Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 30 November 2009
 
I.      Legislative News and Activity   
II.     This Week in Congress
III.    Update on FOP Top Legislative Priorities
IV.     Update on LEOSA
V.      FOP ADVISORY:  Officer Awareness - the Perils of Social Network 
VI.     FOP NEWS : FOP Past National President Honored in Oklahoma
VII.    FOP NEWS : FOP President Offers Condolences to Families of the Fallen
VIII.   FOP NEWS : FOP Supports Secret Service


I.      LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Executive Director Jim Pasco held numerous discussions with officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, management officials at the U.S. Secret Service, and White House staff regarding the security incident at the recent state dinner at the White House.

Executive Director Pasco also met with Ed Murphy, Legislative Liaison with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to discuss pending legislation affecting the agency.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson represented the FOP at a meeting of the National Committee on Community Corrections, hosted by Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs.

Legislative Liaison Jon Gentile represented the FOP at a meeting of law enforcement and other stakeholder groups to discuss marijuana policy.


II.  THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

Both chambers were in session this week.

Action in the House
The House considered and passed H.R. 4154 the “Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers and Small Businesses Act,” by a 225-200 vote.  This legislation would make permanent a $3.5 million per-person exemption and 45 percent tax rate on estates.

Action in House Committees
The Committee on Homeland Security on held hearing on the White House state dinner security breach with Mark J. Sullivan, Director of the U.S. Secret Service.  Before the hearing the FOP expressed its support for Director Sullivan and the Secret Service. (See Item VII. for Details) 

The Committee on the Judiciary reported out H.R. 1064, the "Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education (Youth PROMISE) Act,” on a 17-14 vote.  The FOP has not taken a position on this legislation.


Action in the Senate
The Senate began consideration of H.R. 3590, “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”  This health care legislation is expected to be debated and amended for at least another week. Staff in the legislative office will continue to monitor any developments.

Action in Senate Committees
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary again deferred the consideration of  H.R. 714, the “National Criminal Justice Commission Act.”


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 out http://thomas.loc.gov .
 
A.  Social Security Issues

(1)  Support H.R. 235/S. 484, the "Social Security Fairness Act"
We added one cosponsor to H.R. 235 bringing our current total to three hundred and seven (307) --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) 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 earlier this 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 six (6) cosponsors to H.R. 413 bringing our current total one hundred and seventy-seven (177).  Please note that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our count Representative John M. McHugh (R-NY), who resigned his seat to take a position with the Administration.

We currently have six (6) cosponsors on S. 1611.  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 earlier this year or Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), who resigned his seat.


C.  Support H.R. 1972, the "Law Enforcement Officer’s Procedural Bill of Rights Act"
We currently have two (2) cosponsors on H.R. 1972.

The Senate companion bill has not yet been introduced.


IV.     UPDATE ON LEGISLATION AMENDING LEOSA
We have six (6) cosponsors on H.R. 3752.  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 Federal Reserve Police as well as 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. 

We have three (3) cosponsors on S. 1132.


V.      FOP ADVISORY:  Officer Awareness - the Perils of Social Networking
The Washington Regional Threat and Analysis Center has issued an Officers Awareness Bulletin regarding the issue of posts on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace which have subsequently been used to attack an individual officer's credibility in courts.

The entire document can be found here: http://www.fop.net/news/SocialNetworkingPeril.pdf


VI.    FOP NEWS: FOP Past National President Honored in Oklahoma
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, offered congratulations to Past National President Richard Boyd, who has been selected as one of the original inductees for the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.

“Brother Boyd has been a true law enforcement leader in the great State of Oklahoma and, of course, for our fraternity,” Canterbury said.  “This is a well-deserved honor for a brother whom I deeply respect.”

