FOP Response to NFL's Decision to Prohibit Firearms	09/25/2013
A recent policy change by the National Football League (NFL) prohibits any person from carrying a concealed firearm within any NFL facilitiyundefinedincluding offices, stadiums and practice facilities. Only law enforcement officers and other security personnel employed by the team of stadium will be permitted to carry firearms. It is our understandings that many of the stadiums had similar policies in place for some time, but this season the prohibition is in effect for the entire league and all of its venues. This prohibition includes any person with a valid, State issued concealed carry permit (CCW) as well as active and retired law enforcement officers whose carriage of a concealed firearm would otherwise be legal under the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (LEOSA). Members of the FOP have expressed their anger and, now that they must disarm, concern for their personal safety while attending football games. While the leadership of the FOP is engaged with the corporate leadership of the NFL to convey these views, we do reject any call for FOP members to call for a boycott of the NFL. You can read National President Canterbury's letter to NFL Commissioner Roger S. Goodell here. Boycotts are historically ineffectiveundefinedin fact, they often result in having the opposite of the effect intended. Considering the size, popularity and success of the NFL, it is highly doubtful that we would make a dent in their revenue stream. Secondly, FOP members work these games at these venues. Active duty officers, who are often paid overtime, provide security, traffic and crowd control and patrol the streets and parking lots around the venue. Retired law enforcement officers are also employed at stadiums across the country to provide security and other services for teams and the venues at which they play. It is a variance with common sense to boycott a business that provides employment for our members. It should also be noted that the LEOSA, when enacted in 2004, specifically permits a property owner to disallow firearms on his or her property. The FOP strongly supports the Second Amendment rights of all Americans and the exemptions provided by the LEOSA. However, the right of a property owner to decide who or what is permitted on his or her private property is equally sacrosanct. There are many individuals and businesses who, for whatever reason, do not allow firearms on their property. They have this right. The FOP will continue to work with the NFL leadership to address this issue and mitigate any negative effect it may have on our membership. In addition, we call upon our State and local lodges in the 32 NFL cities to reach out to team owners, venue owners, and local businesses to share the concerns of FOP members with respect to the new NFL policy. Our perspective on this issue has merit and we are much better off engaging cooperatively with the NFL than we are engaging in useless gestures like a boycott.

Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 16 September 2013

I. Legislative News and Activity
II. This Week in Congress
III. Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV. Statement from National President Canterbury on Navy Yard Shootings
V. FOP's National Blue Alert Bill Passed by Senate Committee


I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Executive Director Jim Pasco represented the FOP at a farewell reception for Janet Napolitano, who is leaving her post as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the end of the month.

Executive Director Pasco represented the FOP at an event hosted by the National Fusion Center Association and the Criminal Intelligence Coordination Council.

Executive Director Pasco responded to numerous media inquiries following the shootings at the Nay Yard in Washington, D.C.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson held several discussions with Senate Judiciary Committee staff regarding H.R. 180/S. 357, the "National Blue Alert Act."


II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both the House and the Senate were in session this week.


Action in the House
The House considered and passed H.J. Res. 59, a continuing resolution that will fund the operations of the Federal government and prohibit Federal funds from being spent to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, on a 230-189 vote. The bill will now go to the Senate for further action.

The House considered and passed H.R. 3092, the "Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act," under a suspension of the rules on a 407-2 vote. The bill, which reauhtorizes programs to assist in locating missing children, will be transmitted to the Senate for further action.

The House considered and passed H.R. 3102, the "Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act," on a 217-207 vote. The bill, which would implement reforms to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), now goes to the Senate for further action.


Action in the Senate
The Senate considered, amended and passed H.R. 527, the "Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act," on a 97-2 vote. The bill, which would reform the sale and control of the Federal government's helium supply, will be returned to the House for further action.

The Senate debated S. 1392, the "Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act." A vote on the measure was pushed into next week.

Action in Senate Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled "

Reevaluating the Effectiveness of Federal Mandatory Minimum Sentences."

The Committee on the Judiciary considered and passed S. 357, the "National Blue Alert Act," on a 15-3 vote (See Item V. for more information). The bill is now pending before the Senate.


III. UPDATE ON 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 outhttp://thomas.loc.gov.

A. Support H.R. 1362/S. 1172, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Equity Act"
We have 18 cosponsors on H.R. 1362.

