Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise today in support of H.R. 2137, the Federal Law Enforcement Self- Defense and Protection Act.

I thank Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers for their support of this legislation and for their commitment to getting it to the floor today. With their support, H.R. 2137 passed the Judiciary Committee on a voice vote.

I also thank my friends, Congresswoman Gabbard from Hawaii, Congressman Reichert from Washington, and Congressman Pascrell from New Jersey, for joining me in introducing H.R. 2137 and for their strong support of this bill.

Finally, I thank Senator Toomey for introducing the companion legislation in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I introduced this legislation to provide better protections for law enforcement officers, and I am glad to see that it is moving forward. It is particularly fitting that we consider this bill this week during National Police Week. Thousands of law enforcement officers are here from all over the country to commemorate their partners who have fallen in the line of duty and to recognize their sacrifices and contributions. I thank them for their service.

This is also a special week for this Congressman from the Ninth Congressional District of Georgia because I am a proud son of a Georgia State trooper. I know firsthand how hard they work and of the sacrifices they make in their time away from their families. He made sure that my brother and I had all of the chances at life that he had. I thank him because I know when he was off duty, as I was growing up, he was no less concerned about protecting the community. The dangers that were associated with his job didn't stop just because he came home to us. I think this holds true for all law enforcement officers.

Our law enforcement officers are highly trained and they are well aware of the responsibilities that are associated with their jobs. In light of that training and of the dangers faced by officers, Federal law enforcement officers are typically allowed to carry their firearms 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It just seems like common sense. Federal law enforcement officers don't cease to be officers when they are off duty. Crime doesn't stop simply because an officer isn't working on a particular day. The Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act recognizes that and takes important steps to ensure that law enforcement officers can better protect themselves.

In 2013, during the Federal Government shutdown, at least three Federal agencies determined that the Antideficiency Act required them to forbid their law enforcement officers from carrying their agency- issued firearms or their personally owned firearms that were authorized by the agency. This interpretation of the law meant that at least 1,800 officers were disarmed.

During this time, there were reports confirming that at least one disarmed Federal law enforcement officer was attacked while off duty. Fortunately, she was able to get away unharmed, but the incident highlights the real dangers that officers face even while off duty. In fact, in 2012 alone, more than 1,800 Federal officers were assaulted with 206 of them having sustained serious injuries. From 2008 to 2011, more than 8,500 Federal law enforcement officers were assaulted; and in the last 3 years, 27 Federal law enforcement officers have been killed while off duty.

The threats and dangers are real. That is why, at a minimum, we should ensure that the policies to protect law enforcement officers are clear and consistent. However, there are reports that officers were disarmed inconsistently at other agencies. It is clear that the policies varied by agency. This level of inconsistency does not make sense, just as the policy to disarm officers doesn't make sense.

H.R. 2137 ensures that it is clear that Federal law enforcement officers can carry their weapons in the event of a lapse of appropriations or of an administrative furlough. Under the bill, officers retain the right to carry their government-issued firearms for personal protection or to respond to a critical incident.

Importantly, this bill does not protect those who are on administrative leave or those who have lost the right to carry. It does not expand firearms carry authority to law enforcement officers who do not currently possess it, but it does ensure that there is a consistent policy for those officers who are able to carry and who are furloughed through no fault of their own.

The legislation is narrowly tailored, but it has a large impact. H.R. 2137 recognizes that Federal officers could be confronted by job- related threats whether they are on duty or off. It recognizes that officers need to be able to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. This bill is a bipartisan agreement that protects our law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line to protect us, and it makes sure that it is a priority. This bill is supported by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the National Association of Police Organizations.

H.R. 2137 is a sign of the recognition that we must do everything in our power to ensure that law enforcement officers have access to the tools they need to protect themselves and the public. Speaking also as a State trooper's kid, it reminds me that my dad, for all that he did in the 30-plus years that he worked, was on duty when he was not on duty. This is simply a recognition that all of our officers carry that same trust, and we want to give them the tools to do what they need to do.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source