White House to spend more than $20 million on bulletproof vests for police

May 15, 2000
Web posted at: 2:33 a.m. EDT (0633 GMT)

From CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The day after hundreds of thousands of mothers marched on Washington to press for tougher gun laws, U.S. President Bill Clinton planned to put the focus on the police officers on the front lines in the fight against gun violence.

Clinton planned to announce Monday that he is making about $25 million available to law enforcement agencies around the country to purchase 90,000 bulletproof vests, according to a senior administration official.

MESSAGE BOARD Guns under fire

The money comes out of funds appropriated for the 2000 budget, and therefore does not require Congressional approval.

Law enforcement agencies would apply to the federal government for the money to purchase vests for their officers.

Last year, Clinton funded the purchase of 92,000 vests.

The president planned to make the announcement during an event on the West Steps of the Capitol honoring the Fraternal Order of Peace Officers.

Clinton also planned to endorse a bill pushed by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, which calls for $150 million over three years to pay for more than 500,000 bulletproof vests for police officers.

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