[House Report 113-54]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 113-54
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NATIONAL BLUE ALERT ACT OF 2013
_______
May 14, 2013.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Goodlatte, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 180]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 180) to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert
plans throughout the United States in order to disseminate
information when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured
or killed in the line of duty, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that
the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for the Legislation.......................... 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 3
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 3
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 4
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................. 4
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 4
Advisory on Earmarks............................................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis...................................... 4
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 180 directs the formation of a national Blue Alert
communications network within the Department of Justice (DOJ)
to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is
seriously injured or killed in the line of duty and a suspect
has not been apprehended. An existing DOJ officer shall act as
the national coordinator of the Blue Alert communications
network who shall 1) encourage states and local governments to
develop additional Blue Alert plans, 2) establish voluntary
guidelines for states and local governments to use in
developing such plans, 3) develop protocols for efforts to
apprehend suspects, and 4) establish an advisory group to
assist states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and
other entities in initiating, facilitating, and promoting Blue
Alert plans.
Background and Need for the Legislation
This bill would encourage and enhance an integrated Blue
Alert communications network throughout the United States in
order to disseminate information and speed apprehension of
violent criminals when a law enforcement officer is seriously
injured or killed in the line of duty. Blue Alerts would use
the same infrastructure as Amber Alerts (missing children) and
Silver Alerts (missing seniors).
Each year, hundreds of law enforcement officers are killed
or seriously injured in the line of duty. Despite this, law
enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day,
working long and irregular hours in stressful and dangerous
conditions. Since 1791, over 19,000 law enforcement officers
have been killed in the line of duty in the United States.
The Blue Alert system is a cooperative effort among local,
state and Federal authorities, law enforcement agencies and the
general public. A Blue Alert provides a description of an
offender who is still at large and may include a description of
the offender's vehicle and license plate information.
The bill directs the Department of Justice to designate a
Blue Alert national coordinator who will encourage states that
have not already done so to develop Blue Alert plans and
establish voluntary guidelines.
Like Amber Alerts, Blue Alerts help hinder the offender's
ability to flee and will facilitate a speedy capture. Blue
Alerts also help to eliminate the grave threat which each
offender poses to the general public and to law enforcement
personnel.
Eighteen states currently have Blue Alert networks in
place. At least six more states are considering Blue Alert
networks and/or have legislation pending.
Hearings
The Committee on the Judiciary held no hearings on H.R.
180.
Committee Consideration
On May 7, 2013, the Committee met in open session and
ordered the bill H.R. 180 favorably reported without amendment,
by voice vote, a quorum being present.
Committee Votes
In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that there
were no recorded votes during the Committee's consideration of
H.R. 180.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the
findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on
oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the
descriptive portions of this report.
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives is inapplicable because this legislation does
not provide new budgetary authority or increased tax
expenditures.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee sets forth, with
respect to the bill, H.R. 180, the following estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 9, 2013.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman,
Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 180, the
``National Blue Alert Act of 2013.''
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark
Grabowicz, who can be reached at 226-2860.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf,
Director.
Enclosure
cc:
Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member
H.R. 180--National Blue Alert Act of 2013.
As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary
on May 7, 2013.
H.R. 180 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to
establish and promote a national communications network to
issue alerts (that would be known as ``blue alerts'') when a
law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured. Under
the bill's provisions, the department would develop guidelines
and protocols for State and local governments that participate
in the program and provide assistance as necessary to those
participants.
Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates
that it would cost about $1 million annually from appropriated
funds for DOJ to establish and administer the new program.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 180 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on State, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz.
The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Duplication of Federal Programs
No provision of H.R. 180 establishes or reauthorizes a
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of
another Federal program, a program that was included in any
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance.
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings
The Committee estimates that H.R. 180 specifically directs
to be completed no specific rule makings within the meaning of
5 U.S.C. 551.
Performance Goals and Objectives
The Committee states that pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, H.R.
180 will encourage and enhance an integrated Blue Alert
communications network throughout the United States in order to
disseminate information and speed apprehension of violent
criminals when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured
or killed in the line of duty.
Advisory on Earmarks
In accordance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, H.R. 180 does not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of Rule XXI.
Section-by-Section Analysis
The following discussion describes the bill as reported by
the Committee.
Sec. 1: Short Title
Section 1 provides that the short title of H.R. 180 is the
``National Blue Alert Act of 2013.''
Sec. 2: Definitions
Section 2 defines certain terms as used in the bill.
Sec. 3: Blue Alert Communications Network
Section 3 directs the Attorney General to establish a
national Blue Alert communications network within the
Department of Justice by initiating, facilitating and promoting
Blue Alert plans with state and local governments and law
enforcement agencies.
Sec. 4: Blue Alert Coordinator; Guidelines
Section 4 requires the Attorney General to assign an
existing officer of the Department of Justice to act as the
national coordinator of the Blue Alert communications network.
The Section also sets forth the coordinator's duties and
limitations. It also restricts the coordinator's ability to
travel and hold conferences solely for Blue Alert network
purposes.