IB 

Union Calendar No. 419 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2137 

[Report No. 114–543] 

To ensure Federal law enforcement officers remain able to ensure their 

own safety, and the safety of their families, during a covered furlough. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2015 

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia (for himself, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. REICHERT, and Mr. 

PASCRELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

MAY 10, 2016 

Additional sponsors: Mr. BISHOP of Michigan and Mr. FITZPATRICK

MAY 10, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
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•HR 2137 RH

A BILL 

To ensure Federal law enforcement officers remain able to 

ensure their own safety, and the safety of their families, 

during a covered furlough. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
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•HR 2137 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Law Enforce5 ment Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Too often, Federal law enforcement officers 

9 encounter potentially violent criminals, placing offi10 cers in danger of grave physical harm. 

11 (2) In 2012 alone, 1,857 Federal law enforce12 ment officers were assaulted, with 206 sustaining se13 rious injuries. 

14 (3) From 2008 through 2011, an additional 

15 8,587 Federal law enforcement officers were as16 saulted. 

17 (4) Federal law enforcement officers remain a 

18 target even when they are off-duty. Over the past 3 

19 years, 27 law enforcement officers have been killed 

20 off-duty. 

21 (5) It is essential that law enforcement officers 

22 are able to defend themselves, so they can carry out 

23 their critical missions and ensure their own personal 

24 safety and the safety of their families whether on25 duty or off-duty. 


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•HR 2137 RH

1 (6) These dangers to law enforcement officers 

2 continue to exist during a covered furlough. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act— 

5 (1) the term ‘‘agency’’ means each authority of 

6 the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the 

7 Government of the United States; 

8 (2) the term ‘‘covered Federal law enforcement 

9 officer’’ means any individual who— 

10 (A) is an employee of an agency; 

11 (B) has the authority to make arrests or 

12 apprehensions for, or prosecute, violations of 

13 Federal law; and 

14 (C) on the day before the date on which 

15 the applicable covered furlough begins, is au16 thorized by the agency employing the individual 

17 to carry a firearm in the course of official du18 ties; 

19 (3) the term ‘‘covered furlough’’ means a 

20 planned event by an agency during which employees 

21 are involuntarily furloughed due to downsizing, re22 duced funding, lack of work, or any budget situation 

23 including a lapse in appropriations; and 


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•HR 2137 RH

1 (4) the term ‘‘firearm’’ has the meaning given 

2 that term in section 921 of title 18, United States 

3 Code. 

4 SEC. 4. PROTECTING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI5 CERS WHO ARE SUBJECTED TO A COVERED 

6 FURLOUGH. 

7 During a covered furlough, a covered Federal law en8 forcement officer shall have the same rights to carry a 

9 firearm issued by the Federal Government as if the cov10 ered furlough was not in effect, including, if authorized 

11 on the day before the date on which the covered furlough 

12 begins, the right to carry a concealed firearm, if the sole 

13 reason the covered Federal law enforcement officer was 

14 placed on leave was due to the covered furlough. 


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Union Calendar No. 419 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2137 

[Report No. 114–543] 

A BILL 

To ensure Federal law enforcement officers remain 

their families, during a covered furlough. able to ensure their own safety, and the safety of 

MAY 10, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS