|
Balancing our freedoms with security - The USA
PATRIOT Act
With
several of its more controversial sections set to expire on December
31, 2005, Congress will take a critical look at the USA PATRIOT in the
coming year. With the continuing threat of terrorist attacks on our
homeland, it is vital that our federal, state and local law enforcement
agencies have the tools necessary to keep us safe. However, the first
victim of terrorism in our nation should never be the constitution, for
as Ben Franklin said, "Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve
neither."
I am a cosponsor of the Freedom to Read Protection Act of
2005
(HR 1157),
a bill which would eliminate the provision that allows federal law
enforcement officers to examine the lists of all the items you've taken
out of your local library without a warrant, notice to you, or probable
cause. In addition, I supported an amendment to the FY06 Commerce,
Justice and State Appropriations bill (H.R.
2862)
which, if it had passed, would have eliminated this provision. As
Congress begins to take another look at this and other expiring
provisions of the PATRIOT Act, I will continue to work to ensure that
our national security efforts are balanced with the constitutional
freedoms that our nation was founded on.
Press Releases
12/14/05
- Larson Committed to Meaningful Balance of Expanded Government
Surveillance and Civil Protections
7/20/05
- Larson: Rhetoric Must Meet Reality on Protecting America
Information from the Library of
Congress
Supporting our First Responders
Supporting
our police officers, fire fighters and emergency medical responders is
one of the most important things Congress does. It is vital that
municipalities have the resources to hire, train and equip these first
responders as they work to keep our nation and local communities safe.
I have continually worked to support programs that help first
responders in the first district, including:
- The COPS Program
I
have worked with my colleagues to fight for increased funding for the
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, which has helped
put 117,000 more officers on the streets in the past 10 years. In
addition, I am an original cosponsor of H.R.
5277,
a bill that would reauthorize the COPS program and provide additional
grant money for states and communities to hire, train and equip their
police officers.
- Bulletproof Vests
I am a cosponsor of H.R.
1708, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2003.
This legislation would extend funding for the Bulletproof Vest
Partnership Grant Program, a program which helps States, tribal, and
local jurisdictions purchase armor vests for law enforcement officers,
through 2007. Through this program, several local police departments in
the First District have been able new bulletproof vests for their
officers.
- The FIRE Grant
Program
I am an original cosponsor of H.R.
4107, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Reauthorization Act of
2004,
which provides grants and funding for training and equipment for fire
fighters and first responders. Through this program, Fire departments
all over the first district have received the critical funds they need
to hire, train, and equip their firefighters.
Information from the Library of
Congress
AMBER
Alert
The
best national estimates for the number of missing children
are from incidence studies conducted by the U.S. Department
of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention. The second National Incidence Studies of
Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART
2) was released in October of 2002. According to
NISMART 2 data estimates, there were 203,900 children
abducted by family members, 58,200 children abducted by
nonfamily members and 1,682,900 runaway/thrownaway episodes
in 1999.
The
best national estimates for the number of missing children
are from incidence studies conducted by the U.S. Department
of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention. The second National Incidence Studies of
Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART
2) was released in October of 2002. According to
NISMART 2 data estimates, there were 203,900 children
abducted by family members, 58,200 children abducted by
nonfamily members and 1,682,900 runaway/thrownaway episodes
in 1999. I am an original cosponsor of the
National AMBER Alert Network Act (H.R. 412), to enhance the operation of the AMBER Alert
communications network in order to facilitate the recovery
of abducted children, to provide for enhanced notification
on highways of alerts and information on such children.
Learn
more about AMBER Alert and children's safety.
Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA)
Since
it was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994, the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA) has provided critical funding and services to victims of
domestic, child, sexual and other kinds of abuse.
In addition to setting up critical grant programs to aid state and
local communities, VAWA changed federal law relating to interstate
stalking, intrastate domestic abuse, federal sex offense cases, and HIV
testing in rape cases. It was
reauthorized in 2000 and expanded to help prevent sexual assaults on
campuses, provide transitional housing for victims of domestic abuse, and
protect elderly and disabled victims of domestic violence.
I
am a cosponsor of The Violence
Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R.
2876), which would reauthorize VAWA and expand the act to improve
services and outreach to victims, provide resources for sexual assault
victims through rape crisis centers and state coalitions, and support
prevention, health, housing and economic assistance programs designed to
prevent violence and help victims.
Information
from the Library of Congress
Information about services for victims of violence:
Legislation Introduced
H.R.
1405
Changes
federal tax law to exempt property tax abatements or other incentives
offered by local governments to volunteer emergency responders from
income and wage withholdings.
Press Releases:
4/25/03
- Dodd, Lieberman and Larson Call for Protection of Tax Relief for Volunteer
First Responders (Public
Safety)
More Info: Volunteer
Emergency Responders
H.R. 4967
Nursing Home Fire Safety Act
Requires all nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid to have a sprinklers system within 5 years.
Press Release:
8/24/04
- In Response to Fatal Fires, Larson Introduces Bill to Require Sprinklers
in U.S. Nursing Homes (Seniors)
Caucus Memberships
Congressional Fire Services
Caucus
The Congressional Fire Services Caucus is the largest caucus in
Congress with over 340 members. Founded in 1987, the Caucus unites
Republicans and Democrats in support of fire service legislation that
benefits all first responders.
Congressional Law Enforcement
Caucus
The
Law Enforcement Caucus is a bi-partisan organization created in 1994 to
serve as a clearinghouse for information and grants and a sounding
board for ideas from the law enforcement community.
Congressional Missing and Exploited
Children's Caucus
The Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus works to
build awareness around the issue of missing and exploited children for
the purpose of finding children who are currently missing and to
prevent future abductions.
Additional
Cosponsorships
H.R. 919
Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act
Extends
survivor benefits to the families of public safety officers who dies as
the result of a heart attack or stroke suffered while on duty.
H.R. 1824
Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2003
Would classify automatic fire sprinkler systems as five-year depreciable property for tax purposes.
H.R.
2662
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005
Authorizes
the Attorney General to prevent crimes based on race, color, religion,
national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
Helpful Links
CT
Department of Public Safety
|
