XXXX Voted Against Allowing Public Safety Personnel to Unionize. In May 2008, XXXX voted against allowing consideration of a bill that would give public safety personnel nationwide the right to unionize. The bill aims to give police and firefighters the right to unionize in any municipality with a population that exceeds 5,000 — a long-overdue guarantee for the nation’s first-responders, supporters say. The measure would not override stronger state laws on collective-bargaining rights. [CQ Today, 5/13/08; Vote 126, 5/13/08] XXXX Rejected $1 Billion for COPS. In September 2005, XXXX voted against providing an additional $1 billion for the Community Oriented Policing Services program in Fiscal Year 2006. [Vote 226, 9/13/05; CQ Today, 9/16/05] XXXX Voted Against $1 Billion for COPS. During debate on the Fiscal Year 2006 budget resolution, XXXX voted against providing an additional $1 billion for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. [Vote 70, 3/17/05; CQ, 3/17/05; Biden Press Release, 3/17/05] XXXX Voted Against $2.3 Billion for Local Law Enforcement. In April 2003, XXXX joined Senate Republicans and voted against providing $2.33 billion for state and local first responders. [Vote 123, 4/3/03; AP, 4/3/03] XXXX Voted Against $1 Billion for Local Law Enforcement. In March 2003, XXXX voted against increasing funding for first responders by $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2003 and $2.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2004. It would also increase funding for Byrne Grants by $650 million and Local Law Enforcement Block Grants by $400 million in Fiscal Year 2004. [Vote 92, 3/25/03; CQ, 3/25/03; Congressional Record, 3/25/03] XXXX Opposed $1 Billion for COPS. In March 2003, XXXX voted against increasing Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funding by $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2004. [Vote 78, 3/21/03; AP, 3/22/03] XXXX Voted Against Providing $634.7 Million to Rural Law Enforcement for Anti-Drug Enforcement. In 2003, XXXX voted against an effort to provide $634.7 million for the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant Program, which provides money to rural law enforcement agencies for anti-drug enforcement. [Vote 6, 1/17/03] XXXX Voted to Deputize Qualified Commercial Pilots Federal Law Enforcement Officers. In 2002, XXXX was one of 89 Senators who voted for an amendment to deputize qualified pilots of commercial passenger and cargo planes as federal law enforcement officers, and authorize those officers to carry firearms and use lethal force against individuals in defense of an aircraft if security is at risk. Officers would receive the same training as federal law enforcement officers. [HR 5005, Vote 210, 9/5/02] XXXX Voted Against COPS Funding. In 1999, XXXX cast a crucial vote against an amendment to authorize $1.15 billion per year for Fiscal Year 2000 through Fiscal Year 2005 to encourage and support community-policing programs. This includes enough funding to hire 50,000 police officers. [Vote 139, 5/22/99] XXXX Voted Against Increasing COPS Program by 25,000 Officers. In 1999, XXXX voted to kill an amendment to increase the authorization for the COPS program so that 25,000 police officers could be hired over two years. The amendment would also increase penalties for drug sales to children, and prohibit the transfer of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips to juveniles. [Vote 109, 5/12/99] GENERAL FIRST RESPONDER FUNDING XXXX Rejected $16.5 Billion for First Responder Grants. In July 2006, XXXX voted against increasing funding for state and local first responder grants by $16.5 billion, to be paid for by rolling back the Bush tax cuts for millionaires. [Vote 197, 7/12/06; CQ Weekly, 7/14/06] XXXX Rejected $790 Million Hike in First Responders Grants for High Risk Areas. In July 2006, XXXX voted against a proposal to increase grant funding for first-responders by $790 million in fiscal year 2007. The 201