The Senate companion bill, S. 1172, has no cosponsors at this time.

B. Support H.R. 1795/S. 896, the "Security Fairness Act"
We have 92 cosponsors on H.R. 1795.

We added 1 cosponsor to S. 896, bringing our current total to 14.


C. Support Section 1031 of S. 1034, the " National Defense Authorization Act" to grant Statutory Arrest Authority to Civilian DoD Law Enforcement
The legislation, S. 1034, the "National Defense Authorization Act, 2014" contains language crafted in part by the FOP that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Defense to grant statutory arrest authority to its civilian law enforcement officers. This language can be found in Section 1031.


IV. STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL PRESIDENT CANTERBURY ON HE NAVY YARD SHOOTINGS
Yesterday, we witnessed a tragedy unfold in our nation's capital at the Navy Yard--one of the oldest installations of the U.S. Navy. At this time, twelve people and the killer are dead. More are injured, but expected to recover fully. Among the wounded is a 24 year veteran of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, a K-9 Officer that responded to the scene as part of the Active Shooter Response team. The officer is out of surgery and expected to recover.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the all victims.

I am proud of the response of law enforcement to the scene of this horrific crime and the incidents of bravery and heroism that were on display yesterday. All of the agencies that responded to call of the duty are to be commended for the speed and thoroughness of their response, which eliminated the threat and saved lives.

In the days and weeks to come, we will fully cooperate and support the efforts of investigators reviewing the events of yesterday. We stand ready to work with policy-makers, law enforcement agencies, and the U.S. Department of Defense to improve public safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.


V. FOP'S NATIONAL BLUE ALERT BILL PASSED BY SENATE COMMITTEE
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, welcomed news that S. 357, the "National Blue Alert Act," sponsored by Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Lindsay O. Graham (R-SC) was considered and favorably reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary today on a 15-3 vote.

"We are very grateful to the bill's sponsors and cosponsors for their support and, as always, to Chairman Leahy for ensuring its consideration by his committee," Canterbury said. "With his support, we are optimistic that we can get this bill to a vote on the Senate floor."

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, is an original cosponsor of the bill, as are fellow Judiciary Committee members Senators Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Amy J. Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The legislation would establish a "National Blue Alert" system for the local, regional and national dissemination of time-sensitive information to help identify a suspect in the event that a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.

Prior to the bill's consideration Chairman Leahy talked about the importance of the bill to the law enforcement community. He singled out the Fraternal Order of Police for its efforts in support of the measure. Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) also spoke about his strong support for he bill.

"Chairman Leahy, Senators Cardin and Graham put a lot of effort into this legislation and worked very closely with our own National Legislative Office to develop this bill. They deserve our thanks," Canterbury said. "I look forward to working with them and Senate leadership to secure time on the Senate floor for the consideration of the bill."

The Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a 15-3 vote, with Senators Jefferson B. Sessions III (R-AL), Michael S. Lee (R-UT), and Jeffry L. Flake (R-AZ) voting against the bill.

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Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 9 September 2013

I.               Legislative News and Activity
II.     This Week in Congress
III.    Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV.     FOP Scores Victories in Last Week Before Recess
V.      NFOP PAC Coffee Bar at Conference!
VI.     Enter the FOP Foundation Raffle for the chance to win a gun!

     
I.      LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
National President Canterbury was in Washington, D.C. this week for at a meeting with D. Anthony West, Associate Attorney General of the United States and Joshua A. Erdheimer, Acting Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing to discuss the FOP's public safety priorities.  Executive Jim Pasco also attended.

Executive Director Pasco represented the FOP at a law enforcement stakeholder meeting with U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. to express our views and perspectives on the current direction of public safety policy.

Executive Director Pasco attended an event hosted by Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, to bid farewell to his long-time chief counsel, Bruce Cohen.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson held a conference call with Senate Judiciary Committee staff and other stakeholder groups to discuss efforts to move H.R. 180/S. 357, the "National Blue Alert Act."


II.     THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both the House and the Senate returned to session after the August recess.


Action in the House
The House considered and passed H.R. 2275, which would condition the provision of premium and cost-sharing subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act upon a certification that a program to verify household income and other qualifications for such subsidies is operational.

