Top Legislative Priorities for the 110th Congress
I. Social Security IssuesA. Support H.R. 82/S. 206, the "Social Security Fairness Act"
The FOP strongly supports legislation to restore full Social Security benefits for law enforcement officers by repealing both the "Windfall Elimination Provision" (WEP) and the "Government Pension Offset" (GPO).
B. Opposing any legislation that would require the participation of public employees in Social Security
The FOP also vehemently opposes legislation which would mandate participation in Social Security for current or newly hired public employees who participate in their own retirement systems and do not pay into Social Security.
The FOP strongly supports this legislation, which would guarantee the right of public employees to bargain collectively with their employers over hours, wages and conditions of employment. The bill mandates that each State pass laws providing minimum collective bargaining rights to their public safety employees and outlines certain provisions to be included in those laws. Strikes and lockouts are prohibited by the bill and States with collective bargaining laws already on the books will be exempt from the Federal statute.
III. Support H.R. 688/S. 449, the "State and Local Law Enforcement Officers' Discipline, Accountability and Due Process Act"
The FOP strongly supports a "bill of rights" for law enforcement officers who are, in a number of jurisdictions, denied their due process rights by police administrators and management in noncriminal proceedings. There is a need for a minimum level of procedural protections for law enforcement officers accused of administrative wrongdoing because of the gravity of potential harm to officers created by this lack of uniform safeguards.
For more information, please feel free to contact the National Legislative Office at (202) 547-8189 or via e-mail.