[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25382]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. FRANK A. LoBIONDO

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 25, 2000

  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to come before you today in 
support of S. 2413, the Bulletproof Vest Reauthorization Act of 2000. 
This very effective, bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senator 
Campbell of Colorado, passed the Senate by unanimous consent and is 
identical to H.R. 4033, legislation which I sponsored.
  As Members will recall, this chamber passed H.R. 4033, the House 
Bulletproof Vest Reauthorization bill, back in July of this year by an 
overwhelming majority vote of 413-3. At that time, I gave a more 
lengthy statement on the issue of bulletproof vests. Due to time 
constraints, I will abbreviate my remarks today.
  As I have said before, I firmly believe that when a police officer is 
issued a badge and a gun, they should also be issued a bulletproof 
vest. When police officers put their lives on the line everyday 
protecting our neighborhoods--they deserve the highest level of 
protection and security, which only a bulletproof vest can provide.
  I introduced the original Bulletproof Vest Authorization bill in the 
105th Congress, which was signed into law by the President. This very 
successful and popular program authorized $25 million each year through 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 to assist law enforcement officers in purchasing 
body armor. The program proved to be more popular than initially 
expected, and we soon found out that $25 million each year was not 
adequate to fulfill the goal of providing every law enforcement officer 
with body armor.
  The bill before us today makes three major improvements to the 
existing Bulletproof Vest Program. First, the authorization will be 
doubled from $25 to $50 million each year through Fiscal Year 2004. 
Extending the authorization is critical in enabling officers across the 
nation to participate in the Bulletproof Vest Program, which has been 
proven to save lives. Second, language was included in the bill which 
guarantees smaller jurisdictions a fair portion of federal funding. 
Finally, this legislation improves the stab-proof standard for 
corrections officers who depend on these vests to protect them while on 
the job.
  The stab-proof issue is especially important to me and my District. A 
constituent of mine, Corrections Officer Fred Baker was stabbed to 
death while on duty at the Bayside State Prison. Officer Baker was not 
wearing a vest at the time. We can only speculate as to whether his 
life would have been spared had he been given an opportunity to wear a 
vest, but many of us believe that had he been given that opportunity, 
Officer Baker would be alive today and his wife and child would still 
have a husband and father to come home to. If Officer Baker had the 
chance to wear a vest, I am sure that he would not have hesitated to 
put that vest on.
  The legislation before us today will help ensure law enforcement 
offices receive federal assistance in purchasing body armor. It is 
critical that Members again vote in favor of this legislation.

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