FOP Update - June 17, 2022

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National President Patrick Yoes worked out of the Government and Media
Affairs Center in Washington, D.C. this week.
On this week's episode of the Blue View, National President Patrick Yoes sat
down with Deputy James Craigmyle, a K9 trainer and former SWAT K9
handler, to discuss the role of a K9 partner and his time on Live PD.
National President Patrick Yoes attended the Florida State FOP Conference
hosted in Orlando, Florida.
National President Patrick Yoes attended the Georgia State FOP Conference
hosted in St. Simon Island, Georgia. 
National President Patrick Yoes attended the West Virginia State FOP
Conference hosted in Charleston, West Virginia.

National President Patrick Yoes gave numerous media interviews regarding

law enforcement line-of-duty deaths and the increase of violence towards law

enforcement officers across the country.

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary

Alejandro N. Mayorkas regarding the southwest border and the recently

signed Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and

Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety.

National President Patrick Yoes attended the National Law Enforcement

Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) Board Meeting hosted in Washington, D.C.

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with numerous House and Senate

staffers involved in the negotiations on firearms legislation.

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with U.S. Associate Attorney General

Vanita Gupta regarding the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) review of the

Uvalde, Texas school shooting tragedy.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson participated in a stakeholder call

to discuss H.R. 2992, the “TBI and PTSD Law Enforcement Training Act,”

which is currently pending before the Senate.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson represented the FOP on a call with

Senate staff to brief stakeholder organizations on the agreement in principle

on a bipartisan framework to amend certain Federal firearms law.

Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with numerous reporters regarding the

recently signed Executive Order as well as the ongoing negotiations on

firearms legislation.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson and Legislative Liaison David

Taboh spoke with staff in the offices of Representatives Rodney L. Davis (R-

IN) and Abigail A. Spanberger (D-VA) regarding efforts to get H.R. 82, the

"Social Security Fairness Act,” to the House floor.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with majority staff on the

Committee on Ways and Means about the “Wally Bunker Healthcare

Enhancement for Local Public Safety (HELPS) Retirees Act."

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson spoke with staff in the office of

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) about draft legislation that would

establish a Federal Certifying Commission.

THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported H.R. 263, the "Big

Cat Public Safety Act," as amended, on a 25-17 vote. The bill, which would

prohibit private individuals from possessing lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs,

jaguars or cougars, will now go to the House for a full vote. The FOP supports.

[25-14 vote] H.R. 5768, the "Violent Incident Clearance and Technological

Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act," would establish a grant program

administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to help State, Tribal, and

local law enforcement agencies improve their clearance rates for homicides and

non-fatal shootings; and

[Voice vote] H.R. 6538, the "Active Shooter Alert Act," would establish a national

coordinator within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish and

administer an Active Shooter Alert Communications Network.

The House Committee on Judiciary held a markup for numerous FOP-supported

bills. These bills were favorably reported and will now be sent to the House floor

for a vote:

The House passed S. 4160, the "Supreme Court Police Parity Act," on a 396-27

vote. This bill would provide police protection to the immediate families of

Justices on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). This protection

would be determined necessary by the Marshal of the Supreme Court. This bill

passed the Senate in May, but it was delayed in passing the House in its current

form. The bill will now be sent to the President's desk to be signed into law.

THE UNITED STATES SENATE

The Senate Committee on Judiciary held a hearing entitled "Protecting

America’s Children From Gun Violence." This hearing examined potential

Federal solutions to counter future instances of firearm violence impacting

children at schools. Providing testimony at this hearing was Jeri L. Williams,

Chief of Police for the Phoenix Police Department, among other relevant

stakeholders.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary held an executive business meeting to

vote on numerous nominations including the nomination of Steven M.

Dettelbach to be the next Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The Committee failed to favorably report this

nomination on an 11-11 vote, however the nomination was discharged on a

52-41 vote and will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote.

The Senate Appropriations' Subcommittee on Financial Services and General

Government held a hearing entitled "Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the

Treasury Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and the Treasury

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network."

The Senate Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Labor, Health

and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing

entitled "Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the United States Department

of Labor."