110th US Congress Summary

Jan 21, 2009

The 110th United States Congress convened on January 4th 2007, to conduct the people’s business, and closed on December 30, 2008. There were 11,081 bills filed by this Congress, 7,340 by the House and 3,741 by the Senate. In keeping with the Southern States Board of Directors directive for the 110th Congress, passed in 2005, the Governmental Affairs Department monitored bills of interest to the PBA membership. This involved 111 bills, 74 in the House and 37 in the Senate. Of these bills, 7 were passed and became law (a summary is included).

The following bills considered by the 110th Congress addressed parts of the PBA agenda. The bills are identified by their bill numbers and PBA Congresspersons who sponsored or have signed on to co-sponsor the bills. Also indicated is the final status of the bills.

Law Enforcement Due process

These bills died in their respective Judiciary committees.
PBA cosponsors include:
HR 688: Davis (VA-1), Miller (NC-13), Myrick (NC-9)
S 449: None
HR 3440: Davis (TN-4), Johnson (GA-4)

Law enforcement collective bargaining

HR 980 The “Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act,” passed the House. State/Local Law Officer Collective Bargaining Bill died on Senate calendar
(see SSPBA web site - Gov. Affairs “Legislative news” for House vote).
PBA House cosponsors included:
Bonner (AL-1), Chandler (KY-6), Davis (AL-7), Davis (VA-11), Duncan (TN-2), Johnson (GA-4), Melancon (LA-3), Price (NC-4), Ross (AR-4), Scott (GA-13),
Yarmuth (KY-3), Shuler (NC-11), Watt (NC-12), Davis (TN-4), Cohen (TN-9),
Lewis (KY-2), Moran (VA-8), Berry (AR-1), Barrow (GA-12), Butterfield (NC-1), Bishop (GA-2), Whitfield (KY-1), Snyder (AR-2), Thompson (MS-2), Scott (VA-3), Cramer (AL-5).

The Senate “law enforcement collective bargaining bill”
S 2123 Companion bill to HB 980
Left in Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee
PBA cosponsors: Pryor-AR, Lincoln-AR,
These other bills of interest were passed and became law.

HR 660 (Public Law 110-177) Judicial Security Act:
To protect members of the judicial system. Protection of law enforcement officers’ private information if participating in federal investigation.

HR 2669 (Public Law 110-84) College Cost Reduction and Access Act:
To provide “forgiveness” for certain college loans to public employees
(specific requirements must be met, consult bill or loan provider for more info).

HR 6045 (Public Law 100-421) Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant:
Continues the vest grant program through 2012.

S 1 (Public Law 100-81) Legislative Reform:
This law is supposed to clean up lobbying problems in DC.

S 214 (Public Law 100-34) Preserving US Attorney Independence:
This law is to preserve the independence of US Attorneys from political influence.

S 378 (Public Law 100-177) Court Security Improvement Act:
Allocates funds to help protect local courts in addition to Federal.

S 2565 (Public Law 100-298) Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery:
Sets up Congressional award for law enforcement similar to Congressional Medal of Honor.


The following are some of the other bills of interest to the membership, tracked by PBA, with their final determination.

Concealed carry bills

S 376, which reduces retired to 10 years of service and sets firearm standards
Left on Senate Calendar (#341).
PBA co-sponsor: Jeff Sessions (AL)

HR 2726 changes provisions for officers and retired officers
Died in Judiciary Committee
Sponsor: Forbes (VA-4)
PBA co-sponsor: Boozman (AR-3), Drake (VA-2), Etheridge (NC-2), Myrick (NC-9)

S 388 Interstate standards for public concealed carry
Died in Judiciary committee.
PBA cosponsors: Burr & Dole (NC), Landrieu & Vitter (LA), Lott (MS), Webb (VA)

HR 226 Interstate standards for public concealed carry
Died in Homeland Security committee
PBA cosponsors: Goode (VA-5), Rogers (AL-3)

HR 861 Interstate standards for public concealed carry
Died in Judiciary committee.
PBA cosponsors include:
Alexander (LA-5), Boozman (AR-3), Boucher (VA-9), Brown (SC-1), Cantor (VA-7), Davis (TN-1), Davis (KY-4), Drake (VA-2), Forbes (VA-4), Gingrey (GA-11),
Goode (VA-5), Gordon (TN-6), Hayes (NC-8), Lewis (KY-2), Myrick (NC-9),
Rogers (AL-3), Wamp (TN-3), Westmoreland (GA-3), Wicker (MS-1), Wilson (SC-2), Pickering (MS-3), Bishop (GA-2), Rahall (WV-3), Aderholt (AL-4), Goodlatte (VA-6), Foxx (NC-5), Broun (GA-10)

OSHA

HR 1517 Apply OSHA to state and local employees, including law enforcement.
Died workforce subcommittee.
No PBA cosponsors

FLSA

HR 1644 & S 969 requires National Labor Relations Board to redefine “supervisor”
HR Reported out subcommittee favorably, no further action taken.
PBA co-sponsors:
Moran (VA-8), Price (NC-4), Yarmuth (KY-3), Scott (VA-3), Jefferson (LA-2),
Lewis (GA-5), Gordon (TN-6), Davis (AL-7), Barrow (GA-12), Davis (TN-4),
Johnson (GA-4), Cohen (TN-9), Chandler (KY-6), Scott (GA-13), Boucher (VA-9), Miller (NC-13), Shuler (NC-11)
S left in subcommittee on Health Education Labor & Pensions.
PBA co-sponsors: Rockefeller (WV)

