David Vitter: “in closing and in support of my amendment, I wish to make four brief points. First of all, I reiterate the widespread…”

“in closing and in support of my amendment, I wish to make four brief points. First of all, I reiterate the widespread support for this amendment from many quarters, including the Fraternal Order of Police, a leading organization of law enforcement personnel. I ask unanimous consent that this strong letter of support be printed in the Record. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Fraternal Order of Police, Washington, DC, July 13, 2006. Hon. David Vitter, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator Vitter: I am writing to you on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for an amendment you intend to offer to H.R. 5441, the FY2007 appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Your amendment would prohibit the use of any funds appropriated under this legislation from paying for the seizure of firearms during a major disaster or emergency, except under circumstances currently applicable under Federal or State law. As we witnessed in the communities along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, large scale critical incidents demand the full attention of law enforcement officers and other first responders. During this time, the preservation of life-search and rescue missions--is the chief priority of every first responder.…”