111TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION, JULY 2009

Legislation under review, in order of issue, covering Budget & Appropriations, Collective Bargaining, COPS Program and Department of Justice Grant Funding, Criminal Justice, Federal Oversight, Firearms, Homeland Security, Immigration, Law Enforcement Due Process & “Bill of Rights”, Pension and Social Security Reform, and Public Safety Officer Survivor Assistance.

Budget & Appropriations; Save

H.R. 1 Support, PASSED (David Obey, D-WI) Introduced January 26, 2009.  The “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”  A bill making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2009;
Recent Action: 1/28/2009 passed by the House by a vote of 244-188.
2/10/2009 passed by the Senate by a vote of 61-37. 2/12/2009 conference report filed.  2/13/2009 conference report agreed to by both the House and Senate.  2/17/2009 signed in law by the President; became Public Law 111-005.

H.R. 1105 Support, PASSED (David Obey, D-WI) Introduced February 23, 2009.  The “Omnibus Appropriations Act. 2009.”  A bill making omnibus appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009;
    Recent Action:  2/25/2009 agreed to and passed by the House.  
3/10/2009 agreed to and passed by the Senate.  3/11/2009 signed into law by the President; became Public Law 111-008.

H.R. 2847 Support (Alan B. Mollohan, D-WV) Introduced June 12, 2009.  The “Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.”  A bill making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010;
Recent Action: 6/18/2009 agreed to and passed by the House by a vote of     259-157.  6/25/2009 amended and reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

H.R. 2892 Support (David E. Price, D-NC) Introduced June 16, 2009.  The “Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010.” A bill making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010;
Recent Action: 6/24/2009 agreed to and passed by the House by a vote of     389-37.  7/9/2009 amended and passed by the Senate by a vote of 84-6.  Awaiting conference negotiations to resolve differences.
Collective Bargaining;

H.R. 413 Support, (Dale Kildee, D-MI / John Duncan, R-TN) Introduced January 9, 2009. The “Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007.”  A bill to provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or their political subdivisions;
    Recent Action: Referred to the House Education and Labor Committee.  Currently has  
         the support of 122 cosponsors.    
On August 6, 2009, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) introduced the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, S. 1611.  The bill currently has 7 cosponsors: 4 Republicans (Senators Susan Collins, Olympia Snow, Mel Martinez and Mike Johanns) and 3 Democrats (Senators Tom Harkin, Barbara Mikulski and Christopher Dodd).
    
COPS Program, Department of Justice Grant Funding;

S. 167 Support, (Herb Kohl, D-WI) Introduced January 8, 2009.  The “COPS Improvements Act of 2009.” A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to enhance the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program, and for other purposes;
Recent Action:  Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Currently     has the support of 17 cosponsors.

H.R. 1139 Support, (Anthony Weiner, D-NY) Introduced February 23, 2009.  The “COPS Improvements Act of 2009.”  House companion bill to S. 167;
Recent Action:  3/25/2009 approved by the Judiciary Committee by a 17-7 vote.       4/23/2009 passed the House by a vote of 342-78.   Has the support of 45 cosponsors.

Criminal Justice;

S. 132 Support, (Dianne Feinstein, D-CA) Introduced January 6, 2009.  The “Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2009.”  A bill to increase and enhance law enforcement resources committed to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent gang crime, to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs;
Recent Action:  Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Currently has the support of 13 cosponsors.

H.R. 1022 Support, (Adam Schiff, D-CA/Mary Bono, R-CA)) Introduced February 12, 2009.  The “Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Act.”  A bill to increase and enhance law enforcement resources committed to investigation and prosecution of violent gangs, to deter and punish violent gang crime, to protect law-abiding citizens and communities from violent criminals, to revise and enhance criminal penalties for violent crimes, to expand and improve gang prevention programs;
Recent Action:  Referred to the House Judiciary Committee and the House Education      and Labor Committee.  3/16/2009 referred to the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime,      Terrorism and Homeland Security.  Currently has the support of 1 cosponsor.

