COPS Counseling Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1502) to make Federal law enforcement officer peer support communications confidential, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 1502, the COPS Counseling Act, a bill that will encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs across the country and protect the privacy of Federal officers as they seek mental health support.

It is important to all of us that we promote the mental health and well-being of our law enforcement officers, not only in order to help individual officers but also because it helps bolster the safety of our communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to protect.

Law enforcement officers play a special role in our communities. They are specifically called upon to protect and serve. Often they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful and often life-threatening.

I don't know how many times, Mr. Speaker, we have heard on the news where officers have said: I have never seen this in my lifetime. I have never seen this horrific scene. I have never seen a car crash. I have never seen the violence.

With the pandemic of COVID-19, we have seen officers coming to scenes that they expressed that they have never seen. That has an impact even though they must continue to rise the next day and serve.

They are indeed first responders, on the scene when unthinkable and tragic events take place, whether they be mass shootings, terrible incidents of domestic or sexual violence, and other horrific instances of victimization. Even after the incidents are over and the threats addressed, these situations can long remain with officers. As they seek to protect us, we must also seek to protect them when they are in need.

We have a hearing today on issues dealing with gun safety. That is not this bill. But what I will say is that the officers in times of crisis are always the first ones to come to school shootings, violent scenes where they see children who are wounded or tragically are dead. Imagine an officer having to pick him or herself up and carry on after you have seen, yes, little children--high school, middle school, elementary school--who have been fallen because of school shootings. That is a particularly unique circumstance. But there are many, many others.

That is why I support this bill which would help officers who seek counseling. The bill provides confidentiality to Federal law enforcement officers by restricting individuals who participate in a peer support counseling session from disclosing communications arising out of peer support counseling session.

In doing so, however, the bill defines clear and necessary exceptions to confidentiality in circumstances including explicit threats of suicide; any admission of criminal conduct; any explicit threat of imminent and serious physical harm or death to an individual; any information relating to the abuse or neglect of a child, older person, or vulnerable person; or any information that is required by law to be reported. That had to be clarified.

Additionally, this bill encourages implementation of peer counseling programs within the entire first responder community by requiring the Department of Justice to make best practices publicly available on its website. Information I have found has been the key in helping to restore the stability of these individuals who are needing the kind of counseling that we offer.

The Department of Justice is also required to provide a list of training programs for public safety officers to become peer support mentors. Always we have been told that to have a like fellow traveler, a like experienced person, a like person in your career or profession, Mr. Speaker, is sometimes the best medicine, the best cure, and the best direction toward treatment.

These are important steps that will help our officers and the communities they serve.

As we take action on this Senate-passed bill, I want to recognize our colleague from Maryland, Representative David Trone, for his work in introducing the House companion legislation. I thank the chairman of our committee, Mr. Nadler, for being focused on this legislation, and I am delighted that my subcommittee is also very interested in this kind of work.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, I am proud to support it, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.

Today, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting S. 1502, the ``COPS Counseling Act,'' a bill that will encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs across the country and protect the privacy of federal officers as they seek mental health support.

It is important to all of us that we promote the mental health and well--being of our law enforcement officers, not only in order to help individual officers but also because it helps bolster the safety of our communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to protect.

Law enforcement officers play a special role in our communities, specifically called upon to protect and serve.

Often, they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful, and often life-threatening.

They are indeed first responders, on the scene when unthinkable and tragic events take place, whether they be mass shootings, terrible incidents of domestic or sexual violence, and other horrific instances of victimization.

Even after the incidents are over and the threats addressed, these situations can long remain with officers. As they seek to protect us, we must also seek to help them when they are in need.

That is why I support this bill, which would help officers who seek counseling.

The bill provides confidentiality to federal law enforcement officers by restricting individuals who participate in a peer support counseling session from disclosing communications arising out of a peer support counseling session.

