A resolution commemorating and acknowledging the dedication and sacrifice made by the men and women who have lost their lives while serving as law enforcement officers.

Mr. President, I join in introducing a bipartisan resolution to designate May 15, 2006, as National Peace Officers Memorial Day.

This is the tenth year running that I have been involved in the introduction of this resolution to keep alive in the memory of all Americans the sacrifice and commitment of those law enforcement officers who lost their lives serving their communities. For 8 years I introduced this resolution with my old friend and our former colleague Senator Campbell, a former deputy sheriff who was a true leader on this issue. Now I have teamed with Senator Specter, another former prosecutor, in this worthy cause. We have all witnessed firsthand the risks faced by law enforcement officers every day while they serve and protect our communities.

I also want to thank each of our Nation's law enforcement officers for their commitment to the safety and protection of their fellow citizens. They are the real-life heroes; too many of whom too often make the ultimate sacrifice. It is important to support and respect our state and local police officers and all of our first responders.

Currently, more than 850,000 men and women who guard our communities do so at great risk. Each year, one in 16 officers is assaulted, one in 56 officers is injured, and one in 5,500 officers is killed in the line of duty in the United States every other day. After the hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, 72 peace officers died while trying to ensure that their fellow citizens in those buildings got to safety. That act of terrorism resulted in the highest number of peace officers ever killed in a single incident in the history of our country, and is a tragic reminder of how important it is for the Congress to provide all of the resources necessary to protect officers in the line of duty.

In 2005, 156 law enforcement officers died while serving in the line of duty, well below the decade-long average of 169 deaths annually, and a major drop from 2001 when a total of 237 officers were killed. A number of factors contributed to this reduction including better equipment and the increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved

training and advanced emergency medical care. And, in total, more than 17,500 men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice.

In the 108th Congress, we shepherded into law a number of measures to make a difference in the lives of all police officers and the communities they serve. We improved the Justice Department's Public Safety Officers Benefits program by making law the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act, P.L. No. 108-182: which allows survivors of public safety officers who suffer fatal heart attacks or strokes while participating in nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical activities to qualify for Federal survivor benefits.

We also enacted the Campbell-Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act, P.L. No. 108-372, which extends through FY 2007 the authorization of appropriations for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. This program helps State, tribal and local jurisdictions purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers.

Incredibly, President Bush has proposed significant cuts to the bulletproof vest program in his fiscal year 2007 budget proposal, but I will work with other Senators to make sure the program is fully funded. Bulletproof vests have saved the lives of thousands of officers and are a fundamental line of defense that no officer should be without. I know I am not alone in calling for the Senate to fully fund the bulletproof vest program and I truly hope Senators will agree that it is critical that we provide the funding authorized for this program. Hundreds of thousands of police officers are counting on us.

The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which Senator Campbell and I championed in the Senate, was signed into law, P.L. No: 108-277. This measure established national measures of uniformity and consistency to permit trained and certified on-duty, off-duty or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in most situations so that they may respond immediately to crimes across State and other jurisdictional lines, as well as to protect themselves and their families from vindictive criminals.

National Peace Officers Memorial Day will provide the people of the United States with the opportunity to honor the extraordinary service and sacrifice given year after year by our police forces. More than 20,000 peace officers are expected to gather in Washington to join with the families of their fallen comrades. I hope all Senators will join me in honoring their service by passing this important bipartisan legislation.

Mr. President, I commemorate the hard work and sacrifices made daily by law enforcement officers all across our great land. Many have lost their lives in the line of duty so that our families and communities may remain safe. We must never forget those who have given their lives to protect us all.

The annual celebration of Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week during the calendar week has its roots in Public Law 87- 726, which was signed into law on October 1, 1962 by President John F. Kennedy. Public Law 87-726 designated this day and week as a time for ``recognition of the service given by the men and women who, night and day, stand guard in our midst to protect us through enforcement of our laws.'' This law was later amended during the 103rd Congress as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994 to order the United States flag on all Government buildings displayed at half-staff on May 15.

Since the turn of the last century, more than 60 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in New Mexico. This year, among other activities, law enforcement officers from around the country honored the lives of three New Mexico police officers whose names were recently added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. One occurred a very long time ago, and the two others just last year.

Officer Michael R. King and Officer Richard W. Smith, Jr., both of the Albuquerque Police Department, are two of the three officers being honored this year. Their deaths occurred on a day that has become ingrained in the hearts of most New Mexicans as one of the bloodiest and most tragic in recent times. Officers King and Smith, longtime veterans of the Albuquerque Police Department, were responding to a call on August 20, 2005 ordering the pickup of a mental health patient from Kaseman Hospital. When they arrived at the scene, Officers King and Smith had no way of knowing that the subject of their call, John Hyde would be implicated in the shooting deaths of three people earlier that day. During the pickup Officers King and Smith were gunned down in the street before their murderer fled on a motorcycle. It took a force of approximately 300 of their fellow officers to chase down and finally apprehend the man responsible for the deaths of these brave and respected police officers.

