Goodlatte Applauds Passage of Bills to Protect Law Enforcement Officers’ Lives

Washington, D.C.  – The House of Representatives today approved two bills to protect law enforcement officers’ lives by reauthorizing the bulletproof vest program and by ensuring officers are able to defend and protect themselves on and off-duty. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) praised the passage of these bills in the statement below. Chairman Goodlatte: “This week, we honor our nation’s law enforcement officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. As officers put their lives on the line every day for their fellow citizens, we must ensure that we provide them with resources to protect them as they serve communities across the United States. The bills approved by the House today reauthorize a critical bulletproof vest program that is proven to save police officers’ lives and ensure federal law enforcement officers can carry their government-issued firearm on and off-duty. I am pleased the House has passed these important bills. We cannot thank law enforcement officers enough for their work to keep Americans safe.” The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S. 125), approved by the House by voice vote, reauthorizes the bulletproof vest program fund at $25 million per year and extends the authorization through Fiscal Year 2020. Based on the latest data collected and recorded by the Department of Justice, in Fiscal Year 2012, protective vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement and corrections officers in 20 different states. S. 125 is supported by all major law enforcement organizations and was approved by the Senate in May 2015. It now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Federal Law Enforcement Self Defense Protection Act (H.R. 2137), sponsored by Representative Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and approved by the House by voice vote, ensures that officers are able to defend and protect themselves on and off-duty. Because federal law enforcement officers face potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis whether on duty or off-duty, they are permitted to carry their government-issued firearms even when they are not on duty. However, during the government shutdown in 2013, at least three federal agencies prohibited their law enforcement officers from carrying their government-issued firearms or credentials during the furlough. This decision potentially endangered these officers’ lives by putting them at unnecessary risk and prevented these highly trained officers from being prepared to respond to a critical incident or threat. The Federal Law Enforcement Self Defense Protection Actremedies this problem by allowing all covered federal law enforcement officers to continue to carry their government-issued firearms during a furlough or lapse in federal appropriations. It is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the National Association of Police Organizations.