[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3381 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3381
To authorize the Attorney General to establish the National Law
Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach
program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 16, 2023
Mr. Nehls (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Ezell,
Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Brownley, Mr.
Ferguson, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Boebert, Ms. Craig, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr.
Davis of North Carolina, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Bacon, Mr.
Carter of Texas, Mr. Gooden of Texas, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Carl, Mr. Bost,
Mr. Banks, Mr. Alford, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Van Drew, and Mr.
Reschenthaler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Attorney General to establish the National Law
Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach
program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Law Enforcement Officers
Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the
National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, represent
the only law enforcement campus in the United States and serves
a critical national mission of honoring and remembering those
law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty,
educating the public about the important role of law
enforcement in a democratic society, and working to reduce the
number of line of duty deaths and injuries among law
enforcement.
(2) It is in the national interest to ensure that the
unique education and outreach programs of the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and National Law Enforcement
Museum be maintained and enhanced.
(3) In 1984, Congress passed, and President Ronald Reagan
signed into law, a joint resolution to authorize the Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., to establish a
National Law Enforcement Heroes Memorial (Public Law 98-534) in
Washington, DC.
(4) Dedicated on October 15, 1991, the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial honors Federal, State, local, and
Tribal law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate
sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation and its
people. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is
centered in the 400 block of E Street, NW, Washington, DC and
is the nation's monument to law enforcement officers who have
died in the line of duty. The Memorial was built entirely with
private funds.
(5) In 2000, Congress passed, and President William J.
Clinton signed into law, the National Law Enforcement Museum
Act (Public Law 106-492), which authorized the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc. to build the National
Law Enforcement Museum on Federal land in Washington, DC, to
honor and commemorate the service and sacrifice of law
enforcement officers in the United States.
(6) In April 2016, construction began on the National Law
Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, across the street from
the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Judiciary
Square. In October of 2018 the National Law Enforcement Museum
was completed and formally opened in October of 2018. No
Federal funds were used to build the museum.
(7) The National Law Enforcement Museum's mission is--
(A) to honor and commemorate the extraordinary
service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement
officers;
(B) to serve as an important bridge between law
enforcement's past and present, between the heroes of
yesteryear and those who have followed in their
footsteps, and between America's peace officers and the
public they serve; and
(C) to increase public understanding and support
for law enforcement and to promote law enforcement
safety.
(8) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall
in Washington, DC, which includes the names of every law
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in American
history. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
adds names of fallen officers to the Memorial wall every year.
(9) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has
become the foremost organization in the country that
memorializes law enforcement heroes who die in the line of duty
and compiles statistics on law enforcement fatalities and
injuries.
(10) The programs of the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial Fund and the National Law Enforcement Museum play a
critical role in educating the public about the vital
importance of law enforcement in a democratic society and the
critical role law enforcement plays in protecting and serving
the public, and the sacrifices law enforcement officers have
made to serve in this role and protect the public.
(11) The community education and outreach programs,
activities, and special exhibits within the National Law
Enforcement Museum help bring local law enforcement agencies
closer to the communities they serve, and help to foster a
better understanding between law enforcement and communities.
(12) The National Law Enforcement Museum's Officer Safety
and Wellness education and outreach programs and activities
help provide local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies
with critical information on best practices to reduce the
number of line of duty deaths and injuries and provide
communities and the public with education concerning the
sacrifices made. These programs, activities, and special
exhibits are vitally important at a time when annual line of
duty deaths among law enforcement officers remain at an
historically high level.
(13) Since the establishment of the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial in 1991, the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has worked cooperatively
with local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies to
properly honor the sacrifices made by law enforcement and
provide key programming to reduce the number of law enforcement
fatalities and injuries, and foster better understanding
between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
(14) Law enforcement agencies around the country are
dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation in officer
and community safety, and to building trust through community-
based engagement and interventions.
(15) Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in
the number of law enforcement officers resigning or retiring.
According to the Police Executive Research Forum, over the past
3 years there has been an almost 24 percent increase in the
number of law enforcement officers retiring, and more than 47
percent increase in the number of law enforcement officers
resigning.
(16) Over the past 2 years, a number of local governments
have decreased funding for local law enforcement agencies at a
critical time when law enforcement agencies are having a
difficult time recruiting and retaining officers. A number of
law enforcement agencies across the country remain
understaffed, and many law enforcement agencies have been
forced to declare personnel emergencies and require mandatory
overtime.
(17) The resulting deficit in confidence and support
jeopardizes public safety. A sustained national effort to
restore confidence and understanding in law enforcement is
urgently needed.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS REMEMBRANCE,
SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish within the
Department of Justice a National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance,
Support, and Community Outreach Program (hereinafter referred to as
``the Program'').
(b) Programs.--During the first 7 fiscal years beginning after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall award a
grant under the Program to the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial Fund for the expenses associated with operating and enhancing
the community outreach, public education, and officer safety and
wellness programs operated by the of the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Fund and National Law Enforcement Museum, including
programs to--
(1) memorialize law enforcement heroes who died in the line
of duty and compile statistics on law enforcement fatalities
and injuries;
(2) honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and
sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers;
(3) increase public understanding of and support for law
enforcement, and bring local law enforcement agencies closer to
the communities they serve;
(4) educate the public about the vital importance of law
enforcement in a democratic society and the critical role law
enforcement plays in protecting and serving the public, and the
sacrifices law enforcement officers have made to serve in this
role and protect the public;
(5) provide local, State and Federal law enforcement
agencies with critical information on best practices to reduce
the number of line of duty deaths and injuries and provide
communities and the public with education concerning the
sacrifices made;
(6) facilitate forums around the country to educate local,
State and Federal law enforcement agencies about best practices
to promote officer safety and wellness, as well as community-
based engagement and interventions.
(c) Progress Report.--For each of the first 7 fiscal years the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is awarded a grant
under the Program, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
shall submit a report to the Attorney General that--
(1) documents, consistent with the funding provided from
the Department, the progress in delivering public education,
community outreach and officer safety and wellness programming;
(2) provides a formal accounting of total amounts of
Federal funds expended during the fiscal year.
(d) Submission to Congress.--Each fiscal year, the Attorney General
shall submit the report required under subsection (c) to Congress and
shall make the report available to the public on the internet website
of the Department of Justice.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Attorney General to carry out this section $6,000,000 for
each of the first 7 fiscal years beginning after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(2) Exception.--If in any fiscal year the amount
appropriated pursuant to the authorization under paragraph (1)
is not the full amount provided by such paragraph, the Attorney
General may transfer such sums as may be necessary from the
Office of Justice Programs, up to the amount specified in
paragraph (1), to carry out this section.
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