Reps. Whitmer, Accavitti, Adamini, Anderson, Angerer, Bieda, Brown, Byrnes, Byrum, Cheeks, Clack, Clemente, Dillon, Donigan, Espinoza, Farrah, Gaffney, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Hopgood, Kehrl, Kolb, Kathleen Law, Leland, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Mayes, McConico, McDowell, Miller, Murphy, Newell, Polidori, Sak, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Stewart, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Waters, Williams, Wojno and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 28.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to refrain from making cuts to the Community Oriented Policing Services program.

            Whereas, As our nation faces difficult challenges here at home and abroad, there are tough choices that need to be made.  However, the President's proposed budget for the 2006 fiscal year includes severe cuts to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program that seem strongly at odds with the country's need to increase the safety and security of our citizens; and

            Whereas, The proposal to cut the COPS program from nearly $500 million to $22 million has elicited a strong negative response from many police departments around the country.  Since many law enforcement professionals feel that this program has contributed to the decline in violent crime across the country to the lowest level in many years, virtually eliminating this initiative seems to be a  bad move to take; and

            Whereas, The men and women who patrol our streets represent a critical link in the chain of homeland security that is so important to our country.  Police officers are clearly the most visible deterrent to crimes of all kinds, including those that represent the biggest threat to individual citizens and families and the nation as a while.  It would be very unwise to cut the COPS program in the face of the realities confronting our communities, states, and nation; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to refrain from making cuts to the Community Oriented Policing Services program; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.