Granting the consent of Congress to the Mutual Aid Agreement between the city of Bristol, Virginia, and the city of Bristol, Tennessee.
PL 104-181 (H.J.Res.166), enacted 08/06/1996

PUBLIC LAW 104-181—AUG. 6, 1996 
110 STAT. 1609 
Public Law 104-181 
104th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
Granting the consent of Congress to the Mutual Aid Agreement between the city 
Aug. 6, 1996 
of Bristol, Virginia, and the city of Bristol, Tennessee. 
[HJ Res 166] 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL CONSENT. 
The Congress consents to the Mutual Aid Agreement entered 
into between the city of Bristol, Virginia, and the city of Bristol, 
Tennessee. The agreement reads as follows: 
"THIS MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT, made and entered into 
by and between the CITY OF BRISTOL VIRGINIA, a municipality 
incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia 
(hereinafter 'Bristol Virginia'); and the CITY OF BRISTOL TEN-
NESSEE, a municipality incorporated under the laws of the State 
of Tennessee (hereinafter 'Bristol Tennessee'). 
i 
"WITNESSETH: 
"WHEREAS, Section 15.1-131 of the Code of Virginia and 
Sections 6-54-307 and 12-9-101 et seq. of the Tennessee Code 
Annotated authorize Bristol Virginia and Bristol Tennessee to enter 
into an agreement providing for mutual law enforcement assistance; 
"WHEREAS, the two cities desire to avail themselves of the 
authority conferred by these respective laws; 
"WHEREAS, it is the intention of the two cities to enter into 
mutual assistance commitments with a pre-determined plan by 
which each city might render aid to the other in case of need, 
or in case of an emergency which demands law enforcement services 
to a degree beyond the existing capabilities of either city; and, 
"WHEREAS, it is in the public interest of each city to enter 
into an agreement for mutusd assistance in law enforcement to 
assure adequate protection for each city. 
"NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual 
promises and the benefits to be derived therefrom, the City of 
Bristol Virginia and the City of Bristol Tennessee agree as follows: 
"1. Each city will respond to calls for law enforcement 
assistance by the other city only upon request for such assist-
ance made by the senior law enforcement officer on duty for 
the requesting city, or his designee, in accordance with the 
terms of this Agreement. All requests for law enforcement 
assistance shall be directed to the senior law enforcement officer 
on duty for the city fi-om which aid is requested. 
110 STAT. 1610 
PUBLIC LAW 104-181—AUG. 6, 1996 
"2. Upon request for law enforcement assistance as pro-
vided in Paragraph 1, the senior law enforcement officer on 
duty in the responding city will authorize a response as follows: 
"a. The responding city will attempt to provide at least 
the following personnel and equipment in response to the 
request: 
"(1) A minimum response of one vehicle and one 
person. 
"(2) A maximum response of fifty percent (50%) 
of available personnel and resources, 
"b. The response will be determined by the severity 
of the circumstances in the requesting city which prompted 
such request as determined by the senior law enforcement 
officer on duty in the responding city after discussion with 
the senior law enforcement officer on duty in the requesting 
city. Any decision reached by such senior officer of the 
responding city as to such response shall be final. 
"c. If an emergency exists in the responding city at 
the time the request is made, or if such an emergency 
occurs during the course of responding to a request under 
this Agreement, and if the senior law enforcement officer 
on duty in the responding city reasonably determines, after 
a consideration of the severity of the emergency in his 
jurisdiction, that the responding city cannot comply with 
the minimal requirements under this Agreement without 
endangering Hfe or incurring significant property damage 
in his city, or both, he may choose to use all equipment 
and personnel in his own jurisdiction. In such event, such 
officer of the responding city shall immediately attempt 
to inform the senior law enforcement officer on duty in 
the requesting city of his decision. 