The House considered and passed H.R. 2844, the "Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act," which would improve Congressional oversight of th Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on a 415-0 vote.  The bill now goes to the Senate for further action.

Action in House Committee
The Committee on the Judiciary considered and favorable reported H.R. 2922, which would extend the authority of the Supreme Court Police to protect court officials away from the Supreme Court grounds, by voice vote.  The bill is now pending before the House.

Action in the Senate
The Senate debated S. J. Res. 21, a resolution authorizing the use of military force against the Syrian government.

Action in Senate Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled "Conflicts between State and Federal Marijuana Laws."  James M. Cole, Deputy Attorney General of the United States, testified before the Committee.


III.       UPDATE ON 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.  Support H.R. 1362/S. 1172, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Equity Act"
We have 18 cosponsors on H.R. 1362.

The Senate companion bill, S. 1172, has no cosponsors at this time.

B.  Support H.R. 1795/S. 896, the "Security Fairness Act"
We added 4 cosponsors to H.R. 1795, bringing our current total to 92.

We added 1 cosponsor to S. 896, bringing our current total to 13.


C.  Support Section 1031 of S. 1034, the " National Defense Authorization Act" to grant Statutory Arrest Authority to Civilian DoD Law Enforcement
The legislation, S. 1034, the "National Defense Authorization Act, 2014" contains language crafted in part by the FOP that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Defense to grant statutory arrest authority to its civilian law enforcement officers.  This language can be found in Section 1031. 




 

When

Monday September 30, 2013 at 7:00 AM CDT
-to-
Friday October 4, 2013 at 4:00 PM CDT
Add to Calendar

When

Monday November 11, 2013 at 7:30 AM CST
-to-
Friday November 15, 2013 at 4:30 PM CST
Add to Calendar

Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 3 June 2013

I. Legislative News and Activity
II. This Week in Congress
III. Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV. FOP Makes Important Strides on DoD Arrest Issue: LEOSA Changes Remain Mired in Red Tape
V. Support the National FOP Foundation!


I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Executive Director Jim Pasco met with with Bruce Cohen, chief counsel to Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, to discuss upcoming action on S. 394, the “Metal Theft Prevention Act,” and pending nominations.

Executive Director Pasco spoke with several officials within the Administration regarding pending nominations.

PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Grace Lynch met with majority staff on the House Committee on the Judiciary to discuss efforts to grant statutory arrest authority to civilian law enforcement officers employed by The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Lynch met with staff in the office of Representative Peter T. King (R-NY) to discuss cooperative efforts on H.R. 1362, the “Law Enforcement Officers' Equity Act.”

PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Lynch met with staff in the office of Representative Michael G. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) to discuss H.R. 1969, the “Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act.”

PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Lynch met with staff in the office of Representative Jason E. Chaffetz (R-UT) to discuss issues relevant to the FOP.


II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both the House and the Senate were in session this week.

Action in the House
The House considered and passed H.R. 2216, the "Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 ," on a 421-4 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

The House considered and passed H.R. 2217, the "Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014," on a 245-182 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

Action in House Committees
The Committee on Armed Services considered, amended and favorably reported H.R. 1960, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014," on a 59-2 vote. The bill, which includes the FOP's language that would allow the Secretary of Defense to grant civilian law enforcement officers employed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) statutory arrest authority, can now be considered by the full House. (See Item IV. for additional details.)

Action in the Senate
The Senate failed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the consideration of S. 953, the "Student Loan Affordability Act," on a 51-46 vote. The bill was pulled from the floor.

The Senate invoked cloture on the motion to proceed to the consideration of S. 954, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act," on a 75-22 vote. The Senate will continue debate on the measure next week.

The Senate began consideration of S. 744, the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act," on the Senate floor.


III. UPDATE ON 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 outhttp://thomas.loc.gov.

A. Support H.R. 1362, the "Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act"
We added 1 new cosponsor to H.R. 1362, bringing our current total to 14.

The Senate version of the bill has not yet been reintroduced.


B. Support H.R. 1795/S. 896, the "Security Fairness Act"
We added 15 cosponsors to H.R. 1795, bringing our current total to 61.

We added two cosponsors to S. 896, bringing our current total to 8.


