FOP Legislative News

The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information, released by the White House, regarding the Administration’s recent action to allocate $2.96 billion in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funding to support homeless Americans and individuals at risk of becoming homeless. This funding will:

• Ensure emergency shelters are available and assist with the cost of operations;
• Provide hotel/motel vouchers for homeless families and individuals;
• Deliver essential services to people experiencing homelessness; and
• Prevent individuals from becoming homeless and rapidly rehouse homeless individuals.

The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information, released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), regarding DHS’s recent activity in response to COVID-19. To view this information, please click here.

https://fopcovid19.org/bulletin/538/

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with Jack A. Rauch, Deputy Associate Director with the White House Office of Public Liaison, regarding the tragic incident in Minnesota and the ensuing events, the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with Jeffrey R. Favitta, Senior Law Enforcement Advisor to the Attorney General, regarding COVID-19’s impact on law enforcement, pending legislation, as well as the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice.

National President Patrick Yoes released a statement regarding the House passing H.R. 6509, the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act, and S. 2746, the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act. The FOP supports both of these bills. To view the statement, please click here.

National President Patrick Yoes sent a letter to Speaker Nancy P. Pelosi (D-CA) and Representative Kevin O. McCarthy (R-CA) in support of H.R. 6509, the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act, and urged the House to pass it. The legislation would establish a presumption for death benefit claims and ensure that public safety officers who contract COVID-19 in the line of duty are eligible for benefits should they become disabled from the novel coronavirus. To view President Yoes’ letter, please click here.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with majority and minority staff with the House Committee on the Judiciary about this week’s vote on H.R. 6509, the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with staff in the office of Representative William J. Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) regarding changes to S. 1208, the “Protecting America’s First Responders Act,” which would amend the statutes governing the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program.

The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information, released by the office of Senator Chris A. Coons (D-DE), Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, regarding a bipartisan letter, penned by Senators Coons and Susan M. Collins (R-ME), to Senate leadership encouraging additional support for first responders in the next COVID-19 relief package. To read the letter and learn more about the priorities outlines, please click here.

Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) took to the Senate floor to speak in favor of legislation he recently introduced with Senator Corey A. Booker (D-NJ). The legislation, S. 3607, the “Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act,” would establish that officers who die from COVID-19 or a COVID-19 related illness are presumed to have done so in the line of duty and are eligible for the death benefit administered by the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program. The Senate passed the legislation by voice vote last week and was sent to the House for further action. The National Legislative Office staff worked with the Senators’ offices on the draft legislation to establish this critical presumption. The FOP strongly supports this legislation. To watch Senator Grassley’s floor speech, please click here.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with staff in the office of Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) about the need for legislation to amend the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act to suspend the qualification requirement for qualified retired law enforcement officers for the duration of the national emergency and a potential companion bill for H.R.1156, the “LEOSA Reform Act.”