Bob Filner: “I rise today, though, to point out an irony and hope to get support from my colleagues for law enforcement officers in…”

“I rise today, though, to point out an irony and hope to get support from my colleagues for law enforcement officers in our Federal agencies. I hope that those who are on the floor today know that there are law enforcement officers throughout the Federal Government who protect us day and night. They may be in INS. They may be in U.S. Customs. They may be postal police. They may be police officers for the Veterans Administration. They work to protect our airports, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court. They are members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. These are law enforcement officers who do not have law enforcement status in terms of their pay and their retirement benefits. Mr. Speaker, these are people who are trained to carry a weapon. They wear bulletproof vests. They have a badge. They face the risk every day that police officers in our cities and States have to face.”