C. Support Section 1031 of H.R. 1960, the " National Defense Authorization Act" to grant Statutory Arrest Authority to Civilian DoD Law Enforcement
The legislation, H.R. 1960, the "National Defense Authorization Act, 2014" contains language crafted in part by the FOP that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Defense to grant statutory arrest authority to its civilian law enforcement officers. This language can be found in Section 1031.

The bill has 1 cosponsor and was favorably reported by the Committee on Armed Services on a 59-2 vote. The bill will next be taken up by the House. (See Item IV. for additional details.)


IV. FOP Makes Important Strides on DoD Arrest Issue: LEOSA Changes Remain Mired in Red Tape
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, said that the organization cleared a major hurdle in its effort to amend Federal law and grant statutory arrest authority to civilian law enforcement officers employed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

“The language that was crafted in part and approved by our Federal Officers’ Committee was included in H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014,” Canterbury said. “This is significant because we’ve passed this same language several times through the Senate, only to have the House strip it out. The language was included in the House bill at introduction and now has passed full committee. We’re optimistic that we can keep it in the final bill.”

The proposed language would grant the U.S. Secretary of Defense the same general powers and authorities that were provided to the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security in 2002. If adopted, the Secretary of Defense will be able to establish regulations that are enforceable by criminal penalties for property under the jurisdiction, custody, or control of the DoD. Because this has become such a genuine security and public safety issue, some DoD law enforcement agencies, like the Defense Intelligence Agency Police, sought deputization from the U.S. Marshals Service to empower them to exercise law enforcement powers.

“The lack of this authority is keenly felt by civilian law enforcement officers employed by the DoD,” Canterbury explained. “It is negatively impacting officer morale and, more importantly, public safety. For instance, many of the civilian law enforcement officers have to deal with a growing population of non-DoD-affiliated civilians living in privatized housing on DoD installations. Without the statutory arrest authority or the ability to create regulations with criminal penalties, law enforcement officers responding to a call for service cannot make an arrest. They can call local law enforcement, which may or may not respond, because many DoD installations are located in remote areas. In such cases, their authority extends only to evicting the individual from the installation—leaving the criminal act unaddressed and the public at continued risk.”

“The civilian law enforcement officers employed by the DoD are fully trained and sworn and they should have the authorities that go with that training and not be forced to call officers from another agency or shop around to non-DoD entities to secure the authority they need to make these installations safe for civilian and military populations,” Canterbury said.

Canterbury also stated that FOP staff has been in regular communication with DoD officials as they work on new instructions and regulations to implement the changes to Federal law clarifying that civilian law enforcement officers employed by and retired from the DoD, as well as military personnel serving as law enforcement officers, unambiguously meet the definitions in the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act (LEOSA). President Obama signed these changes into law in January of this year.

“We expected the process would be slow and had some hope that the new regulations would be issued by this summer, but that no longer seems to be the case,” Canterbury said. “The proposed regulations are currently under review by the Office of General Counsel within the Department and this review could take several months.”

Following this process, the proposed changes will be published in the Federal Register and be open for public comment. The comments will be collected for review and some changes, based on the comments received, could be made. Once the comment and review period has concluded, the new regulations will be published in the Code of Federal Regulations and take effect.

“Unfortunately, there is no way to hurry this process,” Canterbury said. “The proposed rule has to be posted for a certain length of time and the review process is also prescribed by Federal law and regulation.”

Various branches of the Armed Forces have issued memoranda that the LEOSA exemption does not attach until such time as the Department and its components revise their existing instructions. The FOP does not agree with this interpretation and we understand that the Department’s own legal review concluded that the law is the law and is self-executing.

“With that said, there is a question as to whether the photographic identification carried by civilian law enforcement officers and military police personnel meet the requirements of the Federal statute,” Canterbury said. “No one wants to be a test case, so we are asking our Federal DoD members to be patient for just a little longer while the gears of government grind forward.”


V. SUPPORT THE NATIONAL FOP FOUNDATION!
The FOP Foundation will host a raffle which begins during National Police Week (May 13-15) and ends at the 61st Biennial National Conference. This raffle will benefit the many programs the Foundation supports. Winners will be announced after the 61st Biennial National Conference, you do not need to be present to win!

Raffle prizes include:

• Beretta USA a Model 92FS pistol
• Blackhawk Medium A.L.E.R.T. Bag
• Blackhawk CQD Mark 1 Type E Knife
• Blackhawk Weapons Transport Case
• Colt LE6920 Rifle
• Columbia River Knife & Tool Company Eat’n Tool
• Columbia River Knife & Tool Company Onion Redemption Fixed Blade
• Columbia River Knife & Tool Company M21 Carson: Special Forces
• JetBlue gift certificates
• Gift certificate for HAIX Black Eagle Tactical 20 Mid shoes
• AR-15 Bluegun
• Otis Rifle Cleaning Kit
• Otis Pistol Cleaning Kit
• Horace Small Jackets
• 5 Year B.A.S.S. membership & gear
• 1 year B.A.S.S. membership & gear
• Weaver Tactical Scope
• And much more!

Raffle tickets are $20 each or $80 for 5 tickets. You can purchase tickets online here (http://www.fopconnect.com/fop-foundation-police-week-raffle/). You do not need to be present to win.

Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 15 April 2013

I. Legislative News and Activity
II. This Week in Congress
III. Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV. Federal Officers' Potentially Affected by Sequestration
V. FOP Teams Up with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

STATEMENT FROM CHUCK CANTERBURY
This has been an incredibly difficult week for our country. We saw an act of terror in Boston that took the lives of innocents and wounded more than a hundred, yet we saw saw acts of courage and hope from the law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and from our fellow citizens who responded to the pleas and cries for help on the sidewalks of Boyleston Street.

In the hunt to capture the men suspected of perpetrating this horrific act, Officer Sean Collier of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department was killed in the line of duty and Richard Donohue of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police was severely wounded. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of the incident and for the safety of the men and women in law enforcement as they pursue the remaining suspect.

In Texas, an accidental explosion has left an unknown number of dead and wounded, including a constable and several firefighters who initially responded to the scene. My thoughts and prayers are with these families as well.

In times of grief and tragedy, we must take comfort and draw strength from our families and communities. The FOP brotherhood and our extended law enforcement family will pull together and get through these difficult times. And we will do it together.


I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson attended a briefing hosted by Joshua A. Ederheimer, Acting Direcor of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) in the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the grant solicitations for this year and the FY14 budget request.

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson spoke with John F. Awtrey, Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Policy and Support in the U.S. Department of Defense, about legislation allowing the Secretary of Defense to grant statutory arrest authority to civilian law enforcement officers employed by the Department and other issues.

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson and PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Grace Lynch met with Douglas A. Wain, Executive Director of Win The War! Against Violence, about crime and violence issues.

Staff from the National Legislative Office attended a briefing on justice reinvestment, which featured panelists with knowledge of the on-the-ground experience in Delaware and Kentucky with the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). This program aims to increase public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control corrections costs by tasking States and localities with collecting and analyzing data on all aspects of the criminal justice system.


II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both the House and the Senate were in session this week.

Action in the House
The House considered, amended and passed three cyber security bills this week:

• H.R. 756, the "Cybersecurity Enhancement Act," on a 402-16 vote;
• H.R. 967, the "Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act," on a 406-11 vote; and
• H.R. 1163, the "Federal Information Security Amendments Act," on a 416-16 vote.

All three bills will now be transmitted to the Senate for further action.

Action in House Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled the "Mismanagement at the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

The Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee on Appropriations held a hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice at which U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. gave testimony.

Action in the Senate
The Senate debated S. 649, the "Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act," and held votes on the following amendments, all of which required 60 votes to be adopted:

• S. Amdt. 711, which would have banned certain types of firearms described as "assault weapons," was defeated on a 40-60 vote;
• S. Amdt. 713, which would have provided penalties to deter straw purchases and trafficking in firearms, was defeated on a 58-42 vote;
• S. Amdt. 714, which would have prohibited the manufacture, possession or sale of magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition was defeated on a 46-54 vote;
• S. Amdt. 715, which would have expanded Federal background checks to include firearms purchased online and at gun shows, was defeated on a 54-46 vote;
• S. Amdt. 717, which would penalize law enforcement agencies by withholding Federal funding if local or State governments released certain information on law-abiding gun owners, was passed on a 67-30 vote;
• S. Amdt. 719, which would have provided reciprocity between States that issue concealed carry permits, was defeated on a 57-43 vote;
• S. Amdt. 720, which would have prevent mentally incapacitated veterans from having a Federal firearms disability unless a court finds the individual poses a danger to himself or others, was defeated on a 56-44 vote;
• S. Amdt. 725, an amendment in the nature of a substitute which provided grants to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) database, prohibit straw purchases, trafficking, and mental health records, was defeated on a 52-48 vote;
• S. Amdt. 730, which would establish and reauthorize various programs to identify and provide services and support to the mentally ill, was adopted on a 95-2 vote.

