COPS Improvements Act of 2007

Floor Speech

COPS IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - May 15, 2007)

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation commemorates National Police Week this week and the 26th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Day today (May 15), let us honor the memory of those who have fallen in the line of duty and thank those who carry on their legacy, serving in communities across this Nation, keeping the peace, and protecting the American people.

It is altogether fitting that today--with thousands of peace officers in Washington to commemorate these events--the Members of this House will consider this very important bipartisan legislation, the COPS Improvements Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, when we pass this bill, the new Democratic Majority in this House will again demonstrate its absolute commitment to taking decisive action that protects our communities and combats crime.

In short, this legislation reauthorizes the highly successful Community Oriented Policing Services Program, or COPS, which was enacted in 1994 under the Clinton Administration and which helped local law enforcement agencies hire 117,000 additional officers between 1995 and 2005--including 908 officers in Maryland's Fifth Congressional District.

In fact, the COPS hiring program--with its emphasis on getting more cops on the beat--is credited with reducing the crime rate.

The nonpartisan General Accountability Office, for example, concluded in one study (and I quote): ``COPS-funded increases in sworn officers per capita were associated with declines in rates of total index crimes, violent crimes and property crime.''

Unfortunately, however, the former House Majority sharply reduced the funding for the universal hiring program under COPS in recent years--from more than $1 billion a year in the late 1990s, to $10 million in 2005, to the complete elimination of hiring grants in 2006.

Mr. Speaker, let's put these figures in perspective. One billion dollars a years for COPS hiring grants is not an insubstantial sum. But today, in Iraq, our Nation is spending approximately $10 billion a month--or $2.5 billion a week.

House Democrats believe it is imperative to reinvigorate the successful COPS program. And thus, this legislation calls for putting 50,000 additional police officers on the streets over the next 6 years by authorizing $600 million a year for COPS hiring grants.

Furthermore, this bill authorizes $350 million a year for COPS technology grants, and $200 million a year for hiring community prosecutors.

Mr. Speaker, today, through this bipartisan legislation, this House will demonstrate that it is committed to protecting and strengthening America's communities.

We will demonstrate that the Federal Government is a committed partner in protecting Americans not only from the threat posed by international terrorism, but also from the dangers posed by domestic crime.

I urge my colleagues: Support the COPS Improvements Act.

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