In doing so, however, the bill defines clear and necessary exceptions to confidentiality in circumstances including: explicit threats of suicide; any admission of criminal conduct; any explicit threat of imminent and serious physical harm or death to an individual; any information relating to the abuse or neglect of a child, older person or vulnerable person; or any information that is required by law to be reported.

Additionally, this bill encourages implementation of peer counseling programs within the entire first responder community by requiring the Department of Justice to make best practices publicly available on its website.

The Department of Justice is also required to provide a list of training programs for public safety officers to become peer support mentors.

These are important steps that will help our officers and the communities they serve.

As we take action on this Senate-passed bill, I want to recognize our colleague from Maryland, Representative David Trone, for his work in introducing the House companion legislation.

This is an important bill. I am proud to support it and ask that my colleagues do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to again emphasize the massive number of law enforcement officers across the Nation. There are, first of all, 18,000 police departments of varying levels, meaning that we think of police, constables, or sheriffs, all of them law enforcement officers. And every day, as we speak, they are out on the front lines and, again, seeing enormous tragedy.

I really want to emphasize what it means to come upon a scene dealing with an injury to a child. Gun violence, car crashes, fires, police go to those scenes as well. For too long, we have not stopped for a moment to provide these resources and to provide these services.

I hope that, as we pass this legislation, this will be the catalyst for local entities to build on their mental health relief and that they will also focus on peer-directed mental health relief.

We can imagine, in the course of all the scenes that we have seen in this body, on this floor, in this year, starting with January 6, where police officers were involved, that there is no doubt that this legislation is crucial. But it works across the Nation, and it should be a tool for ensuring the strength and the stability of our officers who are out there, men and women, family members, every single day.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am very glad that we are able to come together, recognizing that our law enforcement officers face dangers every day. When I look to the support for that community, I really look to the family of citizens, the family of the community, no matter where you are, and I think that should be the statement and the litmus test.

When you speak to community persons who generally go about their daily business, and local governments, you can be assured that there is an embodiment of support.

There is the sense of horror when we see circumstances that tragically hit this very Congress, this very House, on January 6, when that was not how brave law enforcement officers were treated. But we are well aware of the everyday work that is done.

Before I left to come to Washington, I had the tragic duty of going to the funeral of a fallen. What an amazing individual that Deputy Atkins was, and the outpouring of love and affection by the community reflected that.

To show the humanity of officers--they have moms and dads and wives and children--they read a letter from his mother. I just simply want to put this letter in from his mother.

``When I last saw you, before you said good-bye, I said the prayer I taught you, `As I lay me down to sleep.' Nadia heard me and told me you always said that prayer.'' Nadia was his wife.

``And that made me really feel good, Kareem. I love you so much and I will never stop loving you,'' the letter said.

A mother, a father, a fallen son. These are the true human aspects of service.

So this help to officers who have seen, or been engaged, or seen fellow officers lose their lives, or been wounded, or, again, come upon that scene that they will be interviewed, saying that they have never seen it before, never seen something so devastating like it before, this is an important step forward, as was the real justice bill for veterans, some of whom turn out to be police officers.

I think we are moving so much in the right direction to be effectively concerned about the whole person, and that is what this legislation, I believe, will move forward on.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article from the Houston Chronicle.

[From the Houston Chronicle, Oct. 25, 2021]

Deputies Line Up by the Dozen To Honor Slain Pct. 4 Deputy Kareem

Atkins

Hundreds gathered at a north Houston church Monday

afternoon to pay their respects to Kareem Atkins, the

Precinct 4 deputy constable who was fatally shot while trying

to stop a robbery.

The day began with a private service for Atkins' family.

Officers lined up hours before the memorial service at

Champion Forest Baptist Church to take a last look at their

friend, removing their hats and saying a few words over the

flag-draped casket at the front of the massive church hall.