The Senate then set aside further action on S. 649.

Action in Senate Committees
The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on the nomination of Thomas A. Perez, current Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Justice, to be the next Secretary of Labor.

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing on the Administration's FY14 budget request.


III. UPDATE ON 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 outhttp://thomas.loc.gov.

Support H.R. 1362, the "Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act"
We added one cosponsor to H.R. 1362, bringing our total to 11.


IV. Federal Officers' Potentially Affected by Sequestration
Over the last few months, political squabbling over the sequester and budget cuts have caused great concern for law enforcement at all levels of government. While the FOP has been working against these reductions, Washington politicians have resigned themselves to allowing these harsh across-the-board cuts to all departments, even departments that have seen significant budget reductions over the last several years. The FOP is keenly aware of the potentially devastating results these continued cuts will have and we are deeply troubled by the impact they will have on all law enforcement officers as well as public safety. These cuts will hurt all of us and the public we are sworn to protect.

Federal officers, please know that, during this crisis, the National Fraternal Order of Police is working with your Federal Officers Committee to ensure your voice is heard on Capitol Hill. We will do all we can to mitigate any negative effects while continuing to support you. We have dedicated ourselves to working for you and we have made the resources of our National Legislative Office available to your Federal Officers Committee. We are committed to ensuring your loyal and hard work does not go unnoticed or fall further victim to political bargaining.

 FY13 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grants Now Accepting Applications
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) announced the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 BVP application funding period. The BVP, created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is a unique U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to State and local law enforcement.

Applications for FY 2013 BVP funds will be accepted beginning Monday, April 8, 2013. All applications must be submitted online by 6:00 pm (Eastern Time), Monday, May 20, 2013.

Further information, eligibility criteria, and the online application can be found on the BVP website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bvpbasi/


V. FOP Teams Up with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The National Fraternal Order of Police has joined forces with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) on their safety prevention resource, Take 25 campaign.

Take 25 encourages law enforcement to host their own child safety events. You can help to promote Take 25 by completing child ID kits in your community, hosting a school safety presentation, or distributing important safety information to parents and children. The resources provided by Take 25 include child ID kits, safety tips, and discussion guidelines--all of which help parents to begin an on-going conversation with their children about safety. All Take 25 child safety materials are available free of charge.

Each Take 25 event organizer receives an outreach kit which includes a campaign overview, sample outreach documents, event planning resources, and other materials that can be distributed at each event.

Please visit our website athttp://www.fop.net/causes/take25/ to learn more about the Take 25 campaign. If you have any more questions or would like to schedule an event please contact NCMEC Special Programs Coordinator Jenna Ryckebusch at (703) 837-6112 or jryckebusch@ncmec.org or the FOP Liaison Grace Lynch at (202) 547-8189 or glynch@fop.net.

Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 25 February 2013

I. Legislative News and Activity
II. This Week in the 113th Congress
III. Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV. National Labor Office: Help Wanted!


I. LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
National President Canterbury was in Washington, D.C. for the FOP's annual Day on the Hill event. National President Canterbury, Executive Director Jim Pasco and members of the National Legislative Office staff spoke at the legislative briefing hosted by D.C. Lodge #1.

National President Canterbury also attended a fundraiser hosted Executive Director Pasco for Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary.

National President Canterbury and Executive Director Pasco met with B. Todd Jones, Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the U.S. Department of Justice, to discuss firearms issues and the relationship between the ATF and rank-and-file officers.

Executive Director Pasco attended a fundraiser for Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Minority Whip for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Executive Director Pasco also met with Dr. Kimberly O'Connor, Chief of Staff, for the Customs and Border Patrol in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to discuss immigration issues.

