Washington Watch: Legislative Update
For the Week of 1 February 2016
I.         Legislative News and Activity
II.       This Week in Congress
III.    Update on Top Legislative Priorities
IV.     DAY ON THE HILL 2016!!!
V.     Follow the FOP National Legislative Office on Twitter!

    
I.      LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND ACTIVITY
Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with numerous Administration officials regarding the intentional data breach by hackers of the FOP data servers.  These contacts, most on multiple occasions are:

• Heather Childs, Chief of Staff to Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillen Yates;
• G. Scott Hulsey, Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General; and
• Scott Ferber, Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General and prosecutor specializing in cybercrime cases.

Executive Director Pasco spoke to numerous media outlets regarding the hack attack of the FOP databases.

Executive Director Pasco spoke with W. Ross Ashley III, Executive Director of the National Fusion Center Association, which offered the expert help in addressing the hack attack on the FOP.

Executive Director spoke with Brian de Vallance, former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about homeland security concerns and the attack on the FOP's data servers.

Executive Director Pasco spoke with Ronald L. Davis, Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) at the U.S. Department of Justice to discuss setting up a summit to focus on the issues and perspectives of rank-and-file officer on policing challenges.

Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson represented the FOP on a conference call with M. Kendall Day and Alice W. Dery, the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section of the DOJ to discuss asset forfeiture reform.

Legislative Liaison Martin met with staff in the office of Representative H.W. "Trey" Gowdy III to discuss  S.125/H.R. 228, the “Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Reauthorization Act, ” H.R. 3537, the “Synthetic Drug Control Act," and H.R. 4229, the "Protecting Our Youth from Dangerous Synthetic Drugs Act."

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson and Legislative Liaison Marisa Beam participated in a conference call with stakeholder organizations to discuss issued related to the Public Safety Benefits program.

Legislative Liaison Beam represented the FOP at a meeting of the Public Pension Network.

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson and Legislative Liaison Martin attended a meeting of the law enforcement groups to discuss upcoming issues in this legislative session.

Senior Legislative Liaison Richardson and Legislative Liaison Martin represented the FOP at a reception hosted by the National District Attorneys Association.  Senator John Cornyn III (R-TX) was the keynote speaker.


II.     THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Both chambers were in session this week.

Action in the House
The House considered and passed H.R. 3662, the "Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act," on a 246-181 vote.  The bill, which now goes to the Senate for further action, which would prohibit the President from removing certain foreign financial institutions, including an Iranian financial institution, from the lists of designated nationals and blocked persons.

The House tried and fail to overturn the President's veto of H.R. 3762, the "Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act," on a 241-186 vote.

Action in House Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing this week entitled: "Another Surge of Illegal Immigrants Along the Southwest Border: Is this the Obama Administration’s New Normal?"

The Committee on Homeland security held a hearing entitled: "Crisis of Confidence: Preventing Terrorist Infiltration through U.S. Refugee and Visa Programs."

The Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing entitled: "Status of the Public Safety Broadband Network."

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on National Security held a hearing entitled: "Seeking Justice for Victims of Palestinian Terrorism in Israel."


Action in the Senate
The Senate continued consideration of S. 2012, the "Energy Policy Modernization Act."  Late Friday votes on the measure are possible.

Action in Senate Committees
The Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled: "Attacking America's Epidemic of Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse."

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing entitled: ""Frontline Response to Terrorism in America."


III.       UPDATE ON TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
For the complete list of cosponsors for all of our top legislative priorities, or to find out if your Representative and Senators are cosponsors of specific bills, check out http://thomas.loc.gov.

A.  Support H.R. 973/S. 1651, the "Security Fairness Act"
We added 1 cosponsor to H.R. 973, bringing our current total to 134.

We have 21 cosponsors on S. 1651.


B.  Support H.R. 2254, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Equity Act"
We have 14 cosponsors on H.R. 2254.


IV.  DAY ON THE HILL 2016!
Your participation in this year's Day on the Hill is of critical importance as the 114th Congress begins its final session and the Presidential campaigns heat up. We need to make our voices heard and work hard to ensure that our issues are considered in the year ahead and by all the candidates for President. Please attend if you can; we need your participation!!!

The FOP Day on The Hill 2016 will begin on Monday, 29 February 2016. The National Legislative Office and the National Legislative Committee will host a short briefing on our legislative agenda. The briefing will take place at 3pm on that Monday afternoon at D.C. Lodge #1 and last approximately one hour.

Tuesday and Wednesday, 1-2 March, will be devoted to your meetings with Members from your home States and districts. These appointments should be made in advance!!! Event participants should make every effort to have their Representative or Senator attend the meeting along with the appropriate staff person.

Accommodations for Day on the Hill Participants
The room block is no longer available.


V.      Follow the FOP National Legislative Office on Twitter!
Sign up today for the latest news from Capitol Hill:  https://twitter.com/FOPLegislative

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