U.S. SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY

(FRIDAY, Oct. 1) -- The Senate late Thursday night passed a measure reauthorizing a program initiated by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to provide up to $50 million in federal matching grants over the next three years for state and local law enforcement agencies to purchase bulletproof vests for police officers.  Leahy, the sponsor of the bipartisan amendment, was the coauthor of the charter – with Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) -- that established the program within the Department of Justice (DOJ) six years ago.  Leahy is the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over DOJ grant programs.  Since the program’s inception, it has provided officers in 16,000 jurisdictions around the country with nearly 350,000 new bulletproof vests.  In Vermont, 60 municipalities have received funding to buy 1,900 vests for their officers.  The measure now moves to the House for action.  Below is Leahy’s statement on the passage of the amendment.  

Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy
On Passage Of The Leahy Amendment To H.R. 2714
To Extend The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program 

September 30, 2004  

MR. LEAHY: Mr. President, I am pleased that Senate is taking up this Leahy-Hatch amendment to reauthorize the highly successful Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.  I thank the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Hatch, for joining me on this amendment.   

This amendment contains the same legislative language as the Campbell-Leahy-Hatch Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2003, S. 764.  The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent on July 15, 2003, and has been awaiting consideration by the House of Representatives since then. 

This measure marks the third time that I have had the privilege of teaming with my friend and colleague Senator Campbell to work on the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.  We authored the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Act of 1998, which responded to the tragic Carl Drega shootout in 1997 on the Vermont-New Hampshire border, in which two state troopers who did not have bulletproof vests were killed.  The federal officers who responded to the scenes of the shooting spree were equipped with life-saving body armor, but the state and local law enforcement officers lacked protective vests because of the cost. 

Two years later, we successfully passed the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2000, and I hope we will go 3-for-3 this time around.  Senator Campbell brings to our effort invaluable experience in this area and during his time in the Senate he has been a leader in the area of law enforcement.  As a former deputy sheriff, he knows the dangers law enforcement officers face when out on patrol.  I am pleased that we have been joined in this effort by 12 other Senate cosponsors, including Senator Hatch. 

Our bipartisan legislation will save the lives of law enforcement officers across the country by providing more help to state and local law enforcement agencies to purchase body armor.  Since its inception in 1999, this highly successful Department of Justice program has provided law enforcement officers in 16,000 jurisdictions nationwide with nearly 350,000 new bulletproof vests.  In Vermont, 60 municipalities have been fortunate to receive to receive funding for the purchase of 1,905 vests.   

The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2003 will further the success of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program by re-authorizing the program through fiscal year 2007.  Our legislation would continue the Federal-State partnership by authorizing up to $50 million per year for matching grants to state and local law enforcement agencies and Indian tribes at the Department of Justice to buy body armor.  

We know that body armor saves lives, but the cost has put these vests out of the reach of many of the officers who need them.  This program makes it more affordable for police departments of all sizes.  Few things mean more to me than when I meet Vermont police officers and they tell me that the protective vests they wear were made possible because of this program.  This is the least we should do for the officers on the front lines who put themselves in danger for us every day.  I want to make sure that every police officer who needs a bulletproof vest gets one.