The other officer honored this year was gunned down in Hope, New Mexico approximately 108 years ago. At the time, Eddy County Deputy Sheriff Bud Johnson had traveled to Hope in order to serve a warrant on one L.E. Pratt in regard to an infraction over water control. According to the Eddy County Sheriff's Department, Pratt shot and killed Bud Johnson with a shotgun when he was notified of the warrant. Deputy Sheriff Johnson died immediately.

Deputy Johnson's death shows us that the dangers of police work have been present throughout the long history of our Nation. All too recently, citizens of New Mexico mourned the loss of Deputy James McGrane, Jr., who was killed on March 22, 2006 during a traffic stop in Tijeras, NM. While we remember those who have lost their lives, we also take solace in the fact that many others have been able to survive the dangers of duty. Officer John Garcia, Officer Josh Otzenberger, Sergeant Carol Oleksak, Deputy Shaun Sanchez, and Sheriff's pilot Chris Holland were all shot during the past two years while protecting our communities. We are thankful that most of them survived these close brushes with death and were able to return to duty.

We should remember their dedication to protect and serve, and the tragic price they paid for that devotion. We must also remember the families of all fallen officers and the sacrifices they have incurred because of a deep-seated commitment to duty and public service. All of us from New Mexico owe a debt of gratitude to each and every officer who has lost their lives in the line of duty. To all who have paid the ultimate price and to those who continue to serve, may we forever be grateful and never take for granted what you do. You have my utmost admiration.

Mr. President, I rise today in support of the resolution introduced by Senator Leahy and others to recognize May 15, 2006, as ``Peace Officers Memorial Day. Peace Officers work tirelessly to protect our society from criminals who would prey on the weak and innocent. They are the front line in a battle for justice and the rule of law. They often are unheralded heroes, whose simple act of going to work puts them in harm's way for our sake.

Tens of thousands of police officers were assaulted last year, and that number is likely to be similar this year. It is important that we take a moment to recognize the crucial service they provide.

Last year, 156 police officers were killed in the line of duty. Justice for the families of slain officers often comes slowly. I have introduced legislation that would speed up the process for the most hardened of criminals, those who murder police men and women. The Law Enforcement Officers' Protection Act would guarantee tough punishment for criminals who murder or assault police officers. Part of the legislation is named after Dr. John B. Jamison, a Coconino County, AZ Reserve Sheriffs Deputy who was slain while responding to a fellow deputy's call for assistance. The killer fired 30 rounds from an assault rifle into Deputy Jamison's car, killing him before he could reach for his gun or even unbuckle his seatbelt. He is survived by two children. State courts completed their review of the killer's conviction and sentence in 1985. Federal courts then delayed the case for an additional 15 years. One judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit even tried to postpone the killer's final execution date on the alleged basis that that killer was wrongfully denied Sate funds to investigate a rare neurological condition that his lawyer had learned of while watching television. Deputy Jamison's killer ultimately was executed in 2000--18 years after the crime occurred, and 15 years after Federal habeas corpus proceedings began.

So as we recognize the sacrifice that peace officers make to protect us every day--to protect the streets on which we drive to work, protect the neighborhoods where our children play, protect the stores where we shop, protect the very halls of government where I stand today--I urge my colleagues to help protect the peace officers and bring justice to the families of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the benefit of the rest of us.

Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the brave men and women who lost their lives while serving as law enforcement officers and to thank them for making the ultimate sacrifice.

Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day to honor all the law enforcement officers in our communities who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. I was proud to join Senator Patrick Leahy on S. Res. 472, a Senate resolution, which passed the Senate last week, commemorating this important day.

This past Saturday, thousands of people from across the country gathered at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, DC, for a candlelight vigil to honor these fallen officers. And today, there was a Peace Officers Memorial Service in front of the U.S. Capitol for these brave men and women. I am proud that we had a dedicated group of Michigan officers in attendance, representing their fellow officers from around the State.

The names of 466 fallen officers were added to the memorial on Saturday, including 8 officers from Michigan: Lavern Steven Brann, Battle Creek, Michigan; William A. Daniels, Cassopolis, Michigan; Owen David Fisher, Flint, Michigan; Dale Francis Bernock, Dearborn, Michigan; Scot Andrew Beyerstedt, Mattawan, Michigan; Benjamin Lewis Carpenter, Newaygo,

Michigan; Michael Allen Scarbrough, Wayne County, Michigan; and Paul Lee Mickel, Wayne County, Michigan. We honor all of these officers today.

In Michigan, we also remember two officers who recently lost their lives in the line of duty. Less then a month ago, Reserve Officer Matthew Tuttle and Chief Scott Sumner were killed in a helicopter accident in Scio Township while providing aerial support for officers who were involved in a foot pursuit.

Chief Sumner was a 19-year veteran of the Chelsea Police Department, and Officer Tuttle was only 28 years old. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and the entire Chelsea Police Department.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 472 submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.