On the recordJune 10, 2013
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my letter dated June 10, 2013, to the minority leader be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, June 10, 2013. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator McConnell: I am requesting that I be consulted before the Senate enters into any unanimous consent agreements or time limitations regarding H.R. 180, National Blue Alert Act of 2013. I support the goals of this legislation and believe suspects who seriously injure or kill federal, state or local law enforcement officers in the line of duty should be apprehended as quickly as possible. However, I believe the responsibility to address this issue, as it relates to state and local law enforcement officers, lies with the states and local communities that these brave law enforcement officers serve. Furthermore, while I do not believe this issue is the responsibility of the federal government; if Congress does act, we can and must do so in a fiscally responsible manner. My concerns are included in, but not limited to, those outlined in this letter. While this bill is well-intentioned, it will likely cost the American people several million dollars over 5 years without corresponding offsets.…