Joe Biden: “I rise as a cosponsor of the Federal Law Enforcement Dependents Assistance Act and to call on all of my Senate…”

“I rise as a cosponsor of the Federal Law Enforcement Dependents Assistance Act and to call on all of my Senate colleagues to support this bill. Unfortunately, over the past 2 years, many in this Congress have taken the occasion--time and again--to second-guess and criticize law enforcement officers. We heard these criticisms throughout the debate on terrorism legislation--beginning last year, and it continues to this day. As I have pointed out on the floor of the Senate before, I call on us all to remember that it is the terrorists and the violent criminals who deserve our contempt and it is law enforcement officers who deserve our trust and respect. This bill offers modest recognition of the tremendous service to our Nation by Federal law enforcement officers--DEA agents, FBI agents, U.S. marshals, border patrol officers, Customs officers, ATF agents, Secret Service agents among many others. This bill does so by authorizing the Federal Government to pay education benefits to the children and spouses of Federal law enforcement officers who are killed or suffer a total and permanent disability in the line of duty. In doing so, this bill recognizes that by virtue of these officers supreme sacrifice to the Nation, the families of these fallen officers are no longer provided for. And, more importantly, this bill will offer a tangible sign of the Nation's respect for those who gave their lives in service to us all.”