A slideshow played on screens next to the altar, with

images of Atkins cuddling with his wife, Nadia Aweineh, and

their young children, Adalynn, a toddler, and Aiden, a

newborn. In other photos, Atkins was pictured in uniform with

fellow deputies and posing for group shots while out on the

town with friends, a broad smile on his face.

While some attendees silently wiped away tears after

viewing Atkins' casket, others laughed and shared stories,

remembering Atkins as the ``loving, protective, funny, great

dancing (or at least so he thought), outgoing and flashy

guy'' described in the funeral's program.

``It seemed to me Kareem had many, many, best friends, and,

on a daily basis, I saw his co-workers routinely look to him

for guidance,'' Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said at the

memorial. ``Despite his young age, he was someone you could

count on to be calm, cool and collected. He had a unique

strength about him. He was the rock we all leaned on.''

``If I had 100 more Kareem Atkinses (in my department),

this boss would sleep much better at night,'' Herman said.

Atkins' godsister and former babysitter also spoke, sharing

a letter Atkins' mother, Celine Pemberton-Atkins, wrote to

her son after his death. In the letter, Pemberton-Atkins

reminisced about the times her son would surprise her with

visits home to New York City, where he was born, and about

the inside jokes they shared that would not make sense to

anyone else.

His mother noted in her letter that she'd just learned he

was planning to travel home and surprise her for

Thanksgiving.

``When I last saw you, before you said goodbye, I said the

prayer I taught you, `As I lay me down to sleep.' Nadia heard

me and told me you always said that prayer . . . and that

made me feel really good, Kareem. I love you so much and I

will never stop loving you,'' the letter said.

end of watch

After the service, attendees filed out of the church for a

color guard ceremony. The rows of friends, family and

officers sat in silence amid a few isolated sobs as

pallbearers wheeled Atkins' casket to the family. The color

guard folded the American flag that was covering the casket

and handed it to the constable, who gave it to Atkins' wife.

Police dispatchers declared the ``end of watch'' over the

air. A three-volley salute followed. Then Atkins' coffin was

placed in a hearse to be taken to Klein Memorial Park

Cemetery in Tomball.

The funeral came more than a week after Atkins was shot and

killed--and two other Precinct 4 deputies were wounded--while

attempting to arrest a robbery suspect at 45 Norte Sports

Bar, where they worked side jobs as security guards.

The shooter, who opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle,

wounded Deputies Darryl Garrett and Juqaim Barthen, according

to police. Garrett remained in the intensive care unit

Monday, while Barthen, who attended the service, is still

recovering.

On HoustonChronicle.com: `They were the 3 amigos,' fiancee

of wounded Precinct 4 deputy says after ambush in north

Houston.

Police have not identified or apprehended any suspects in

the shooting. A reward for information leading to the

assailant's arrest and conviction was increased Wednesday to

$75,000.

making time fly on the shift

In comments during the funeral, Harris County Judge Lina

Hidalgo declared Oct. 25 ``Deputy Kareem Atkins Day'' in

Harris County from this year forward.

``When somebody ambushed Deputy Barthen, Deputy Garrett and

Deputy Atkins, that attack on our protectors, that attack on

you all, was an attack on our entire community,'' Hidalgo

said.

``They tried to tear down what makes our community great,

to tear down that spirit of service, to break that trust that

binds us, to bring fear, but we won't tolerate that. The way

we fight back against that, and honor Deputy Atkins' life, is

by living by the values he embodied,'' Hidalgo said.

Others attending the funeral remarked about Atkins' good

humor and generous spirit.

Indrani Boodram and her co-workers came to support Atkins'

father, who worked with them at a medical center in north

Cypress.

She remembered how the younger Atkins helped her move about

five years ago, despite never having met Boodram. ``He had

just moved here from New York and he knew no one. He even

bought pizza when he came and told me he would stay with me

until I was completely done.''

