S.253 (H.R. 218) Passes Senate Judiciary Committee
Senate Judiciary Committee Votes to Arm Off Duty and Retired Cops
Number one legislative priority of rank and file law enforcement clears hurdle
March 6, 2003

Washington DC ­ Retired New York Police Officer James J. Fotis, Executive Director of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA) praised the Senate Judiciary Committee today, for their overwhelming vote to support S. 253 ­ legislation that would allow qualified off duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in all 50 states. Early Thursday, March 6th, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 18-1 in favor of the popular police legislation; only Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) opposed the bill.

LEAA’s Fotis worked with Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA) to author the first version of this legislation ten years ago and LEAA has been working to make it law ever since. Sponsored by Sen. Campbell, himself a former law enforcement officer, S. 253 drew bi-partisan support from both Committee Chairman Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Leahy (D-VT), who introduced similar legislation in the previous Congress.

Fotis remarked, “this legislation is common sense homeland security at no extra cost to the taxpayers ­ we can trust our off duty and retired law enforcement officers with the tools needed to keep themselves, their families and our communities safe.”

Fotis observed, "The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act has earned overwhelming, broad bi-partisan support in both chambers -- demonstrated again today with the strong vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the Senate, this bill is opposed by Ted Kennedy (D-MA), who has suggested that officers who have retired after 15 years on the job can not be trusted with a firearm. In the House it has been opposed for more than two years by Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) who has refused to allow the bill a simple hearing."

The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2003, introduced in the House by Duke Cunningham (R-CA) as H.R. 218 and in the Senate by Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) as S. 253, has strong bipartisan support in both chambers and is overwhelmingly supported by America’s rank and file law enforcement, including; the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers’ Association, the American Association of State Troopers, the National Sheriffs Association, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the National Law Enforcement Council, the National Troopers Coalition and nearly 100 state and local law enforcement associations.

The President has made it clear that if Congress sends this legislation to his desk he will sign it into law.