42 U.S.C. § 15208: Law enforcement tribute acts

Summary

Allows the Attorney General to give grants to States, local governments, and Indian tribes to build permanent tributes honoring law enforcement and public safety officers who were killed or disabled while serving. Grants must be paid directly to the recipient and used only for those tribute programs. No single grant can be more than $150,000. The federal share cannot be more than 50% of a project’s cost. Tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs funds used for law enforcement on Indian lands can count as the non-federal match. The chief executive of a State, local government, or tribe must apply to the Attorney General and provide the information requested. By November 30 each year, the Attorney General must report to Congress on the number of grants, the amounts, and how the money was used. Congress authorized $3,000,000 for each fiscal year 2002 through 2009.

Title 42, §15208

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Short title

This section may be cited as the “Law Enforcement Tribute Act”.

(b)Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)The well-being of all citizens of the United States is preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance and dedication of law enforcement and public safety personnel.

(2)More than 700,000 law enforcement officers, both men and women, at great risk to their personal safety, serve their fellow citizens as guardians of peace.

(3)Nationwide, 51 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2000, according to statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This number is an increase of 9 from the 1999 total of 42.

(4)In 1999, 112 firefighters died while on duty, an increase of 21 deaths from the previous year.

(5)Every year, 1 in 9 peace officers is assaulted, 1 in 25 is injured, and 1 in 4,400 is killed in the line of duty.

(6)In addition, recent statistics indicate that 83 officers were accidentally killed in the performance of their duties in 2000, an increase of 18 from the 65 accidental deaths in 1999.

(7)A permanent tribute is a powerful means of honoring the men and women who have served our Nation with distinction. However, many law enforcement and public safety agencies lack the resources to honor their fallen colleagues.

(c)Program authorized

From amounts made available to carry out this section, the Attorney General may make grants to States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to carry out programs to honor, through permanent tributes, men and women of the United States who were killed or disabled while serving as law enforcement or public safety officers.

(d)Uses of funds

Grants awarded under this section shall be distributed directly to the State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe, and shall be used for the purposes specified in subsection (c).

(e)$150,000 limitation

A grant under this section may not exceed $150,000 to any single recipient.

(f)Matching funds

(1)The Federal portion of the costs of a program provided by a grant under this section may not exceed 50 percent.

(2)Any funds appropriated by Congress for the activities of any agency of an Indian tribal government or the Bureau of Indian Affairs performing law enforcement or public safety functions on any Indian lands may be used to provide the non-Federal share of a matching requirement funded under this subsection.

(g)Applications

To request a grant under this section, the chief executive of a State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Attorney General may require.

(h)Annual report to Congress

Not later than November 30 of each year, the Attorney General shall submit a report to the Congress regarding the activities carried out under this section. Each such report shall include, for the preceding fiscal year, the number of grants funded under this section, the amount of funds provided under those grants, and the activities for which those funds were used.

(i)Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2009.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as the Law

Enforcement

Tribute Act, and also as part of the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, and not as part of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 109–162 substituted “2009” for “2006”.

§15208 Law Enforcement Tribute Acts