Bills Introduced, 110th Congress
 

Budget
The President presented Congress with his budget proposal for fiscal year 2008, eliminating funding for several programs affecting law enforcement, including the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. 
President's Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Justice
President's Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Collective Bargaining
H.R.980, introduced by Congressman Kildee, would provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or local governments.

Firearms
S. 376 introduced by Senator Leahy.  This legislation would to streamline current law regarding the carrying of concealed weapons across state lines.  This legislation would give retired officers more flexibility in obtaining certification and reduces from 15 to 10 the years of service required for a retired officer to qualify under the law. More Info.  

H.R.226, introduced by Congressman Stearns, would provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State. 

Gangs
S. 456
, introduced by Senator Feinstein.  This legislation would 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, and for other purposes.

Grant Programs
S. 231 introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein.  This legislation would authorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program at fiscal year 2006 levels through 2012. This measure passed the Committee on the Judiciary on March 15th.

S. 368, introduced by Senator Biden. This legislation would enance the COPS on the beat grant program.  Authorizes grants to: (1) hire school resource officers and establish local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in elementary and secondary schools; (2) establish and implement programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug activities, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of methamphetamine; and (3) meet emerging law enforcement needs, as warranted. The bill would authorizes the use of grants to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers.  This legislation passed the Committee on the Judiciary on March 15th.

Homeland Security
S.345, introduced by Senator Joseph Biden.  This legislation would establish a Homeland Security and Neighborhood Safety Trust Fund and refocus Federal priorities toward securing the Homeland.

S. 510, the Urban Area Security Initiative Improvement Act of 2007, introduced by Senator Boxer.  This legislation would specify that the 100 most populous urban ares of the United States, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall be eligible for grants under the Urban Area Security Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security.

S. 608, the Risk-Based Homeland Security Grants Act of 2007, introduced by Senator Feinstein.  This legislation would amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to set forth provisions governing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant funding for first responders pursuant to the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Urban Area Security Initiative, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, and the Citizen Corps Program.

Honoring Law Enforcement Officers
H.R. 146, the Law Enforcement Officers Flag Memorial Act introduced by Congressman Gene Green.  This legislation would allow the family of a deceased law enforcement officer to request, and the Attorney General to provide, a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol in honor of the officer, to be supplied by the Architect of the Capitol.

Housing
H.R.172, introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee.  This legislation would assist teachers and public safety officers in obtaining affordable housing.

Identification
S.276, introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein.  This legislation would strengthen the consequences of the fraudulent use of United States or foreign passports and for other purposes.  

Immigration

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Inmates
H.R. 178, introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee.  This legislation would require the Attorney General to allow community organizations to distribute condoms and engage in sexually transmitted infection counseling in federal correctional facilities.  The bill prohibits a federal correctional facility from taking adverse action against a prisoner who possesses or uses a condom.  H.R. 178 expresses the sense of Congress that states should allow for the legal distribution of sexual barrier protection devices in their correctional facilities.

Officer Privacy
S. 238 introduced by Senator Feinstein.  This measure includes a provision advocated by RSA to prevent state and local governments from allowing inmates to have access to social security numbers.

Officer Rights
H.R.688, introduced by Congressman Jim Ramstad.  This legislation would provide standards and procedures to guide both 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.

S.449 introduced by Senator Joseph Biden.  This legislation would  provide standards and procedures to guide both 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.  Cosponsors

Prison Privatization
H.R. 1889, introduced by Congressman Tim Holden on April 17, 2007.  This legislation would require prisons and other correctional facilities holding Federal prisoners under a contract with the Federal Government to make the same information available to the public that Federal prisons and correctional facilities are required to do by law.  This legislation has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R. 1890, introduced by Congressman Tim Holden on April 17, 2007.  This
legislation would prohibit federal funds to be used by local and state governments for prison privatization.

Retirement
S. 206, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2007, introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein.  This legislation would repeal the Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions that affect social security retirement income. 

H.R. 82, introduced by Congressman Howard Berman, is the House companion bill to S. 206.


H.R. 726, introduced by Congressman Barney Frank.  This legislation would restrict the application of the windfall elimination provision to individuals whose combined monthly income from benefits under such title and other monthly periodic payments exceeds a minimum COLA-adjusted amount of $2,500 and to provide for a graduated implementation of such provision on amounts above such minimum amount.


S.47, introduced by Senator John Ensign. This legislation would establish a Law Enforcement Assistance Force in the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate the contributions of retired law enforcement officers during major disasters.   Senator Ensign offered this language as amendment 446 to S. 4 and it passed by unanimous consent on March 13, 2007.

SCAAP
H.R.842, introduced by Congressman Charles Norwood.  This legislation would  provide for enhanced Federal, State, and local assistance in the enforcement of the immigration laws, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and to authorize appropriations to carry out the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, and for other purposes.

Union
H.R. 800. The so-called "union card-check" would allow workers to form unions by signing a cards instead of holding elections. The bill would change collective bargaining rules for first contracts and allow either party to call for mediation by Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service is an agreement is not reached within 90 days.  If the Service fails to resolve the dispute in 30 days, a government-appointed arbiter could step in and set the final contract terms. The bill would also increase sanctions for workers who retaliate against workers involved in organizing campaigns. The employers would pay fines and back-pay to workers fired or otherwise punished. 

 

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