Patrick Leahy: “Yesterday I was honored to attend the 21st Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day Services at the Capitol. Sadly…”

“Yesterday I was honored to attend the 21st Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day Services at the Capitol. Sadly, last year was the deadliest year in law enforcement history since 1974. In 2001, 230 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty including 72 fallen heroes who were killed on September 11. These brave public servants risked and sacrificed their own lives so that others might live. Each one of us owes these courageous men and women, and their families, a debt of gratitude that we can never fully repay. During Police Memorial Week, I hope that Congress will act on two pieces of legislation to appropriately honor the families of brave public safety officers who sacrificed their own lives for their fellow Americans. First, I urge the House of Representatives to take up the Mychal Judge Police and Fire Chaplains Public Safety Officers' Benefit Act of 2002, S. 2431. The Senate passed this bipartisan legislation more than a week ago. It is needed to amend the Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program to permit the families of 10 public safety officers killed on September 11 to retroactively receive $250,000 each in Federal death benefits.”