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[114th Congress Public Law 180]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 130 STAT. 445]]

Public Law 114-180
114th Congress

                                 An Act

 
 To ensure Federal law enforcement officers remain able to ensure their 
     own safety, and the safety of their families, during a covered 
            furlough. <<NOTE: June 22, 2016 -  [H.R. 2137]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Federal Law 
Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015. 18 USC 926B 
note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense 
and Protection Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Too often, Federal law enforcement officers encounter 
        potentially violent criminals, placing officers in danger of 
        grave physical harm.
            (2) In 2012 alone, 1,857 Federal law enforcement officers 
        were assaulted, with 206 sustaining serious injuries.
            (3) From 2008 through 2011, an additional 8,587 Federal law 
        enforcement officers were assaulted.
            (4) Federal law enforcement officers remain a target even 
        when they are off-duty. Over the past 3 years, 27 law 
        enforcement officers have been killed off-duty.
            (5) It is essential that law enforcement officers are able 
        to defend themselves, so they can carry out their critical 
        missions and ensure their own personal safety and the safety of 
        their families whether on-duty or off-duty.
            (6) These dangers to law enforcement officers continue to 
        exist during a covered furlough.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``agency'' means each authority of the 
        executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of 
        the United States;
            (2) the term ``covered Federal law enforcement officer'' 
        means any individual who--
                    (A) is an employee of an agency;
                    (B) has the authority to make arrests or 
                apprehensions for, or prosecute, violations of Federal 
                law; and
                    (C) on the day before the date on which the 
                applicable covered furlough begins, is authorized by the 
                agency employing the individual to carry a firearm in 
                the course of official duties;

[[Page 130 STAT. 446]]

            (3) the term ``covered furlough'' means a planned event by 
        an agency during which employees are involuntarily furloughed 
        due to downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any budget 
        situation including a lapse in appropriations; and
            (4) the term ``firearm'' has the meaning given that term in 
        section 921 of title 18, United States Code.
SEC. 4. PROTECTING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO ARE 
                    SUBJECTED TO A COVERED FURLOUGH.

    During a covered furlough, a covered Federal law enforcement officer 
shall have the same rights to carry a firearm issued by the Federal 
Government as if the covered furlough was not in effect, including, if 
authorized on the day before the date on which the covered furlough 
begins, the right to carry a concealed firearm, if the sole reason the 
covered Federal law enforcement officer was placed on leave was due to 
the covered furlough.

    Approved June 22, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2137:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114-543 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
            May 10, considered and passed House.
            June 10, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>
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