Rural Policing Institute

HR 1697 establishes a “Rural Policing Institute”
Died in homeland security committee
Bill sponsor: Mike Rogers (AL-3)
PBA cosponsors include: Davis (TN-1), Jindal (LA-1)


Health benefits

HR 2047 removes 18-month limit on COBRA coverage
Died in Government reform committee
PBA co-sponsor: Price (GA-6)

HR 2391 available federal health benefits to family of officers killed in line of duty
Died subcommittee on workforce May 24.
PBA cosponsors: Bachus (AL-6), Cramer (AL-5), Goode (VA-5)

S 2526 Protect first responders from Health Hazards
Died in Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
PBA cosponsors: none

Employer labor protection

HR 2670 to protect against employees obtaining work just to disrupt from within
Died in Labor and Pensions committee
PBA co-sponsor: Barrett (SC-3), Westmoreland (GA-3), Wicker (MS-1), Wilson (SC-2)
S 1570 companion to HR 2670
Died in Labor and Pensions committee
Sponsor: Jim DeMint (SC)
PBA co-sponsors: Vitter (LA)

In-custody Death report to Justice Department

HR 2908 all in custody deaths be reported to Justice.
Died in Homeland Security sub-Committee
Sponsor: Robert Scott (VA-3)

HR 3971 all in custody deaths reported to Justice. (similar to HB 2908)
Ordered reported by Judiciary, no further action
Sponsor: Scott (VA-3),
PBA cosponsors: Forbes (VA-4)

Overtime for Homeland security work

HR 2979 Allow for Homeland Security money to pay overtime
Died in Homeland Security Committee
PBA co-sponsor: none

Require recording of all Federal interrogations

HR 3027 (as title states)
Died in homeland Security Subcommittee
PBA co-sponsor: none

Repeal of the “windfall elimination” provision of Social Security

S 1647 & HR 2772 would eliminate a cut back and result in more benefit payout
S left in Finance Committee
PBA co-sponsor: none
HR left in Ways and Means
PBA co-sponsor: none

Public Corruption

S 1946 amendments to public corruption laws
Calendared, no further action taken.
PBA co-sponsor: Sessions (AL)

S 118 amendments to public corruption laws
Died in Judiciary
PBA co-sponsor: Pryor (AR)

HR 1872 amendments to public corruption laws
Died in Judiciary
Sponsor: Henry Johnson (GA-4)
PBA co-sponsor: none

Local first responder agency grants

S 1955 provides grants to agencies with deployed officers (for OT and others)
Died in Homeland Security
PBA co-sponsor: Lincoln-AR

Immigration Enforcement

HR 842 provides funds to carry out State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
Died in Homeland Security subcommittee
Sponsor: Charles Norwood (GA-10)
PBA co-sponsor: none

HR 3494 provides funds to carry out State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
Died in Judiciary
Sponsor: Marsha Blackburn (TN 7)
PBA co-sponsor:
Aderholt (AL 4), Alexander (LA 5), Bachus (AL 6), Baker (LA 6), Barrett (SC 3), Bonner (AL 1), Boozman (AR 3), Boustany (LA 7), Broun (GA 10), Brown (SC 1), Cantor (VA 7), Capito (WV 2), Coble (NC 6), Cramer (AL 5),
Davis (TN 1), Davis (KY 4), Davis (VA 1), Davis (TN 4), Deal (GA 9), Drake (VA 2), Duncan (TN 2), Everett (AL 2), Forbes (VA 4), Foxx (NC 5), Gingrey (GA 11),
Goode (VA 5), Goodlatte (VA 6), Hayes (NC 8), Jones (NC 3), Kingston (GA 1),
Lewis (KY 2), Linder (GA 7), McCrery (LA 4), McHenry (NC 10), McIntyre (NC 7), Myrick (NC 9), Price (GA 6), Rogers (AL 3), Shuler (NC 11), Taylor (MS 4),
Wamp (TN 3), Westmoreland (GA 3), Whitfield (KY 1), Wicker (MS 1), Wilson (SC 2)

HR 3549 Withdraws funds from local/state governments interfere immigration law
Died in Judiciary
PBA co-sponsor: none

S 2074 & HR 3980 provides for humane treatment of immigration enforcement
Died in Judiciary
PBA co-sponsor: none

Improved school safety and law enforcement

S 2084 provides provisions for school enforcement improvements
Left on Senate Calendar
PBA co-sponsor: none

Vest funding

HR 3711 Eliminate matching fund requirement for purchase of vests for correction officers
Died in Judiciary Committee
PBA cosponsors: Davis (TN-4), Davis (VA-11)

Prohibit Racial Profiling

HR 4611 Died in Judiciary Committee
PBA cosponsors: Bishop (GA-2), Cohen (TN-9), Jefferson (LA-2), Johnson (GA-4), Price (NC-4), Scott (VA-3), Watt (NC-12),
S 2481 Died in Judiciary Committee
PBA cosponsors: none