Canray Warren, who worked other security jobs with Atkins

at bars and clubs around the area, remembered the 30-year-old

as someone who made the time fly on nights when the staff

were tired and wanted to check out for the night. When it was

nearing time to start closing shop, the pair would simply

exchange looks and start cracking up.

``He kept us laughing and kept a smile on our face,'' he

said. ``We'd joke about telling the DJ to play boring songs

so everybody could move out of the club faster,'' Warren

said.

Warren explained he wouldn't want to take a shift if he

learned that Atkins wasn't working with him. And now, looking

forward, work won't be the same without him.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As I indicated in my discussions, I think the idea of the COPS Counseling Act is a profound statement that we see the whole person in law enforcement. We don't just see the person's uniform externally, but we see the whole person.

The reading of the words of Deputy Atkins' mother was to indicate we see the family members, the children; we see the neighbors; we see the communities. In order to do that, we must then have a holistic approach to the service of these officers.

I can't help but think about officers coming upon an injury to a child in whatever form it is, and I have heard them speak of it. It is the worst investigation case to have. It is the worst scene that they have ever seen because it is a child.

The COPS Counseling Act will help our law enforcement officers and also the communities they serve. We can and must do both. When officers are in need of counseling, we should remove barriers and disincentives that are standing in the way.

Therefore, I ask my colleagues to see the whole person as they serve the community and the Nation, and join me in supporting this legislation so that the President can sign it into law.

Mr. Speaker, the COPS Counseling Act will help our law enforcement officers and also the communities they serve.

We can and must do both.

When officers are in need of counseling, we should remove barriers and disincentives standing in the way.

Therefore, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this legislation so that the President can sign it into law.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I wish to submit to the Senate a budget scorekeeping report. The report, which covers fiscal year 2022, was prepared by my staff on the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 308(b) and in aid of section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended. This information allows the Senate Budget Committee to determine if budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation.

The report shows the effect on spending and revenues of congressional action through September 15, 2022, as compared to the levels the Senate agreed to in the budget resolution for fiscal year 2022, S. Con. Res. 14. Since my last scorekeeping report on April 28, seven laws with significant budgetary effects have been signed by the President, and I have revised the levels in the budget resolution two times for legislation.

The Democratic staff of the Budget Committee prepared tables 1 and 2. Table 1 compares the mandatory spending of each authorizing committee against the enforceable allocations under section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act. It shows 10 of the 16 authorizing committees are in compliance with their allocations, either because no legislation with significant budgetary costs was enacted or the legislation qualified under the budget resolution for an allocation adjustment. Most of the spending above allowable levels is attributed to either the CHIPS Act of 2022 or the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.

Table 2 shows the Senate pay-as-you-go--PAYGO--scorecard tallying enacted legislation with significant effects on mandatory spending and revenues. The scorecard shows a savings of $4.7 billion in 2022, a deficit of $174 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and a deficit of $528 billion over the 2022-2031 period. When compared to the allowable amounts on the PAYGO scorecard last adjusted on September 12, there is a deficit of $1.3 billion on the scorecard for 2022, $185 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and $667 billion over the 2022-2031 period.

In addition to these tables, I am submitting a letter from the Congressional Budget Office with further detail. For fiscal year 2022, current budgetary levels are within allowed amounts. Current law budget authority is $2.6 billion below the maximum allowed in the revised budget resolution, outlays are $17 billion below the allowed maximum, and revenues are $68 million above the allowed minimum. The tables also show that there has been no net change for Social Security.

I ask unanimous consent that the letter and accompanying tables from CBO be printed in the Congressional Record.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for bringing this bill forward. It is very much needed.

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to support the COPS Counseling Act, which is now one step away from reaching the President's desk, I hope.

I spent almost 40 years in law enforcement, including 12 as the sheriff of Duval County, Florida. So I can tell you, I have seen, firsthand, the challenges that some officers face in dealing with not just acute stress for many years but the chronic stress over every day that they go to work.

Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that law enforcement is a dangerous profession. But these officers face potential life-threatening situations every day they go to work, and that is the chronic stress that really has a significant mental health impact upon these officers. Every day, they put their lives in that breach in defense of our communities.

In recent years, we have seen a rise in ambush killings of officers and just overall assaults on officers, attacking them simply for the uniform that they wear. In fact, by just the middle of this year, we experienced as many shootings and killings of police officers as we did for the entire year of 2020.

We also witness now the demoralization, the delegitimization, and the defunding of police currently taking place around the U.S.

We have also watched law enforcement work through a deadly pandemic, losing so many officers to COVID-19 over these last 2 years.

To make things more difficult, many officers struggle to ask for help, even when they need it. Some officers feel traditional forms of counseling cannot truly understand what they are going through. They also might be concerned that seeking counseling could negatively impact on their careers. It could be seen as a weakness.

That is why the COPS Counseling Act is so very important.

Again, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas. This provides the opportunity for law enforcement officers to receive confidential and peer-led support services.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is going to save lives. It is going to save officers' lives, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the COPS Counseling Act to get this bill signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1502, the COPS Counseling Act of 2021. I was also proud to cosponsor the House companion to this bill--H.R. 3070--introduced by Representatives David Trone of Maryland and Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania.

This bipartisan and bicameral legislation would encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs across the nation by requiring the U.S. Department of Justice to issue and make publicly available a report on best practices for such programs. To

further support their implementation, the bill would also direct the Department to provide a list of training programs for individuals to become peer support mentors.

Our law enforcement officers often face challenging and at times traumatic experiences while performing their duties and keeping our communities safe. It's critical we ensure they have the necessary level of support to address these situations, and peer-to-peer counseling can serve as an effective mental health outlet to share their personal experiences; access and identify resources; and receive help and guidance within a trusted network of colleagues.

To ensure peer counseling programs are effective, it's also important we protect the privacy of those officers seeking mental health services. That's why I'm pleased the COPS Counseling Act would require that the information disclosed during peer support counseling sessions by Federal law enforcement officers is kept confidential, except under certain circumstances such as threats of physical harm and admission of criminal activity. This guarantee of privacy will go a long way in building confidence and encouraging more Federal law enforcement officers to take advantage of the opportunities provided through these programs.

Every day, our brave men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line to protect our communities. As Members of Congress, we must redouble our efforts to support them, including through mental health and counseling services. That's why I support the COPS Counseling Act and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. President, I wish to submit to the Senate a budget scorekeeping report. The report, which covers fiscal year 2022, was prepared by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 308(b) and in aid of section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended. This information allows the Senate Budget Committee to determine if budgetary

points of order lie against pending legislation.

The report shows the effect on spending and revenues of congressional action through April 25, 2022, as compared to the levels the Senate agreed to in the budget resolution for fiscal year 2022, S. Con. Res 14. I have revised the levels in the budget resolution five times for legislation, as authorized by the resolution. The report shows the effects of the 11 laws signed by the President since the passage of the budget resolution with significant effects on budget authority, outlays, or revenues.

Tables 1 and 2 show that for fiscal year 2022, current law budget authority is $27 billion below the maximum allowed in the revised budget resolution, outlays are $18 billion below the allowed maximum, and revenues are $0.1 billion above the allowed minimum. They also show there has been no net change for Social Security.

The third table shows the Senate pay-as-you-go scorecard tallying enacted legislation with significant effects on mandatory spending and revenues. The scorecard shows a savings of $7.8 billion in 2022, $74.8 billion over the 2022-2026 period, and $139.9 billion over the 2022- 2031 period. When compared to the allowable amounts on the PAYGO scorecard last adjusted on March 2, there is a deficit of $668 million on the scorecard for 2022, a deficit of $687 million over the 2022-2026 period, and a surplus of $1.09 billion over the 2022-2031 period.

I ask unanimous consent that the letter and accompanying tables from CBO be printed in the Record.