Torres/Carter Federal Law Enforcement Training Bill Heads to President's Desk

ONTARIO, CA – Today, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) praised the Senate’s passage of H.R 3842, a bill introduced by Torres and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) which makes improvements to and permanently establishes the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).  FLETC provides quality, cost-effective training to more than 70,000 law enforcement officers across a variety of agencies each year at seven locations around the country. 

“As we have seen time and again, our local law enforcement is the first line of defense in the fight against terror and coordination between all levels of law enforcement is vital when responding to a crisis,” said Torres.  “If our nation is to address the threat of future attacks, we must ensure that law enforcement personnel throughout the nation not only have the tools they need but also the training to effectively address the diverse terrorism landscape.”

FLETC was first established in 1975, and training is carried out by a group of experienced instructors who use modern facilities and standardized course content at locations in Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, and South Carolina.  FLETC also has a unique partnership with the Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center at the Port of Los Angeles where they help ensure local law enforcement get the training they need to protect America’s critical ports and waterways.  This is particularly significant at a port that accounts for more than 40 percent of the goods that enter the United States.

“With many of the goods that arrive at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles coming through my district before being distributed throughout the rest of the country, maritime security is one of my top priorities and must be a critical piece of our national homeland security mission,” continued Torres.  “I commend my Senate colleagues for passing this important piece of legislation and look forward to the President signing it into law.”

H.R. 3842 passed the House of Representatives on December 8, 2015 by a vote of 420 to 2. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent on December 10, 2016, making minor technical changes which required the bill be sent back to the House for approval. The House passed the Senate amended version on December 13, 2016. The bill now heads to the President for his signature.

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