Past National President Boyd will be inducted into the Hall on 6 December along with four other law enforcement officers, all of whom will also receive the Bill Tilghman Award.  The award is named after a famous lawman from Chandler, OK where the Hall of Fame is located.  Brother Boyd, a twenty-year veteran of the Oklahoma City Police Department, was a Charter Member of Oklahoma City Lodge #123 and served as its first Secretary, then later as President before being elected as State Lodge President.  He was elected to the National Executive Board as National Treasure and then served as National President for two terms from1983-87.  At the request of then-National President Dewey Stokes, he also served as the first head of the Washington, D.C. office.

“Brother Boyd remains an inspirational figure in our great organization,” Canterbury said.  “We are fortunate to have his voice, his wisdom, and his enthusiasm for law enforcement and the FOP.  I am proud that he has been selected for this honor and proud to call him brother.”


VII.    FOP NEWS: FOP President Offers Condolences to Families of the Fallen
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, expressed his most sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of Sergeant Mark Renninger, and Officers Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens, and Greg Richards.

“My heart goes out to the families of these fine officers, cut down by a man who should have been behind bars instead of pulling a trigger,” Canterbury said.  “Law enforcement is itself a family and I share the grief and anger of the loved ones and colleagues in Lakewood.”

The four veteran officers were gunned down by Maurice Clemmons, a violent felon once sentenced to serve 108 years in jail.  His youth and a great deal of misplaced optimism won him early release in Arkansas.  After violating his parole, he returned to jail, but was released again in 2004.  He was charged earlier this year with assaulting a law enforcement officer and raping a child, but posted bail.  While the investigation is ongoing, Clemmons seems to have been assisted by a network of friends and family who helped him elude capture after he murdered the four Lakewood officers at a coffee shop on Sunday.

“This murderous thug has been shot and killed, but that is no solace to the families of the officers, nor does it seem like justice,” Canterbury said.  “Our criminal justice system cannot afford to make mistakes like Clemmons.  The early release of thousands of crack dealers last year occurred over the objections of the law enforcement community.  This Congress has renewed its efforts to significantly lower sentences for active crack dealers and, to date, that legislation does not reflect the input we provided on the issue.  Congress increased the number of Federal hate crimes, but there is no specific statute for the killing of a local or State law enforcement officer unless they are assisting Federal authorities.  Is there any question that this killer targeted police officers?  No one else was even injured in the attack.”

This week’s shooting was the fourth occasion in which multiple officers were murdered in the line of duty.  In March, four officers in Oakland, California were killed, followed by three officers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and two in Okaloosa County, Florida in April.  To date, forty-four officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty this year.

“Law enforcement is a dangerous profession.  All of us know that our lives are on the line, everyday, at each traffic stop, at every response to a home, and even while enjoying a cup of coffee in uniform,” Canterbury said.  “I want all my brothers and sisters to stay safe out there, to watch out for one another and to wear their vests.  May God see all of us home at the end of our shift.”


VIII.    FOP NEWS : FOP Supports Secret Service
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, expressed opposition to calls for a Congressional investigation of presidential security protocols and offered his unequivocal support to the U.S. Secret Service and its Director, Mark J. Sullivan.

“Director Sullivan acknowledged the security breach and is already taking the right steps to address it in the right way–which means keeping it within the professional community,” Canterbury said.  “Political gamesmanship will not help, as security protocols and techniques–especially for the President–are not something that should be discussed at length or even in the most general terms under the klieg lights on Capitol Hill.”

These remarks come in the wake of a pair of gatecrashers, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who attended a White House event last week.  Canterbury noted that the U.S. Secret Service is investigating the pair, who may face criminal charges.

“The U.S. Secret Service has more experience than any other agency in protecting our nation’s leaders and any review of their procedures needs to be conducted by public safety professionals, not the elected officials who rely on them for protection,” Canterbury said.  “The agency is also the vanguard of Federal law enforcement in terms of improving diversity within its ranks.  It is at variance with common sense and the record to suggest otherwise.”

“The protectees know better than anyone just how hard the job of the Secret Service is, and on behalf of these professionals, I also want to thank President Obama and the White House for their public statements of support for the brave men and women whose lives are on the line,” Canterbury added.