Legislative Priorities of the F.O.P. from the 109th Congress
I. Social Security IssuesA. Support H.R. 147/S. 619, the "Social Security Fairness Act"
The F.O.P. strongly supports legislation to restore unfair cuts in Social Security benefits by supporting the repeal of both the "Windfall Elimination Provision" (WEP) and the "Government Pension Offset" (GPO). The F.O.P. 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.
B. Opposing any legislation that would require the participation of public employees in Social Security
The F.O.P. 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 F.O.P. 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. 354/S. 718, the "State and Local Law Enforcement Officers' Discipline, Accountability and Due Process Act"
The F.O.P. 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.