|
We Support Our Troops Land/Sea/Air
Ohio's Fallen Officers
POW/MIA
Virtual Wall
Montgomery County Civilian Unit OPBA
Website
Montgomery County Benefits
| |
Grand Lodge FOP News
Washington Watch:
Legislative Update
For the Week of 2 August 2010
I. Legislative News and Activity
II. This Week in Congress
III. Update on FOP Top Legislative Priorities
IV. Update on LEOSA
I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
National President Chuck Canterbury announced that the FOP had four of
its members appointed to the review boards which will consider nominees for the
Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. National President Canterbury
and National Vice President David Hiller will serve on the board reviewing
nominees of State and local officers, and D.C. State Lodge Vice President Andy
Maybo and Michael Stenger, United States Secret
Service Assistant Director, will serve on the board reviewing Federal officer
nominees.
Executive Director Jim Pasco met with Assistant Director Stenger to
discuss the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery and other
security-related issues.
Legislative Liaison Irene Egan met with staff in the office of Senator Alan S.
Franken (D-MN) to discuss draft legislation.
II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
The House was in recess this week, but the Senate was in session. The
Senate is expected to go into recess today until 13 September. The House will
return for one day next week to finalize action on H.R. 1586 and it will return
to recess until after Labor Day.
Action in the Senate
The Senate considered and voted 63-37 in favor of Elena Kagan to be the
next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
The Senate considered and passed H.R. 1586, the "FAA Air Transportation
Modernization and Safety Improvement Act," on 61-39 vote. Despite its name, the
bill would provide $10 billion for education jobs and give six more months of
increased federal Medicaid reimbursements to States at a cost of $16.1 billion.
The bill will be transmitted to the House, which is expected to pass it on a
special one day session next week.
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 currently have a total of three hundred and twenty-two (322)
cosponsors on H.R. 235--more than a House majority! Please note that this total
differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including six (6) Representatives
who are no longer serving in Congress, nor the four (4) Delegates, who have
limited voting rights on the floor.
We currently have thirty (30) 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. Senator Kennedy's successor,
Senator Scott P. Brown (R-MA), is not currently a cosponsor of the bill.
(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/S. 3194, the "Public Safety Employer-Employee
Cooperation Act"
As reported late last month, the Senate rejected all House amendments to
H.R. 4899, the "Supplemental Appropriations Act," including our provision on
collective bargaining. The Majority Leaders in both chambers, Senator Harry M.
Reid (D-NV) and Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), both pledged that they
intend to hold a vote on our bill in this Congress, be it as a stand alone
measure or as part of another vehicle following the Congressional recess.
We currently have two hundred and twenty-one (221) cosponsors on H.R. 413--more
than a House majority! Please note that this total differs slightly from
THOMAS, as we are not including in our count three (3) Representatives no longer
serving in Congress, nor the three (3) Delegates, who have limited voting rights
on the floor.
We currently have twenty-three (23) 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 last year, or Senator Mel Martinez
(R-FL), who resigned his seat last year. Senator Scott P. Brown (R-MA), who
succeeded Senator Kennedy is now a cosponsor, but Senator George LeMieux (R-FL),
who succeeded Senator Martinez, is not.
In addition to S. 1611, Senator Reid introduced S. 3194, which is identical to
S. 1611.
C. Support H.R. 1972, the "Law Enforcement Officer’s Procedural Bill of
Rights Act"
We added one (1) cosponsor to H.R. 1972, bringing our current total to
ten (10) cosponsors.
The Senate companion bill has not yet been introduced.
D. Support H.R. 673, the “Law Enforcement Officers’ Equity Act"
We currently have thirty-four (34) cosponsors on H.R. 673. Please note
that this total differs slightly from THOMAS, as we are not including in our
count two (2) Representative no longer serving in Congress.
The Senate companion bill has not yet been introduced.
IV. UPDATE ON LEGISLATION AMENDING LEOSA
In May, the Senate passed S. 1132 by unanimous consent. This legislation has
been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary for further consideration.
The National Legislative staff is having ongoing dialogue with the Chairman and
Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee regarding S. 1132, as well as staff in
the office of the House Majority Leader to discuss how the bill might be
considered on the House floor.
We currently have fifteen (15) cosponsors on H.R. 3752. Please note we are not
including in our count two (2) Representatives who are no longer serving in
Congress. 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.
|
