S. 376 Moves Out Of Committee

When the 108th Congress passed the original “Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act of 2004”—authorizing active and retired police officers to carry firearms throughout the United States—it took a step forward in advancing public safety. 

The premise of that law was simple: Allowing trained, active-duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms could only enhance public safety.  It would also allow current and former officers to defend themselves against revenge attacks by those they’d once brought to justice.

Since 2004, however, nagging issues in the original law have prevented police and the public from realizing its potential benefits.  Many retirees, in particular, have complained that agencies won’t make the necessary annual training available.  The “Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act of 2007” (S. 376), sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and a bipartisan group of Judiciary Committee members, would fix these problems. 

We are happy to report that, this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to report S. 376 favorably, without any of the many anti-gun amendments Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) had threatened to propose.  The bill is now available for consideration by the full Senate.

Please contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 376.  And please encourage your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same!

You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121.

A companion House bill is expected to be introduced in the near future.