U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) join 26 members of the House to seek federal funding of the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Grant Program.
The grant program would provide $30 million in FY 2022 to help state and local law enforcement purchase bulletproof vests working in the field.
“Since 1999, the BVP program has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $522 million in federal funds for the purchase of over one million vests. According to the Government Accountability Office, over 3,000 law enforcement lives have been saved by armored vests since 1987. We urge you to consider the safety of our brave first responders as you formulate the FY22 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. By fully funding this critical program, we can continue to ensure that law enforcement officers have access to these lifesaving resources,” the group said in a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.
In 2019, a bill authored by Pascrell permanently authorized the BVP Grant program. In 2020, the program allotted $23.5 million to 4,450 jurisdictions to purchase body armor for police officers across the country. Since 1999, the program has awarded 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $522 million in federal funds to purchase more than one million vests.
According to the Government Accountability Office, over 3,000 law enforcement lives have been saved by armored vests since 1987.