H.R. 970 Support, (Anthony Weiner, D-NY) Introduced February 10, 2009.  The “Fugitive Information Networked Database (FIND) Act of 2009.”  A bill to encourage the entry of felony warrants into the NCIC database by States and provide additional resources for extradition;
Recent Action:  Referred to the House Judiciary Committee.  3/16/2009 referred to      the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

S. 714 Support, (Jim Webb, D-VA) Introduced March 26, 2009.  The “National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009.”  A bill to establish a National Criminal Justice Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system;
    Recent Action: Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  6/11/2009 hearing on bill
held by the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs.  Currently has the support of 31 cosponsors.

Federal Oversight;

H.R. 73 Oppose, (Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-TX) Introduced January 6, 2007.  The “Traffic Stops Along the Border Statistics Study Act of 2007.”  A bill to provide for the collection of data on traffic stops;
Recent Action:  Referred to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.  

Firearms;

S. 1132 Support, (Patrick Leahy, D-VT) Introduced May 21, 2009.  The “Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2009.” A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers;
    Recent Action: Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Currently has the support
of 2 cosponsors.

Homeland Security;

H.R. 791 Support, (Anthony Weiner, D-NY) Introduced February 2, 2009.  The “First Responder Funding Modernization Act of 2009.”  A bill to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from limiting the amount of Urban Area Security Initiative or State Homeland Security Grant Program grant funds that may be used to pay salaries or overtime pay of law enforcement officials engaged in antiterrorism activities;
Recent Action: Referred to the House Homeland Security Committee.  2/20/2009 referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response.  

Immigration;

S. 1261 Support, (Daniel K. Akaka, D-HI) Introduced June 15, 2009.  The “Providing Additional Security in States’ Identification (PASS ID) Act of 2009.”  A bill to repeal title II of the REAL ID Act of 2005 and amend title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to better protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personally identifiable information collected by States when issuing driver's licenses and identification documents;
Recent Action: Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and      Governmental     Affairs.  Currently has the support of 7 cosponsors.

Law Enforcement Due Process & “Bill of Rights”;

H.R. 1972 Support, (Bart Stupak, D-MI / Erik Paulsen, R-MN) Introduced April 2, 2009.  The “Law Enforcement Officer’s Procedural Bill of Rights Act.”  A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide standards and procedures to guide State and local law enforcement agencies and law enforcement officers during internal investigations, interrogation of law enforcement officers, and administrative disciplinary hearings, to ensure accountability of law enforcement officers, to guarantee the due process rights of law enforcement officers, and to require States to enact law enforcement discipline, accountability, and due process laws;
    Recent Action: Referred to the House Judiciary Committee.  Currently has the support
of 2 cosponsors.

Pension and Social Security Reform;

S. 484 Support, (Dianne Feinstein, D-CA) Introduced February 25, 2009.  The “Social Security Fairness Act of 2000”  A bill to amend Title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the Government pension offset and Windfall Elimination Provisions;
Recent Action: Referred to the Senate Finance Committee.  Currently has the support of 28 cosponsors.

H.R. 235 Support, (Howard Berman, D-CA) Introduced January 7, 2009.  The “Social Security Fairness Act.”  House companion bill to S. 484;
Recent Action:  Referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.  Currently has the support of 298 cosponsors.

H.R. 673 Support, (Bob Filner, D-CA) Introduced January 26, 2009.  The “Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act.”  A bill to grant law enforcement officer (LEO) status to approximately 30,000 federal officers, making them eligible for federal law enforcement retirement benefits;
Recent Action: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government       Reform.  Currently has the support of 18 cosponsors.


Public Safety Officer Survivor Assistance;

H.R. 248 Support, (Gene Green, D-TX) Introduced January 7, 2009.  The “Law Enforcement Officers Flag Memorial Act.”  A bill to provide Capitol-flown flags to the families of deceased law enforcement officers;
Recent Action:  Referred to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.