Peter Visclosky: “I want to take my time to profoundly thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman, and the ranking…”

“I want to take my time to profoundly thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman, and the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan), as well as the staffs on both the majority and minority side, for their courtesy and consideration in ensuring that the COPS bulletproof Vest initiative was fully funded at the figure of $25 million. This initiative, which was enacted into law in June of this year, was originally sponsored by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) and myself. It received the bipartisan cosponsorship of 306 individuals in this body, and was passed overwhelmingly by both Houses of Congress. Essentially, it provides grants for police departments throughout this country to buy bulletproof vests to protect their officers. Prior to the tragedy of 10 days ago in the Capitol, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), as chairman, and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan), as ranking member, saw the dire need for this legislation, given the fact that before the end of today in America two police officers will be shot, and one out of every four police officers in America today does not have a bulletproof vest. So I do want to thank both gentlemen, the members of the committee and their staffs, for doing the right thing and for saving innumerable lives of police officers throughout the United States of America.”