"3. The city which requests mutual aid under this Agree-
ment shall not be deemed liable or responsible for the equip-
ment and other personal property of personnel of the responding 
city which might be lost, stolen or damaged during the course 
of responding imder the terms of this Agreement. 
"4. The city responding to a request for mutual aid under 
this Agreement assumes all liabilities and responsibility as 
between the two cities for damage to its own equipment and 
other personal property. The responding city also assumes all 
liability and responsibility, as between the two cities, for any 
damage caused by its own equipment and/or the negligence 
of its personnel occurring outside the jurisdiction of the request-
ing city while en route thereto pursuant to a request for assist-
ance under this Agreement, or while returning therefrom. 
"5. The city responding under this A^eement assumes 
no responsibility or liability for damage to property or injury 
to any person that may occur due to actions taken in responding 
under this Agreement; all such liability and responsibility shall 
rest solely with the city requesting such aid and within which 
boundaries the property exists or the incident occurs, and the 
requesting party hereby assumes all of such liability and 
responsibility. 
"6. Each city hereby waives any and all claims against 
the other city which may arise out of their activities in the 
other city's jurisdiction under this Agreement. To the extent 
permitted by law, the city requesting assistance under this 
PUBLIC LAW 104-181—AUG. 6, 1996 
110 STAT. 1611 
Agreement shall indemnify and hold harmless the responding 
city (and its officers, agents and employees) from any and 
all claims by third parties for property damage or personal 
injury which may arise out of the activities of the responding 
city within the jurisdiction of the requesting city under this 
Agreement. 
"7. The city responding to a request for assistance under 
this Agreement assumes no responsibility or liability for dam-
age to property or injury to any person that may occur within 
the jurisdiction of the requesting city due to actions taken 
in responding under this A^eement. In accordance with Section 
15.1-131 of the Code of Virginia and Section 29-20-107(f) 
of the Tennessee Code Annotated, all personnel of the respond-
ing city shall, during such time as tliey providing assistance 
in the requesting city under this Agreement, be deemed to 
be employees of the requesting city for tort liability purposes. 
"8. No compensation will be due or paid by either city 
for mutual aid law enforcement assistance rendered imder this 
Agreement. 
"9. Except as provided in Paragraph 7 of this Agreement, 
neither city will make any claim for compensation against 
the other city for any loss, damage or personal injury which 
may occur as a result of law enforcement assistance rendered 
under this Agreement, and all such rights or claims are hereby 
expressly waived, 
"10. When law enforcement assistance is rendered under 
this Agreement, the senior law enforcement officer on duty 
in the requesting city shall in all instances be in command 
as to strategy, tactics and overall direction of the operations. 
All orders or directions regarding the operations of the respond-
ing party shall be relayed to the senior law enforcement officer 
in command of the responding city. 
"11. Either city may terminate this Agreement upon sixty 
(60) days' written notice to the other city. 
"12. This Agreement shall take effect upon its execution 
Effective date, 
by the Mayor and Chief of Police for each city after approval 
of the City Council of each city, and upon its approval by 
the Congress of the United States as provided in Section 15.1-
131 of the Code of Virginia. Each city will promptly submit 
this Agreement to its respective Congressmsin and Senators 
for submission to the Congress.". 
SEC. 2. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL. 
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this joint resolution is 
hereby expressly reserved by the Congress. The consent granted 
by this joint resolution shall not be construed as impairing or 
in any manner affecting any right or jurisdiction of the United 
States in and over the region which forms the subject of the agree-
ment. 
110 STAT. 1612 
PUBLIC LAW 104-181—AUG. 6, 1996 
SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY. 
It is intended that the provisions of this agreement shall be 
reasonably and liberally construed to effectuate the purposes 
thereof. If any part or application of this agreement, or legislation 
enabling the agreement, is held invalid, the remainder of the agree-
ment or its application to other situations or persons shall not 
be affected. 
Approved August 6, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 166: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-705 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996): 
July 29, considered and passed House. 
July 31, considered and passed Senate.