Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S.1605) to establish a matching grant program to help States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S.1605) entitled "An Act to establish a matching grant program to help States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers", do pass with the following amendments:

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, on March 11, 1998, the Senate passed S.1605, the Bulletproof Vest and Partnership Grant Act of 1998 which I introduced along with my colleagues Senators LEAHY and HATCH. On May 12, 1998, with strong bipartisan support, the House passed this bill and with mutually agreed upon modifications. Today, the Senate is about to pass this legislation by a unanimous vote and send it to the President for signature and enactment into law. I wish to thank the distinguished Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator HATCH, and the Committee's ranking member Senator LEAHY, for their help and support with this important legislation.

Two nights ago, on Wednesday, May 13, 1998, in observance of National Police Week, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund held the Tenth Annual Memorial Candlelight Vigil and Reception honoring the fallen men and women in the line of duty. My heart goes out to the families and friends of these men and women and I am proud to be a part of a potential solution to this tragedy that faces police officers in the line of duty.

This legislation is endorsed by 38 Attorneys General, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the International Union of Police Associations, the Police Executive Research Forum, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, and the National Associations of Police Organizations. They know this legislation will benefit police and sheriffs' departments around the country.

There are far too many law enforcement officers who patrol our streets and neighborhoods without the proper protective gear against violent criminals.

As a former deputy sheriff, I know first-hand the risks which law enforcement officers face everyday on the front lines protecting our communities.

Today, more than ever, violent criminals have bulletproof vests and deadly weapons at their disposal. In fact, figures from the U.S. Department of Justice indicate that approximately 150,000 law enforcement officers-or 25 percent of the nation's 600,000 state and local officers-do not have access to bulletproof vests. Unfortunately, many police departments just do not have the resources to purchase vests on their own.

The evidence is clear that a bulletproof vest is one of the most important pieces of equipment that any law enforcement officer can have. Since the introduction of modern bulletproof material, the lives of more than 1,500 officers have been saved by bulletproof vests. In fact, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has concluded that officers who do not wear bulletproof vests are 14 times more likely to be killed by a firearm than those officers who do wear vests. Simply put, bulletproof vests save lives.

This Friday afternoon, at the 17th annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, the families, friends and colleagues of police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty this past year will gather on the West Front of the Capitol to remember the courage and sacrifice of their fallen loved ones.

This heartfelt ceremony marks the climax of National Police Week here in Washington, DC. A perfect way to show tribute to these fallen men and women is through passage of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 by both houses of Congress.

The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 will form a partnership with state and local law enforcement agencies in order to make sure that police officers who need bulletproof vests get one. It will do so by authorizing up to $25 million per year for a new grant program within the U.S. Department of Justice. The program will provide 50-50 matching grants to state and local law enforcement agencies and Indian tribes to assist in purchasing bulletproof vests and body armor. To ensure that the funding goes first to those police departments which need it most, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance is given discretion to give preferential consideration to smaller departments whose budgets are scarce.

Additionally, those jurisdictions which do not receive any funding under the local law enforcement block grant program will be given preference. Furthermore, at least half of the funds available under this program will be awarded to jurisdictions with less than 100,000 residents.

While we know that there is no way to end the risks inherent to a career in law enforcement, we must do everything possible to ensure that officers who put their lives on the line every day also put on a vest. Body armor often means the difference between life and death.

Mr. ALLARD. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate agree to the amendments of the House.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.