http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/1003-125.html
Nation's Cops Call on Congress to Let Them
Carry Guns; Congress
May Include H.R. 218 in Terrorism Fighting Legislation Today
To: National Desk
Contact: Eunice Deeds of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America,
703-847-2677
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- This
morning, James J.
Fotis, executive director of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America
(LEAA) called on House Judiciary Committee Chairman, James
Sensenbrenner, (R-Wis.) to immediately move H.R. 218, the "Community
Protection Act."
LEAA co-authored H.R. 218, known as the
"Community Protection
Act," with Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) and has been
pushing passage for nearly a decade. H.R. 218 allows qualified
off-duty and retired law enforcement to carry their firearms
nationwide to thwart and deter criminal activity 24/7.
Fotis, himself a highly decorated, retired
police officer from New
York, reaffirmed to the powerful chairman of Judiciary Committee
that, "We'd like you to get this bill out of committee immediately
and let the members of Congress vote it up or down."
LEAA, the leading law enforcement group
supporting this bill,
recapped H.R. 218's status accordingly, "372 members of Congress
supported the Community Protection Act in a recorded floor vote in
the last session of Congress. Currently there are nearly 200
co-sponsors signed onto this bill -- about 20 more and we will have a
majority of this House on board supporting it. Almost every House
leader is behind this bill and H.R. 218 has members from both ends of
the partisan perspective supporting it. And, finally, more than 76
law enforcement groups nationwide are calling for its passage, now
more than ever."
The recent attacks on America have dramatically
increased support
for this the "Community Protection Act." Many experts believe
America's next terrorist assault won't be jets crashing through
revered landmarks; the next attack the USA faces will likely be on
our streets, near our homes, not on planes. Accordingly, America
must be prepared to fight back and win next time. President Bush is
calling for a Homeland Security Office to oversee and coordinate
anti-terrorism, home and community defense efforts.
Whether Congress votes H.R. 218 into law
stand-alone, primarily as
a public safety and officer safety issue, or includes it as part of a
comprehensive legislative package to fight terrorism, LEAA has
declared, "No better time exists to pass H.R. 218; we must give the
more than 1.5 million trained, experienced and qualified law
enforcement professionals -- everywhere in this land, 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, at no cost to the taxpayers -- the tool to protect our
nation's citizens."
"After almost ten years of working this
bill, LEAA feels confident
that if the 'Community Protection Act' is presented to Congress it
will pass and pass overwhelmingly!" Fotis said.
Fotis has challenged every member of Congress,
"If you won't pass
H.R. 218 for public and officer safety, if you won't move it
immediately because of the treat of terrorism, than pass it to honor
the valiant members of America's thin blue line who have shown us how
heroic they can be when they risked their lives on September 11 and
the days that followed. Let's pass this bill for them."
With 65,000 member and supporters, the Law
Enforcement Alliance of
America (LEAA) is the nation's largest coalition of law enforcement
professionals, crime victims, and concerned citizens dedicated to
making America safer. Visit our Web site at www.LEAA.org.
To schedule an interview about the
"Community Protection Act,"
call the Law Enforcement Alliance of America at 703-847-2677; for
complete information about the history of H.R. 218 go to
http://www.leaa.org/218/index.html
KEYWORDS:
GUNS/FIREARMS, TERRORISM, LAW, POLICY
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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
10/03 14:00
Copyright 2001, U.S. Newswire