Bill to renew Bulletproof Vest Partnership clears Senate Judiciary Committee

Senator Coons, a member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, applauded the Judiciary Committee’s overwhelming and bipartisan passage Thursday of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act, S. 933. The bill, which Senator Coons and Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy re-introduced on May 13, reauthorizes the competitive grant program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance that provides funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to assist in their purchasing of bullet-resistant and stab-resistant body armor. The bill will now move to consideration by the full Senate.

“A bullet-resistant vest is not an accessory; it is a critical part of every officer’s uniform,” Senator Coons said. “The federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership makes vests more affordable, ensuring that when officers go out to protect our communities, they can do so safely. We need to save this program so that this program can keep saving lives.”

On February 11, bulletproof vests purchased through the federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership saved the lives of two Capitol Police officers, Sergeant Michael Manley and Corporal Steve Rinehart, when a gunman opened fire at the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington. Both officers were struck, but survived because of their vests.

Thousands of vests have been purchased by Delaware law enforcement through the Partnership over its 14-year history, including 3,852 in the last five years. Nationwide, the program has subsidized more than a million vests, saving the lives of more than 3,000 police officers, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Agencies can be reimbursed for up to 50 percent of the cost of body armor that complies with National Institute of Justice standards.

As co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Chris regularly hosts briefings to educate and inform Senate Members and staff about policies, programs, and initiatives that enhance public safety and strengthen our criminal justice system. Faced with shrinking budgets, many police departments, including smaller departments in Delaware, are unable to afford body armor for all officers.

“Police officers work to make us safer every day,” Chris said. “Congress should be working to make police officers safer, too. I thank my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for their support of this bill and will continue working to ensure its final passage.”