FOP Washington Watch: Legislative Update Week of 1 March 2010
Washington Watch: Legislative Update For the Week of 1 March 2010 I. Legislative News and Activity II. This Week in Congress III. Update on FOP Top Legislative Priorities IV. Update on LEOSA V. FOP NEWS: Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Bill Amending LEOSA VI. FOP NEWS: FCC Announcement on D Block: FOP Comments on latest news from FCC
I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Executive Director Jim Pasco is attending the Spring Meeting of the National Board of Trustees.
Executive Director Pasco had a conversation with George Rice, Executive Director of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO), concerning Interoperability issues.
Executive Director Pasco also had a conversation with Admiral James Barnett, the Chief of the Federal Communication Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, concerning Interoperability issues and the public safety broadband network.
Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with and met with many of the staffers at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary regarding S. 1132, the "Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act," which was considered and favorably reported by the Committee this week (See Items IV. and V. for additional details).
Legislative Liaison Bill Fitzpatrick attended the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau forum concerning the Emergency Response Interoperability Center.
II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS Both the House and the Senate were in session this week.
Action in the House The House considered, amended, and passed H.R. 2847, the “Jobs for Main Street Act,” by a 217-201 vote. This legislation would give payroll tax relief for businesses that hire unemployed workers. It also would extend the Highway Trust Fund, the “Build America” bond program and expense deductions for small businesses. The legislation will return to the Senate.
Action in the Senate The Senate considered and passed H.R. 4691, the "Temporary Extensions Act of 2010," on a 78-19 vote. This legislation provides a temporary extension of certain programs, including unemployment. The President is expected to sign the bill. The Senate began consideration of H.R. 4213, the "Tax Extenders Act of 2009." This legislation would extend several expired tax provisions and other programs, including unemployment insurance, flood insurance, and COBRA health care subsidies.
Action in Senate Committees The Committee on the Judiciary considered and passed S. 1132, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act," on a unanimous voice vote. (See Items IV. and V. for additional details). This legislation is a legislative priority for the FOP. The Committee held over for another week consideration of S. 1789, the "Fair Sentencing Act." This legislation would lower sentences for crack cocaine offenders, which the FOP opposes. We expect a substitute amendment to be offered to S. 1789, the FOP has reviewed some language but have not offered support to any compromise draft at this time.
III. UPDATE ON FOP TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES For the complete list of cosponsors for all of our top legislative priorities, or to find out if your Representative and Senators are cosponsors of specific bills, check outhttp://thomas.loc.gov .
A. Social Security Issues
(1) Support H.R. 235/S. 484, the "Social Security Fairness Act" We currently have three hundred and nine (309) cosponsors on H.R. 235--more than a House majority! Please note that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our count former Representatives John M. McHugh (R-NY) and Ellen O. Tauscher (D-CA), who resigned to take positions in the Administration or Delegates Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam), Pedro R. Pierluisi (D-Puerto Rico) and Gregorio Sablan (D-MP), who have limited voting rights on the floor.
We currently have twenty-nine (29) cosponsors on S. 484. Please note that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our count Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), who died last year.
(2) Opposing any legislation that would require the participation of public employees in Social Security The FOP will continue to lobby against this scheme and oppose any legislation which would mandate participation in Social Security.
B. Support H.R. 413/S. 1611, the "Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act" We added two (2) cosponsors on H.R. 413 bringing our current total to one hundred and ninety-four (194), and we only need only twenty- three (23) additional cosponsors to reach a House majority! Please note that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our count Representatives John M. McHugh (R-NY), who resigned his seat last year to take a position with the Administration, or John P. Murtha (D-PA), who recently died.
We added one (1) cosponsor to S. 1611 bringing our current total to eleven (11). Please note that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our count Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), who died last year, or Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), who resigned his seat last year.
C. Support H.R. 1972, the "Law Enforcement Officer’s Procedural Bill of Rights Act" We currently have three (3) cosponsors on H.R. 1972.
The Senate companion bill has not yet been introduced.
IV. UPDATE ON LEGISLATION AMENDING LEOSA The Senate Committee on the Judiciary considered and adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute to S. 1132, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act." The substitute amendment was offered by Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), sponsor of S. 1132 and Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Jefferson B. Sessions (R-AL), the Ranking Member of the Committee, and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ). The substitute amendment made a few "tweaks" to the existing bill, including a provision clarifying the status of the Federal Reserve Police.
The amendment was agreed to on a unanimous voice vote, which Chairman Leahy noting that no Member present voted "no" on the bill. No further amendments were offered.
We have three (3) cosponsors on S. 1132.
We currently have eight (8) cosponsors on H.R. 3752. Please note we are not including in our count Representative John P. Murtha, who died earlier this year. The bill is similar in most respects to the Senate companion bill, S. 1132. The House bill includes language that would also clarify the status of retired military personnel that served as law enforcement officers in their respective branch of service. We will continue to work with Rep. Forbes' office to get this bill moved through subcommittee.
V. FOP NEWS: Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Bill Amending LEOSA Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, welcomed today’s news that S. 1132, the “Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act Improvements Act,” was favorably reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on a unanimous voice vote.
“I want to first express my deep appreciation to Chairman Leahy for his commitment to this issue,” Canterbury said. “I know he’s been trying to move the bill for us since late last year, and his persistence paid off today.”
Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is also the sponsor of S. 1132. He had repeatedly placed the legislation on the Judiciary Committee’s agenda, but the weather, pressing nominations, and the threat of controversial amendments forced him to hold the bill over on several occasions. The bill had broad bipartisan support with Senator Jefferson B. Sessions III (R-AL), the Committee’s Ranking Member, and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) as lead cosponsors.
“We’re very fortunate to have a champion like Chairman Leahy and strong supporters like Senator Sessions,” Canterbury said. “Many of our retired officers are facing significant hurdles because some States have failed to implement the law as intended by Congress; this bill will really help them overcome those obstacles.”
The bill would improve certain provisions of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act (LEOSA), especially with respect to retired law enforcement officers, and would make clear that law enforcement officers employed by the Amtrak and Federal Reserve Police Departments, as well as those employed by the executive branch of the Federal Government who are classified as a GS-0083 meet the definition of “qualified law enforcement officer” in current law. The bill would also lower the aggregate years of service needed to meet the definition of “qualified retired law enforcement officer” from fifteen (15) to ten (10) and removes confusing language related to that same definition. The bill will now move to the Senate floor for further consideration. VI. FOP NEWS: FCC Announcement on D Block: FOP Comments on latest news from FCC Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, issued the following comments on last week's announcement by Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), regarding the D Block of spectrum for public safety:
"In order for our nation's public safety officers to have a robust national broadband network, both the existing spectrum held by the Public Safety Broadband Licensee and the D Block are needed," Canterbury said. "Chairman Genachowski and Admiral Barnett presented the FCC's plan for achieving this critically important goal."
The National Broadband Plan contains a comprehensive public safety strategy and the FCC's proposal on the D Block ensures open competition and can only benefit the nation's public safety officers by leading to lower costs, better service, more innovation, and greater availability.
"The FOP believes that a public-private partnerships will help law enforcement and other public safety officers develop the advanced broadband network we need to protect our communities and our nation, Canterbury said. "We look forward to working with the Chairman and the Commission as they move forward with this important initiative."
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