Executive Director Pasco had numerous discussions with Congressional staff and other organizations on firearms issues.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson met with Lou Cannon, Chairman of the Federal Officers' Committee and Committee Member Chad Jones to talk about the FOP's strategy on getting statutory arrest authority for civilian law enforcement officers employed by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson spoke to staff in the office of Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) to discuss the FOP's legislative priorities and the National Blue Alert Act.

PAC Director/Legislative Liaison Grace Lynch joined Federal Officers' Committee Member Chad Jones in a meeting staff in the office of Representative Scott H. Peters (D-CA) to discuss Federal law enforcement officer issues.

Approximately 100 FOP members were in Washington, D.C. to participate in the FOP's annual Day on the Hill.


II. THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both the House and the Senate were in session this week.

Action in the House
The House considered and passed S. 47, the "Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act" on a 286-138 vote. The FOP has not taken a position on S. 47, but we do support a provision in the bill that is identical to S. 80, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act, which will help State and local law enforcement agencies to reduce the laboratory and storage rape kit backlogs. The bill now goes to the President, who is expected to sign the bill.

Action in House Committees
The House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security held a hearing entitled, "How E-Verify Works and How it Benefits American Employers and Workers."


Action in the Senate
The Senate considered and rejected cloture on a motion to proceed to the consideration of S. 16, a bill to replace the sequester cuts, on a 38-62 vote.

The Senate considered and rejected cloture on a motion to proceed to the consideration of S. 388, the "American Family Economic Protection Act," which would replace the sequester cuts.

The Senate confirmed Charles T. Hagel to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense on a 58-41 votes and Jacob L. Lew to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury on a 71-26 vote.

Action in Senate Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on S. 150, the "Assault Weapons Ban."


III. UPDATE ON TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
At this time, none of our top priorities have been reintroduced. The Legislative Office is working with House and Senate staffers to reintroduce these important pieces of legislation in the 113th Congress.


IV. NATIONAL LABOR SERVICES OFFICE: HELP WANTED!

FT position: The National Fraternal Order of Police is seeking a candidate for the position of Labor Specialist for the Division of Labor Services. This position will interact with law enforcement personnel at all levels of government (Federal State and Local). This is a full-time position that will require extensive travel. Applicants should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in a labor relations, human resources, or member services environment. Preference will be given to experience in the public sector labor relations, particularly with regard to law enforcement.

To apply, please send a detailed resume and cover letter to:

labor@fop.net
or
Fraternal Order of Police, Labor Services Division
222 E. Town St
Columbus, Ohio 43215
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PT Position:
The National Fraternal Order of Police is seeking a candidate in the state of Maine for the position of Labor Specialist for the Division of Labor. This is a part-time position that will require extensive travel. This position will interact with law enforcement personnel at all levels of government (Federal State and Local). Applicants should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in a labor relations, human resources, or member services environment. Preference will be given to experience in the public sector labor relations, particularly with regard to law enforcement.

To apply, please send a detailed resume and cover letter to:

labor@fop.net
or
Fraternal Order of Police, Labor Services Division
222 E. Town St
Columbus, Ohio 43215

V. FOP ALERT: IMPACT OF NEW NY GUN LAWS
This alert is to advise members of the Fraternal Order of Police that recent changes to firearms laws in New York may impact active and retired officers visiting the State and carrying concealed firearms under the auspices of the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (LEOSA).

New York State law prohibits the possession of magazines holding more than seven (7) rounds. The exemption provided by the LEOSA from State and local prohibitions on the carriage of concealed firearms doesNOT exempt active and retired officers from State or local laws regulating magazines. It is unlawful for out-of-State active or retired law enforcement officers to possess a magazine which is capable of holding more than seven (7) rounds in the State of New York and you could face a criminal charge. It is our understanding that the prohibition on magazines went into effect immediately.

While the National Legislative Office has not done a full legal analysis of the new laws, it is very clear that this provision in the new laws will have an immediate effect on FOP members traveling to or through the State of New York. In addition, retired law enforcement officers living in New York--even those who have retired or separated from their agency in good standing in the State of New York--may also be affected by the ban on magazines capable of holding more than seven (7) rounds.

We urge our members that choose to carry concealed firearms in New York under the auspices of the LEOSA to follow the law and use good judgement. Any questions about the new laws in the State of New York should be directed to the New York State Troopers or Office of the Attorney General of New York.