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Protecting Communities and Police Act of 2015
Legislative Progress
Momentum (last 30 days)
0
score
0 actions · 0 new cosponsors · 0 votes
Speed vs cohort
80pct
91d open
vs 6,526 other HR bills in the 114th — cohort avg 56d
Protecting Communities and Police Act of 2015 This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to jointly appoint a task force to determine the appropriateness of the use of certain military equipment by state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require FEMA, in consultation with the task force established by this Act, to: (1) assess the appropriateness of items on FEMA's Authorized Equipment List for use by law enforcement agencies in counterterrorism activities, (2) designate items on the List that may be purchased by law enforcement agencies, (3) review the List every five years, and (4) publish the List on the website of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in the Federal Register. The bill defines certain items on the List as either prohibited or restricted items that a local law enforcement agency cannot purchase or use without FEMA authorization or the approval of the law enforcement agency's governing body. The law enforcement agency must submit a needs justification statement with any request for the purchase of a restricted item. The bill also sets forth training and certification requirements for local law enforcement agencies on the use of restricted items. The bill limits law enforcement agencies with fewer than 10 full-time law enforcement officers to one tactical military vehicle unless the agency has in place a joint-use agreement with another agency and serves as the procuring agency under the agreement. Similarly, small Special Weapons and Tactics teams (SWAT teams) consisting of fewer than 17 sworn law enforcement officers (35 if more than one law enforcement agency is involved) cannot purchase restricted items. Law enforcement agencies that are under DOJ consent decrees for civil rights abuses or excessive use of force are prohibited from buying restricted items. The bill establishes priorities for transfers of Department of Defense military equipment to other federal agencies ahead of state and local law enforcement agencies. If equipment is transferred to a state or local law enforcement agency for use by a SWAT team, the agency must certify the public availability of SWAT team training records and video recordings of each SWAT team deployment using such equipment. The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to limit the use of grant funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for the purchase of military equipment by state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill requires DOJ to create and make publicly available: (1) a list of prohibited items that may not be purchased by a law enforcement agency using Byrne grant funds unless necessary to prevent a threat to national security, and (2) a list of special justice items that are suitable for certain uses by law enforcement agencies. This bill requires: (1) law enforcement agencies that purchase equipment for SWAT teams to publish training records for such teams; (2) states to establish whistle blower protections and public complaint hot lines for reporting misuse of any military equipment purchased with Byrne grant funds; and (3) grant funds to be allocated for the purchase of body cameras, dashboard cameras, gun cameras, and related costs. DOJ must: (1) collect and analyze data on the use of SWAT teams by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies; and (2) publish and report on such data. The bill also amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require DHS, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, to conduct programs to certify instructors to conduct training courses on law enforcement tactics for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Filing registrants (1)
2015 · fourth_quarter · Aerospace
--Lobbied against restricting commercial UAS operations in the national airspace (H.R. 1646, S. 1608, H.R. 2569, H.R. 1229, S. 635, H.R. 137, H.R. 819, S. 387, H.R. 798, H.R. 1232, S. 159, H.R. 1939, H.R. 1735, S. 1619, S. 1595, H.R. 2577, H.R. 2326, S. 1376, S. 1314, S. 1245, S. 1118, H.R. 1385, H.R. 1597, H.R. 240, H.R. 614, H. R. 861, S. 272, H.R. 1656). --Lobbied in support of timely issuance of small UAS final rule. --Lobbied for inclusion of the aerospace and defense industry in discussions on spectrum policy, along with favorable treatment and consideration of the needs of the industry in spectrum legislation. --Advocated for FY 16 Appropriations in H.R. 2029, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016" (P.L. 114-113) and Senate companion for FAA, to include resources for FAA certification, UAS activities and research, and NextGen Programs (ADS-B, Datacomm, and PBN activities). --Advocated for continuing to streamline the FAA's certification activities and use its ODA program effectively. --Lobbied for timely long-term reauthorization of FAA. --Lobbied for successful implementation of FAA UAS roadmap and periodic review and comment to stakeholders. --Lobbied to support design, certification and operations standards for UAS integration into the NAS. --Lobbied to maximize UAS market growth through appropriate policies with no adverse impact on national security. --Lobbied for inclusion of a study in FAA reauthorization legislation on the safety and efficiency benefits of head-up displays.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congress.gov source codes: H11100, H11100-A
Introduced in House
Congress.gov source codes: 1000, Intro-H
Bills with similar content found using semantic analysis.
Sources: Congress.gov
Client expense: $180,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Air Force, Dept of, Army, Dept of (Other), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHA), Federal Railroad Administration, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Navy, Dept of, SENATE, Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of
2015 · third_quarter · Aerospace
--Lobbied against restricting commercial UAS operations in the national airspace (H.R. 1646, S. 1608, H.R. 2569, H.R. 1229, S. 635, H.R. 137, H.R. 819, S. 387, H.R. 798, H.R. 1232, S. 159, H.R. 1939, H.R. 1735, S. 1619, S. 1595, H.R. 2577, H.R. 2326, S. 1376, S. 1314, S. 1245, S. 1118, H.R. 1385, H.R. 1597, H.R. 240, H.R. 614, H. R. 861, S. 272, H.R. 1656). --Lobbied in support of timely issuance of small UAS final rule. --Lobbied in support of UAS CNPC test flight at FAA tech center. --Lobbied for FAA Spectrum Office participation on RTCA SC-228. --Lobbied for short-term FAA extension, H.R. 3614, the Airport and Airway Extension Act (P.L. 114-55). --Lobbied for inclusion of the aerospace and defense industry in discussions on spectrum policy, along with favorable treatment and consideration of the needs of the industry in spectrum legislation. --Advocated for FY 16 Appropriations in H.R. 2577, the "Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2016" and Senate companion for FAA, to include resources for FAA certification, UAS activities and research, and NextGen Programs (ADS-B, Datacomm, and PBN activities). --Advocated for continuing to streamline the FAA's certification activities and use its ODA program effectively. --Lobbied for timely long-term reauthorization of FAA. --Lobbied for successful implementation of FAA UAS roadmap and periodic review and comment to stakeholders. --Lobbied to support design, certification and operations standards for UAS integration into the NAS. --Lobbied to maximize UAS market growth through appropriate policies with no adverse impact on national security. --Lobbied for inclusion of a study in FAA reauthorization legislation on the safety and efficiency benefits of head-up displays.
Client expense: $190,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Air Force, Dept of, Army, Dept of (Other), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHA), Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Intl Trade Administration (ITA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Navy, Dept of, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA)