, today I come to the floor to salute 
and thank our Nation's law enforcement officers during this year's 
National Police Week. It is notable that this week dedicated to the 
brave men and women in blue is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  I am grateful to all who are working on the front lines right now, 
whether they are doctors and nurses or teachers and grocery store 
clerks. We are grateful to all of them, including a lot of jobs that I 
haven't even mentioned.
  But this week, we have the unique opportunity just to settle on one 
group of people and thank them in a special way during National Police 
Week, and that is our police officers. Now, more than ever, we 
appreciate their service and dedication. Being a police officer isn't 
just a job. I am in public service, but I haven't been a police 
officer. I think it is fair to assume that they put their lives on the 
line more than most of us who are Members of the Senate.
  It is not just a job. It is a calling. Each officer has answered that 
call and is dutifully serving during these very trying times that we 
call this virus pandemic. For that, I am--and, I am sure, everybody 
is--forever grateful.
  I am particularly thankful for the men and women in blue who serve my 
fellow Iowans. I would also like to recognize the officers who serve in 
Washington, DC, the Capitol Police, meaning those who serve here on the 
Hill. They work to ensure our safety and protection, not only from 
criminals but also from a virus that has drastically changed the way we 
work in the Senate to serve our constituents, the American people, and, 
for me, the people of Iowa. Thank you to the policemen on Capitol Hill 
here for your selflessness and dedication.
  COVID-19 knows no boundaries and has, unfortunately, affected 
hundreds of police officers. As of May 11, 101 officers have died in 
the line of duty from the virus. We must continue to honor members of 
the law enforcement community who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The 
circumstances of loss are a little different now but no less heroic or 
devastating.
  As a Senator, my actions often speak louder than my words. So I am 
pleased to show the members of the law enforcement community how much I 
support and appreciate you through legislation. Every year, during 
Police Week, the Senate advances various bills focusing on the needs of 
the police community. This year is no different. To that end, I 
recently introduced a bipartisan bill with the title of Safeguarding 
America's First Responders Act. This bill addresses the unfortunate 
reality of officers' exposure to COVID-19.
  To ensure benefits through the Public Safety Officer Benefits 
Program, my bill creates a presumption that if a first responder is 
diagnosed with COVID-19 within 45 days of their last day on duty, the 
Justice Department will treat it as a line-of-duty incident.
  Loss of a family member in the line of duty isn't only emotionally 
devastating, but it also means lost wages in tough times. This bill 
recognizes the challenges posed by the pandemic and better ensures that 
officers' families will get the financial help as promised to other 
police officers who are killed in other ways in the line of duty. This 
bill enjoys wide support from multiple law enforcement groups and a 
group of bipartisan cosponsors here in the Senate.
  The Senate is considering two other police bills that I support. 
Police officers have demanding jobs and experience events that often 
impact their mental health. The next bill is named the Confidentiality 
Opportunities for Peer Support Counseling Act, or we call it COPS 
Counseling Act, for short. This bill builds off the recommendations 
provided by the Justice Department in their recent report on law 
enforcement mental health and wellness issues.
  Specifically, the bill provides confidentiality to Federal law 
enforcement officers by restricting individuals who participate in peer 
support counseling sessions from disclosing communications arising out 
of these sessions. With that privacy, we encourage more people to get 
the help they might need.
  Peer support programs serve as a valuable role in providing mental 
health care to law enforcement and first responders. But as I have 
indicated, confidentiality concerns have left these programs and these 
professionals underutilized. This bill also encourages best practices 
for officers and for first responders on peer support programs across 
the country.
  I want to thank Senator Cortez Masto for leading this bill and 
teaming up with me on this important issue.
  Lastly, I am proud to cosponsor Senator Hawley's bill, with a title 
of Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act. This bill seeks to 
address mental illness and increasing suicide numbers among law 
enforcement by requiring the FBI to open a voluntary data collection 
program to track suicides and attempted suicides within local, Tribal, 
State, and Federal law enforcement. By providing accurate and detailed 
information on these issues of suicide, more effective prevention 
programs can be implemented.
  I urge my colleagues to support all three of these bills. Passing 
them into law is one way of saying a big thank-you to the brave men and 
women who serve us so selflessly in law enforcement. We owe them a debt 
of gratitude, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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